Challenged Claims – U.S. Pat. No. 10,598,258
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`Claim
`Limitation
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`Claim
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`1[p]
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`1[a]
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`1[b]
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`1[c]
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`1[d]
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`2
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`3
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`4
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`5
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`6
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`7
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`A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation
`comprising:
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`a multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump fluidly connected to a well
`associated with the subterranean formation, the multi-plunger pump
`configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high
`pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean
`formation and fractures the subterranean formation;
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`a plurality of motors positioned to simultaneously power the multi-plunger
`pump; and
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`a planetary gear train having a plurality of input pinion gears in rotational
`contact with each of the plurality of motors,
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`wherein a gear ratio of the planetary gear train and a speed at which the
`plurality of motors operates are selected so as to limit a maximum pump
`speed associated with the multi-plunger pump.
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`The system of claim 1, the system further comprising a plurality of speed
`reduction gearboxes positioned between the plurality of input pinion gears
`and the plurality of motors so as to achieve a desired pump rate.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of motors comprises one of a
`plurality of electric motors or a plurality of hydraulic motors.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the maximum pump speed correlates to a
`critical plunger speed associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the maximum pump speed is 5% or less over
`a critical plunger speed associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump
`comprises an odd number of plungers greater than or equal to five plungers.
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`The system of claim 6, wherein a stroke length of each of the plungers
`associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump is selected to
`inversely relate to a pump speed associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic
`fracturing pump so as to achieve a predetermined flow rate.
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`1
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`LIBERTY EXHIBIT 1039, Page 1
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`8
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`9
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`10
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`11[p]
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`11[a]
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`11[b]
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`11[c]
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`11[d]
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`11[e]
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`12
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`13
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`14
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`The system of claim 1, further comprising: a variable frequency drive (VFD)
`connected to the plurality of motors to control the speed of the plurality of
`motors, wherein the VFD is positioned to accelerate or decelerate pump
`rotational speeds associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump.
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`The system of claim 8, wherein the VFD comprises a plurality of VFDs and
`wherein the plurality of VFDs are configured to share a load required to
`power the multiplunger hydraulic fracturing pump.
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`The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of VFDs are configured to
`automatically shut off in the event of an overpressure event with respect to
`the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump.
`
`A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation
`comprising:
`
`a multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump fluidly connected to a well as-
`sociated with the subterranean formation, the multi-plunger pump con-
`figured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high
`pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean
`formation and fractures the subterranean formation;
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`a plurality of motors positioned to simultaneously power the multi-plunger
`pump;
`
`a variable frequency drive connected to the plurality of motors to control the
`speeds of the plurality of motors; and
`
`a planetary gear train having a plurality of input pinion gears in rotational
`contact with each of the plurality of motors,
`
`wherein a gear ratio of the planetary gear train and a speed at which the
`plurality of motors operates are selected so as to limit a maximum pump
`speed associated with the multi-plunger pump.
`
`The system of claim 11, the system further comprising a plurality of speed
`reduction gearboxes positioned between the plurality of input pinion gears
`and the plurality of motors so as to achieve a desired pump rate.
`
`The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of motors comprises one of a
`plurality of electric motors or a plurality of hydraulic motors.
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`The system of claim 11, wherein the maximum pump speed correlates to a
`critical plunger speed associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump.
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`2
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`LIBERTY EXHIBIT 1039, Page 2
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`15[p]
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`15[a]
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`15[b]
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`15[c]
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`16
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`17
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`18
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`19
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`20
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`A method for pumping fluid into a wellbore associated with a subterranean
`formation, the method comprising:
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`fluidly connecting a multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump to a well
`associated with the subterranean formation such that the multi-plunger pump
`pumps fluid into the wellbore at a high pressure so that fluid passes from the
`wellbore into the subterranean formation and fractures the subterranean
`formation;
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`simultaneously powering the multi-plunger pump with a plurality of motors;
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`providing a planetary gear train having a plurality of input pinion gears in
`rotational contact with each of the plurality of motors so as to translate power
`from the plurality of motors into a desired pump rate of the multi-plunger
`pump.
`
`The method of claim 15, further comprising: positioning a plurality of speed
`reduction gearboxes between the plurality of input pinion gears and the
`plurality of motors so as to achieve the desired pump rate.
`
`The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of motors comprises one of a
`plurality of electric motors or a plurality of hydraulic motors.
`
`The method of claim 15, wherein the maximum pump speed correlates to a
`critical plunger speed associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump.
`
`The method of claim 15, further comprising: connecting a variable frequency
`drive (VFD) to the plurality of motors so as to control the speed of the
`plurality of motors, wherein the VFD is positioned to accelerate or decelerate
`pump rotational speeds associated with the multi-plunger hydraulic
`fracturing pump.
`
`The method of claim 19, the method further comprising: detecting an
`overpressure event with respect to the multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing
`pump; and automatically shutting off the VFD.
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`3
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`LIBERTY EXHIBIT 1039, Page 3
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