Suction rod assembly for well fluid extraction and related methods

Abstract

The present invention provides a downhole suction rod pump assembly for use in pumping formation fluid from an oil well, and more specifically, provides a rotor operable to generate a vortex in a pump barrel without imparting torque to the plunger. The improvements to a suction rod pump assembly may be incorporated into any oil well pumping system having a linear rod and or rod string. The rotor vortex displaces formation fluid above a plunger assembly, thereby preventing heavier debris in the formation fluid from settling or lodging between a plunger and barrel boundary, thus extending the practical life of the pump.

1 . A downhole suction rod pump assembly, comprising:
 a. a plunger having an internal conduit operable to allow for the passage of formation fluid through said suction rod pump assembly during a suction rod downstroke;   b. a freely rotatable rotor having flutes, said rotor concentrically coupled to a suction rod assembly, and operable to generate a vortex within a barrel or tube;   c. a reciprocating rod string operable to linearly translate said suction rod assembly vertically in said barrel; and   d. wherein said rotor flutes are operable to produce a rotation of said rotor in a direction opposite to said vortex during said suction rod downstroke.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plunger inlet operable to receive said formation fluid and a traveling valve therein said plunger inlet being operable to linearly translate to an open and closed position in response to reciprocation of said rod string. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said plunger includes an open-type cage having a plurality of ports with a total combined cross-sectional area equal to said inlet of said plunger. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said flutes have a cross-sectional area equal to the cross-sectional area of said plunger inlet cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said rotor is operable to prevent debris and particulates from settling between said plunger and barrel boundary, thereby preventing fouling of said barrel and plunger boundary. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a collar operable to rotatably couple said rotor to said connecting rod. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said rotor flute has a constant pitch and a helical path around the exterior surface of said rotor with a starting angle of 0 degrees from a rotors bottom surface and has an ending angle ranging from 60 to 210 degrees at a rotors top surface. 
     
     
         10 . A downhole suction rod pump assembly, comprising:
 a. a plunger having at least one internal conduit operable to receive formation fluid from a traveling valve intake port and directing formation fluid to a cage for distribution through at least one cage port;   b. a reciprocating rod string operable to linearly translate a suction rod vertically in a barrel; and   c. a rotor concentrically coupled to a connecting rod, wherein said rotor has at least one flute with a cross-sectional area equal to said traveling valve intake port and is operable to generate a vortex of formation fluid in said barrel above said rotor during a down-stroke of said reciprocating rod string without imparting a torque on said connecting rod.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said connecting rod has a distal and proximal end wherein said distal end is fastened to said cage and said proximal end is rotatably secured to said rod string. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a pair of collars secured between said connecting rod and said rotor. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said rotor intermittently rotates during a downstroke of said rod string in a direction opposite to said vortex rotation and rotation of said rotor seizes during an upstroke of said rod string. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one cage port is a plurality of ports each having a port sized to be substantially equal to said plunger intake. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said rotor flute has a helical path with a substantially constant pitch wrapping around an exterior surface of said rotor starting a bottom surface and ending at a top surface. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said rotor flute has a total combined cross-sectional area substantially equal to said plunger intake. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A downhole suction rod pump assembly, comprising:
 a. a reciprocating rod string operable to linearly translate a suction rod vertically in a barrel;   b. a plunger having an internal conduit operable to direct a flow of formation fluid from at least one traveling valve intake port; and   c. a rotor rotatably coupled to said assembly and positioned at or between a reciprocating rod string and said plunger, wherein said rotor has an internal conduit, a flute positioned between a top surface and a bottom surface of said rotor, and at least one discharge port for formation fluid to flow into said flute.   
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said flute is operable to rotate said swivel and generate a vortex of formation fluid above said swivel when said suction rod is in a downstroke. 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said discharge port and said flute have a combined cross-sectional area that is substantially equal to said traveling valve intake port; 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said swivel flutes starts between the bottom surface and midline of said flute and ends between the tops surface and said midline having a constant pitch and a helical path with a starting angle of 0 degrees and an ending angle of 360 degrees. 
     
     
         32 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said at least one discharge port is a plurality of ports equidistantly arranged along a helical path symmetrical to said at least two flute paths. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The assembly of  claim 28 , wherein said flutes are operable to intermittently produce a rotation of said swivel in a direction opposite to said vortex during a suction rod downstroke, and intermittently stops rotating during a suction rod upstroke. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled)