Apparatus and Method for Facilitating a Hydrostatic Pressure Increase in a Fluid Flowing in a Pipe

Abstract

There is described an apparatus ( 1 ) and a method to facilitate a hydrostatic pressure increase in a fluid flowing in a first pipe ( 22 ), where the hydrostatic pressure increase is provided by means of a pumping device ( 3 ) being supplied with energy, the apparatus including: —an energy harvester ( 5 ) arranged to be able to draw a portion of an energy carried by a fluid flowing in a second pipe ( 28 ); and —a mechanical or hydraulic energy transfer device ( 9, 60 ) arranged to be able to transfer a portion of the energy absorbed by the energy harvester ( 5 ) to the pumping device ( 3 ).

1 . An apparatus ( 1 ) to facilitate a hydrostatic pressure increase in a fluid flowing in a first pipe ( 22 ), where the hydrostatic pressure increase is provided by means of a pumping device ( 3 ) being supplied with energy, the apparatus including:
 an energy harvester ( 5 ) arranged to be able to draw a portion of an energy carried by a fluid flowing in a second pipe ( 28 ); and   a mechanical or hydraulic energy transfer device ( 9 ,  60 ) arranged to be able to transfer to the pumping device ( 3 ) a portion of the energy absorbed by the energy harvester ( 5 ), characterised in that the pumping device and the energy harvester ( 5 ) being located in a common housing ( 53 ).   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy harvester ( 5 ) is constituted by a volumetric differential pressure turbine. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer device ( 9 ,  60 ) is selected from one of or a combination of the group consisting of: a shaft; a belt drive; an impeller; a hydraulic transmission. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 53 ) is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the first pipe ( 22 ), an inlet and an outlet for the second pipe ( 28 ), and an impeller ( 60 ) being common for the first pipe ( 22 ) and the second pipe ( 28 ) such that the energy transfer device ( 9 ,  60 ) is constituted by the impeller ( 60 ). 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pipe ( 22 ) is arranged upstream of a process plant ( 24 ) for reverse osmosis and wherein the second pipe ( 28 ) is arranged downstream of said process plant ( 24 ). 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pipe ( 22 ) is arranged upstream of a liquid container ( 24 ) for storage of aquatic organisms in a land-based fish farm and wherein the second pipe ( 28 ) is a drain pipe for said liquid container ( 24 ). 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pipe ( 22 ) is a supply pipe for cooling water for a process plant ( 40 ) and the second pipe ( 28 ) is a discharge pipe for the cooling water. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping device ( 3 ) is arranged in connection with a first well pipe ( 22 ) having a fluid at a first well pressure and the energy harvester ( 5 ) is arranged in connection with a second well pipe ( 28 ) having a fluid at a second well pressure, the first well pressure is less than the second well pressure. 
     
     
         9 . A method to facilitate a hydrostatic pressure increase in a fluid flowing in a first pipe ( 22 ), where the hydrostatic pressure increase is provided by means of a pumping device ( 3 ) being supplied with energy, wherein at least a portion of the energy for the pumping device ( 3 ) is generated by means of an energy harvester ( 5 ) arranged to be able to draw a portion of an energy carried by a fluid flowing in a second pipe ( 28 ), where the energy is transferred mechanically or hydraulically between the energy harvester ( 5 ) and the pumping device ( 3 ), characterised in that the energy harvester ( 5 ) and the pumping device ( 3 ) being located in a common housing ( 53 ). 
     
     
         10 . Use of a pressure reducing device ( 5 ) allocated to a second petroleum well ( 28 ) to drive a pumping device ( 3 ) allocated to a first petroleum well ( 22 ).