Modeling pressure pulsation and backflow in progressing cavity pumps with deformable stator

TL;DR

This paper investigates how rotor-stator interactions in progressing cavity pumps influence flow rate and pressure, emphasizing the effects of rotor deviations and deformable stators through modeling and laboratory testing.

Contribution

It introduces a geometric 3D model to analyze rotor deviations and their impact on flow and pressure in pumps with deformable stators, validated by experiments.

Findings

Radial deviation influences flow rate.

Tangential deviation affects pressure dynamics.

Laboratory tests confirm the model's predictions.

Abstract

This contribution studies the impact of the rotor-stator interaction in a single-stage progressing cavity pump on the flow rate and pressure. Specifically, we investigate the effect of the rotor movement on the sealings formed with deformable stators for various speeds and pressures. Sealings are reconstructed with the help of a geometric 3D model. We analyze the tangential and radial deviation of the rotor from its reference path and show that the radial deviation affects the flow rate, whereas the tangential deviation affects the pressure dynamics. The conjectures are confirmed with a laboratory test setup.