FEATURE

A solution for profile generation

in twin-screw multiphase pumps
Capable of handling continuous gas volumes of over 98% as well as 100% slugging, twinscrew multiphase pumps are ideal for multiphase use. The rotor geometry of these pumps
play a crucial role in their performance, but, say Cao Feng, Xing Ziwen and Shu Pengcheng
from Xi'an Jiaotong University, it has not been clarified yet. A numerical solution based on
divergence theorem for screw rotor profile generation is presented for further validation.
'ultiphase fluid transfer technology has been
developed mainly for the oil industry. It is capable
~of moving crude oil containing large amounts of
gas, water and sand, and offers the potential for significant
equipment and operational savings. The twin-screw
multiphase pump is the most suitable model for multiphase
duties. It facilitates the handling of multiphase products up
to the highest void fractions, including even 100% gas for
short periods. Other pump types are generally limited to
GVFs of less than 50%.

The twin-screw multiphase pump is a self-priming, doubleended positive displacement pump with external timing
gears and bearings. It is designed with intermeshing screws
on parallel shafts operating inside close fitting bores (see
Figure 1). Flow entering the pump splits into two. The split
flow is introduced to the outermost ends of shafts where the
rotors begin their meshing action. With the turning of the
rotors, flow is pumped to the centre of the shafts, then
discharged later. This approach results in hydro-dynamic
balance in the axial direction, which greatly reduces the
bearing load. The suction pipe centre is above the centre of

pump body, which keeps a small amount of liquid inside the

pump casing to allow dry running for short periods.
To a large extent, twin-screw multiphase pump performance
depends on the definition of rotor geometry. Longer sealing
line lengths and larger blowhole areas mean significant
slippage from the high-pressure stage to the lower one,
which leads to poor performance.
A numerical solution based on the divergence theorem for
screw rotor profile generation is presented here. A new rotor
profile for multiphase duties is offered for validation. Also
discussed are geometrical characteristics including sealing
line length and blowhole area.

Profile generation
Although the rotor profile plays a dominant role in
developing the twin-screw multiphase pump, it has not
been clarified in published literature yet. The special
profile different from that of liquid pump and gas
compressor is required for multiphase products pumping.
Rotor profiles for multiphase duties, as indicated by number
1 and 2, respectively, are shown in Figure 2. Two rotors roll
on their pitch circles about their centres 01 and 02 by angle
and (01 and q~2 = Pl// The coordinates of rotor profile 1
are defined as functions of an angular parameter.
xU = xt(tD)
y,j =y~(t,,)

Referring to gear tooth engagement theory, the rotor

profiles can be expressed with each other as follows:

Figure 1. Twin-screw multiphase pump rotors

a2

(1)

a1

C2

C1

XIj =--X2j COSk(Dij -Y2j sin k(p~j + A cos(itpl) )

Ylj =-x2j sin k%j + Y2j cos krpu + .4 sin(i~l j )

(2)

X2j =--Xlj coskqo]j-YD sin ktPU +AcstPu

Y2j =-Xl)sin ktPU +Yly cskfPlj +Asintpu

(3)

From equation (2) and (3), the conjugacy condition,

ax, ay, ax, ayt = 0 , can be derived as follows:
at

~%

0(p~

at

Xly COSOIj + Ylj sinOu

q01j= arccos(f

Figure 2. Rotor profile.

341.

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PUMPS

September 2000

0 Lj = arctg(YlJ (t))
x~j (t)

RIt

-)+01j
(4)

0262 176210015 - see front matter 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

FEATURE

Where YtJ (t), x!j (t) can be calculated by the explicit

numerical solution according to Richardson Extrapolation
(Ward Cheney, 1991) with the given discrete point values
of profile 1, so xd., Yd' can be defined from equation (3) and
(4). An example of numerical solution for segment a i b 1
and its conjugacy point b2 characterized in Figure 2 is listed
in Table 1.

Geometry calculation
In order to understand and simulate the thermodynamic
performance of twin screw multiphase pump, the volume
curve, the contact line length and the blowhole area must
be defined first.

Cavity volume
The twin-screw multiphase pump works on the principle of
enclosing the multiphase mixture in feed chambers and
continuously increasing the pressure on the fluid as it
travels through the pump. It is helpful to visualize the
working process as equivalent to a piston sliding down a
cylinder (see Figure 3).
Discharge

Inlet

namely back-flow through contact lines, back-flow through

blowholes and back-flow across lobe tip clearances.

Contact line length

The contact line for the sample rotors characterized in
Figure 4 is shown in Figure 5. The interlobe back-flow path
area is obtained as the product of the contact line length
and the clearance. The contact line length varies with the
rotational angle. It can be determined as
L.(~] ) = Z li(~l )

I,(~,) = j"

4X~+Y,2+Z?S,

(5)

where the coordinates of the contact points are defined as

follows:
.......

ii

Figure 3. Working process model

In the suction phase, the multiphase flow is drawn in until

the trapped volume isolated from the suction area. As
rotation continues, the volume of the trapped multiphase
flow remains constant while the flow moves from the inlet
to the outlet end. When the trapped volume is opened to
the outlet end, the back-flow from the discharge area enters
the pump until the internal pressure reaches this discharge
level, and then the flow is discharged as normal. The
volume curve is shown in Figure 4 for an sample case. It is
evident that the trapped volume remains constant during
the closed volume phase. This type of design enables the
pump to handle a slug of liquid.
The difference between the real and theoretical flow rate is
determined by back-flow between the first chamber and the
suction area. The thermodynamic behaviour of the twin
screw multiphase pump is influenced more strongly by the
presence of the back-flow within the machine. Slippage of
fluid back through finite clearances of adjacent stages
causes the pressure increase with the compressible fluid,
and most of the pressure rise is in the final stages of the
pump.

XIj : X l / COS(~I--YIj sinOt

Yb = xjj sin~ +Yu
Z,, =T, x, /2~

cos01

(6)

3x~ a~,L 3x t 3y~ =o

at a~L a% at

The conjugacy condition can also be calculated with the

method mentioned above. If we express the wrap angle as
rlz = 2k,r + a (a < 2re, k = 0,1,2....), then the total length
of the contact line can be written as follows:
When

mt + a < 2 ~

Lr(q~l)=(k+l)xLp(2Ir)+Lp(a+(Pl-2Ir)

Lp (q~l)

0.00035
~.

R = 0.075m
T= 0.060m

0.00030

g
o

0.00025
0.00020
0.00015

"6
0.00010
0.00005

Back-flow rate is dependent on a number of factors,

including different pressure, inlet pump pressure, inlet gas
void fraction and clearances. As GVF rises, slippage rate
decreases until the inlet-volume flow rate is equal to pump
displacement. Internal back-flow occurs at three gaps:

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0.00000

li0

li5

I
20

~,. I
25

Rotational angle (rad)

Figure 4. Volume curve

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September 2000 . . ~ . . . .

:EATURE '

When

+ ce >

L r (~ol) = k x Lp

27r

(2a') + Lp (at + ~o,) -

Lp

(7)

(cpl)

Blowhole area
The presence of the leakage triangle (blowhole) in the
twin-screw multiphase pump is an inevitable consequence
of the rotor profile geometry. It is formed between
the housing cusp and the meshing rotors. One side of
this triangle is the housing cusp between leading and
trailing crests of the two rotors. The other two sides
are paths from the crest-cusp intersection, along
the respective rotor surfaces to a common point where
the two rotors make contact (see Figure 6). Presence of
the blowhole results in increasing slippage rate along
Z-axis direction. The blowhole area can be calculated as
follows:

R2xTxl3AB ( ~ -2~ ) -2X c ( a2r c s 2i n - - - a r c s. , XB

n~)
R2

(XB--Xc)Xn

where x~

R,2 + A 2 _ R
2xd

, xc

(8)

2 A2 - R 22
rt/+
2xA

The work described in this paper is funded by Doctorate

Foundation of Xi'an Jiaotong University.

Allan J Prang, Selecting Multiphase Pumps, Chemical

Engineering, New York, Feb 1997, P 74-79.
Buqing S u e t al, Practical Differential Geometry Theory,
Science Press, 1998, P 117-127. (In Chinese)

H'
A

Acknowledgement

References

XC ]

R2

Figure 5. Contact line between two rotors

D F Dal Porto, L A Larson, Multiphase Pump Field Trials

Demonstrate Practical Applications for the Technology, 1996
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition,
Denver, Colorado, USA, 1996, P 181-192.
K Egashira, S Shode, T Tochikawa, A Furukawa, Backflow
in Twin.Screw.type Multiphase Pump, 1996 SPE Annual
Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado,
USA, 1996, P 221-230.
P J Dolan, R A Goodridge, J S Leggate, Development of a
Twin-screw Pump for Multiphase Duties, 1996 SPE European
Petroleum Conference, London, UK, 1986, P 293-298.

Figure 6. Schematicdiagram of the blowhole

Using a few computer programs driven from the analytical

representation above, we can calculate the back-flow
channel areas. We find that back-flow across the rotor tips
prevails among all the channels.

Ward Cheney, David Kincaid, Numerical Mathematics and

Calculation, Fudan University Press, 1991. (In Chinese)
CONTACT
Cao Feng, Xing Ziwen, Shu Pengcheng, School of Energy and

Power Engineering, ,Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049,

P.R.China. Tel: +86 29 266 8216; Fax: +86 29 323 7910; E-mail:

zwxing@xjtu.edu.cn

Conclusions
The rotor profile affects performance and torque radial
loads to a great extent. A method of screw rotor profile
generation has been demonstrated here for twin-screw
multiphase pump profiles. Using a few computer programs
driven by the analytical representation in this paper,
volume curve, the contact line length and the blowhole
area can be calculated. The calculation of the geometrical
characteristics provides the basis of thermodynamic
performance simulation of the twin-screw multiphase
pump.

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September 2000

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