Patent ID: 6889765
Filing Date: 2005-05-10
Classification: E21B,F04B

Abstract:
1. A submersible well pumping system comprising: a) an axially elongated housing having a diameter less than the diameter of a bore hole of a well; b) a plurality of rigid pumping chambers formed in the housing and enclosing pumping fluid and working fluid in fixed volumes; c) flexible diaphragm means dividing each pumping chamber into two sub-chambers thus separating the pumped fluid from the working fluid; d) pump inlet means connecting the pumped fluid sub-chambers and the bore hole of the well; e) pump outlet means connecting the pumped fluid sub-chambers and the surface of the earth; f) an inlet check valve means per pumped fluid sub-chamber extending between the pump inlet and each pumped fluid sub-chamber allowing unidirectional flow of pumped fluid from the pump inlet means to the pumped fluid sub-chambers; g) outlet check valve means extending from the pump outlet means to each pumped fluid sub-chamber allowing the unidirectional flow of pumped fluid from the pumped fluid sub-chambers to the pump outlet means; h) a closed hydraulic system filled with working fluid; i) at least one auxiliary pump capable of circulating working fluid through the closed hydraulic system; j) a two-state flow switch engaged to the closed hydraulic system, extending between the auxiliary pump or pumps and the working fluid sub-chambers capable of alternately inserting and simultaneously withdrawing working fluid into the working fluid sub-chambers; k) a switching actuation means to reverse the state of the flow switch; l) a plurality of control chambers, comprising volumes of working fluid and located in the vicinity of matching pumped fluid and working fluid sub-chambers, having rigid boundaries except where separated from the pumped fluid sub-chamber by a flexible diaphragm; m) a plurality of sensors, each connected to the switching actuation means and to the appropriate working fluid sub-chamber and control chamber; n) means to insure the flow switch is completely actuated; o) a plurality of fluid passageways extending from the auxiliary pump to the flow switch, from the flow switch to the sensors and from the flow switch to the working fluid sub-chambers; and p) prime moving means attached to one or more auxiliary pumps and driving one or more auxiliary pumps.