The paper describes the possib!e uses of hydraulic systems in the petroleum industry and the necessity of research in this field. An analysis of the losses of a typical positive displacement pump are given. This type of analysis is important for pump designers and users. The lighter weight of a hydraulic drive for a 10,000 ft drilling rig and small dimensions of a 260 hp. hydraulic motor are shown.
La communication décrit les utilisations possibles de systèmes hydrauliques dans l'industrie du pétrole ainsi que la nécessité de faire des recherches dans ce domaine. I1 est donnh une analyse des pertes d'une pompe à déplacement positif typique. Ce genre d'analyse est important pour les constructeurs de pompes et pour ceux qui les utilisent. La communication montre aussi qu'un actionnement hydraulique pour une installation de forage de 10.000 pieds est moins lourd et qu'un moteur hydraulique de 260 cv. a un faible encombrement.
Hydraulic transmissions have been studied at the Technological University of Delft since 1950 by the first author and his students. The first subject to be investigated was a system for driving variable-speed centrifuges [i].
Our attention was then drawn to the problem of driving mud pumps for oil drilling. A 400 hp mud pump was tested at an exploration well of the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij [ 21. The gear-driven reciprocating pump proved satisfactory, but its construction was very heavy and bulky. The discharge pressure had peaks of 20% over the average discharge pressure, also liner-changing was found to be troublesome.
A preliminary design for a hydraulically driven direct-acting reciprocating pump (e.g. with hydraulic cylinder) was made in 1952 by G. J. Jonker [3]; this appeared to promise improvement on the above three points. The design was studied In 1952 by the second author, at that time of the N.V. Werf Gusto, Schiedam, the Netherlands. This firm was considering entering the hydraulic pump field and had contacts with the oil industry. It is understood that as a result of those contacts a major oil firm decided to embark on the design and development of a 500 hp unit.
An essential item of a hydraulically driven mud pump is the hydraulic pump supplying the oil. The types on the market in 1952 were heavy and expensive, but it appeared that the Dutch inventor and manufacturer L. H. Baghuis had taken out patents on a highly efficient vane pump [4], and that a few smallcapacity pumps had been manufactured and tested.
In 1952 both authors advised industry to use this pump in conjunction with the hydraulically driven mud pump. Moreover, in 1957 other suitable pumps came on the market.
During our investigations it was found, however, that the design and construction of satisfactory hydraulic equipment require a theoretical basis. A literature survey showed that apart
