Turbo Lab engineer develops new energy conversion device
Dr. Abhay Patil, research engineer in the Turbo Lab, has received a temporary patent for inventing a new energy conversion device.
The invention, “High Energy Density Turbomachines,” has a unique design and provides explicit advantages in terms of performance and reliability. It has a potential to be retrofitted to current multistage electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) deployed for oil and gas production, conventional surface pumps, compressors and turbines. The technology allows turbomachines to operate at elevated speeds while reducing internally generated destructive forces.
Patil completed his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University in 2013 under the direction of Dr. Gerald Morrison, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. He co-invented the first patent related to thrust reduction in multistage ESPs while working at Baker Hughes. Here at the Turbo Lab, he is leading and working on various projects involving current and new technology initiatives applied to ESPs, turbopumps, multiphase flow meters and process lubricated bearings. His main research thrust is in the field of fluid mechanics, multiphase flow and rotating machinery.
Dr. Patil is working with The TEES Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Office, who has initiated the process to secure a temporary patent based on numerical modeling results. The patent includes more than a year and a half of groundwork. The key to such an accomplishment is to “follow your passion and remain focused,” Patil said.
Collaborators on the project include Turbo Lab faculty members Drs. Gerald Morrison, Adolfo Delgado, and Dr. Luis San Andrés.
“The invention is a complete technology, which can bridge some of the critical gaps and create new opportunities for oil and gas business,” Patil said.
There is ongoing communication to form a new start-up based on the invention, and a Houston-based artificial lift supplier has expressed interest in funding it. Future plans include manufacturing and testing to improve confidence.
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Turbomachinery Laboratory makes a vital impact on turbomachinery and related industries through research, education and professional workforce development.
The invention is a complete technology, which can bridge some of the critical gaps and create new opportunities for oil and gas business.
Dr. Abhay Patil