MULTIPHASE PUMPING SYSTEM

摘要

A centrifugal pump (108) has a gas accumulation reduction system to reduce the risk of gas locking caused by the accumulation of gas at the inlet of the impeller. The gas accumulation reduction system includes: (i) one or more diffuser ports (164) extending through the hub (140) of a diffuser; and (ii) one or more recirculation passages (158) extending through the hub (148) of an impeller (122E). The recirculation passages are in fluid communication with the one or more diffuser ports to permit the recirculation of a portion of pumped fluid through the stage. Additionally, a centrifugal pump that includes at least one turbomachinery stage (120) is disclosed. The stage includes a rotatable impeller (124) that has an impeller hub with a centrally disposed eye and a plurality of impeller vanes. The impeller is variously configured to encourage mixing of two-phase fluids at the eye of the impeller hub.