ZILIFT USES PERMANENT MAGNET TECHNOLOGY TO PUT DOWNHOLE PUMPS WHERE OTHERS CAN’T
Zilift Ltd – www.zilift.com
Zilift is an oil and gas technology company seeking to provide value to the industry through the application of its permanent magnet technologies.
Zilift SpeedDrive is a high speed, slimline centrifugal pump designed for through-tubing deployment into oil wells. Whether as a contingent Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) to provide production after a conventionally deployed pump has failed, or as a permanent installation, Zilift SpeedDrive offers truly unique capabilities for reducing deferred production while also reducing life cycle costs by negating the need for expensive rigs for its installation or replacement.
‘In order to help push the boundaries of performance of their Multistage Centrifugal Pumps, Zilift have been working in partnership with 80/20 Engineering since 2017. On-Demand CFD consultancy assistance has been available to their ongoing R&D activity and used in a variety of different ways. Shown below is a brief summary from the initial CFD study investigating a complete multistage centrifugal pump’
Zilift Ltd – Case Study Work (Only some of the case study results shown)
3D CAD geometry containing the 5-stage Centrifugal Pump Test Unit used for the CFD simulation work. The cross section shows all 5-stages including the stationary vane diffusers as well as the inlet and outlet regions.
Pressure Distribution through the 5-stages in 3D. Cross section – Flow Patterns through the Impellers.
Close-up illustrating 3-Dimensional Flow behaviour. Flow in-efficiencies identified, e.g., re-circulation zones.
Once Zilift had the confidence in the CFD software being used (PumpLinx from Simerics, Inc) in terms of accurate simulation predictions being made, the development goal for the project was to assess what design changes could be made to the pump design to increase the overall pressure output and therefore enhance efficiency. During the initial project, various simulations were run ‘Virtually Testing’ the potential performance improvement in relation to certain manufacturing and cost constraints.
The project also allowed Zilift the opportunity to realize a very efficient method to use CFD for their development work in the future by utilizing a smaller 2-stage CFD simulation model which allowed for very rapid virtual CFD testing of the impact of any design change.
“We have found 80/20 Engineering a valuable resource to complement our design team and allow us to produce pump stage designs comparable to the best in the industry” Norman Liley – Operations, Commercial & IP Director, Zilift Limited
Zilift SpeedDrive offers the advantages of powerful permanent magnet motor technology in an ultra-compact downhole pumping package. It can be rapidly deployed in response to failed traditional ESPs as well as significantly lowering installation costs for primary production.
CFD techniques help design engineers at Zilift really understand why the pump has certain behavioral characteristics in that the fluid flow paths can be easily visualized, and recirculation or restrictions better understood that reveal performance issues such as ‘cavitation’ or ‘low efficiency’. This then facilitates design change that reduces or even eliminates any problem area identified.
Using CFD simulation for flow performance prediction can dramatically reduce the number of physical prototypes and amount of test work required which will either reduce product development lead times, cost to the client or enhance the quality of the product delivered.
80/20 Engineering is a specialist Fluid Flow Simulation and Thermal Analysis Consultancy Company. We have a long track record of helping companies implement ‘Design Friendly’ or ‘UpFront CFD’ user environments that we believe will play an ever-increasing role within the product development process. However, often the client project demands are such that there is an urgent need for a design to be improved or a problem resolved. In these situations, we also have a team of experienced simulation engineers to call upon.