TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to pumps, for example, centrifugal pumps.

BACKGROUND

Centrifugal pumps increase the pressure of transported fluid by converting rotational kinetic energy into hydrodynamic energy. The energy is provided by an external engine or electrical motor.

Centrifugal pumps are efficient for their physical size making them useful in places with a limited footprint such as a ship, wellbore, or municipal water system.

SUMMARY

This disclosure describes a centrifugal pump with adaptive pump stages.

An example implementation of the subject matter described within this disclosure is a pump with the following features. An impeller provides kinetic energy to flow fluid through the pump. The impeller has multiple geometric dimensions. A diffuser is connected to the impeller. The diffuser converts the kinetic energy provided by the impeller into static pressure energy to flow the fluid through the pump. An adaptive material is attached to the impeller. The adaptive material is capable of modifying, during operation of the pump, a geometric dimension of the multiple geometric dimensions in order to modify fluid flow through the pump.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The geometric dimensions include an impeller outer diameter and an impeller blade trailing edge angle.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The impeller includes an impeller blade having the impeller blade trailing edge angle. The adaptive material is configured to increase or decrease the impeller blade trailing edge angle during operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. A leading edge or a trailing edge of the impeller blade is made of the adaptive material.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. A trailing region of the impeller blade is made of the adaptive materials.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials comprise properties configured to change in response to an external stimulus including at least one of stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric field or magnetic field.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials include a piezoelectric material, a magnetostrictive material, or a shape memory material configured to modify the geometric dimension in response to an outside stimulus.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. An electric charge source is connected to the impeller. The electric charge source provides the electric charge to modify the geometric dimension.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. A magnetic field source is connected to the impeller. The magnetic field source provides the magnetic field to modify the geometric dimension.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. A pump condition during the operation of the pump under which the adaptive materials modify the geometric dimension includes a pump temperature during the operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials include at least one of pH-sensitive polymers, temperature-responsive polymers, magnetorheological fluids, electroactive polymers, or thermoelectric materials.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The impeller is a first impeller, the diffuser is a first diffuser, the first impeller and the first diffuser form a first pump stage, wherein the pump further includes a second pump stage connected in series with the first pump stage. The second pump stage includes a second impeller that provides kinetic energy to flow fluid through the pump. The second impeller has multiple geometric dimensions. A second diffuser is connected to the second impeller. The second diffuser converts the kinetic energy provided by the second impeller into static pressure energy to flow the fluid through the pump.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. The second pump stage does not include adaptive materials.

Aspects of the example implementation, which can be combined with the example implementation alone or in combination, include the following. An adaptive material is attached to the diffuser. The adaptive material attached to the diffuser is configured to modify, during operation of the pump, a geometric dimension of the diffuser in order to modify fluid flow through the pump.

An example implementation of the subject matter described within this disclosure is a method with the following features. An adaptive material is attached to an impeller of a pump. The impeller provides kinetic energy to flow fluid through the pump. The impeller has multiple geometric dimensions. The adaptive material is configured to modify, during operation of the pump, a geometric dimension to modify fluid flow through the pump. Wherein the impeller is connected to a diffuser that converts the kinetic energy provided by the impeller into static pressure energy to flow the fluid through the pump. The adaptive material is actuated during the operation of the pump to modify the geometric dimension of the impeller.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The geometric dimensions include an impeller outer diameter and an impeller blade trailing edge angle.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The impeller includes an impeller blade having the impeller blade trailing edge angle. The adaptive material is configured to increase or decrease the impeller blade trailing edge angle during operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The impeller includes an impeller blade with the impeller blade leading edge angle. The adaptive material is configured to increase or decrease the impeller blade leading edge angle during operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The diffuser includes a diffuser blade having the diffuser blade trailing edge angle. The adaptive material is configured to increase or decrease the diffuser blade trailing edge angle during operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The impeller includes a diffuser blade with the diffuser blade leading edge angle. The adaptive material is configured to increase or decrease the diffuser blade leading edge angle during operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials include properties that change in response to temperature.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials include properties that change in response to pump conditions during the operation of the pump.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The adaptive materials include a piezoelectric material, a magnetostrictive material, or a shape memory material configured to modify the geometric dimension in response to an outside stimulus.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. The shape memory materials include at least one of pH-sensitive polymers, temperature-responsive polymers, magnetorheological fluids, electroactive polymers or thermoelectric materials.

Aspects of the example method, which can be combined with the example method alone or in combination, include the following. Actuating the adaptive material during the operation of the pump to modify the geometric dimension of the impeller includes applying an electric charge or magnetic field to the adaptive material to modify the geometric dimension.

