Consecutive operation of booster pumping stations in conditions of periodic communication sessions

The paper discusses an approach to optimize operation of booster pumping stations connected to a common line through their consecutive operation. To ensure consecutive operations of several booster pumping stations, their performance shall be updated. Change of periods and time of pumps’ operation may result in concurrent operation of several booster stations. Failure to coordinate operation of pumps results in significant difference in volumes of the pumped-over fluid, increase of pressure in the pipeline, higher power demand, and growth of unit costs.  Considering that communication with the booster pumping station is performed at stated intervals, control and updating of pumps’ performance can be delayed with the resultant concurrent pumps’ operation. To ensure consecutive operation of pumps, possible changes in pumps performance shall be predicted in-between the communication sessions. To do this, updated performance data is needed: fluid level in tanks, how quickly the level changes, and the pumps’ status. Basing on this information, the time of tank filling and the period of pump’s operation are calculated. When the time of tank filling is less than the time of pump operation, this suggests non-coordinated pumps’ operation. In this case, during the next communication session the operation of pumps is updated by changing the fluid level setups.

References

1. Sobolev S.A., Fattakhov R.B., Coordination of booster pump stations operating modes (In Russ.), Neftyanoe khozyaystvo = Oil Industry, 2013, no. 6, pp. 122–125.

2. Patent no. 2367821 RF, MPK F 04 D 15/00, Method to control operating conditions of two booster pumping units that intermittently pump fluid into one pipeline, Inventors: Pergushev L.P., Fattakhov R.B., Sakhabutdinov R.Z., Sobolev S.A.