Cavitation avoidance system

A method, comprising:

• determining, by one or more processors, actuation delays for one or more valves in each pump of a plurality of pressure pumps using strain measurements of strain in the plurality of pressure pumps and position measurements for rotating members of the plurality of pressure pumps;
• determining, by the one or more processors, minimum boost pressures for the plurality of pressure pumps;
• determining, by the one or more processors, a cavitation threshold for each pump of the plurality of pressure pumps using the actuation delays and the minimum boost pressures;
• identifying, by the one or more processors, a pump of the plurality of pressure pumps having a boost pressure beyond the cavitation threshold determined for the pump;
• and
• adjusting, by the one or more processors, a pump rate of the pump.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of pressure pumps positioned between an intake manifold and an output manifold, each pump of the plurality of pressure pumps including:
• a fluid chamber positioned in a fluid end of the pump and including a valve to control a flow of fluid through the pump;
• a strain gauge configured to measure strain in the fluid chamber;
• a pressure transducer configured to measure a boost pressure proximate to the valve;
• a rotating member positioned in a power end of the pump to control movement of a displacement member in the fluid chamber;
• and
• a position sensor configured to measure a position of the rotating member;
• and
• one or more computing devices communicatively coupled to the plurality of pressure pumps, the one or more computing devices including one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums, the one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums including instructions that are executable by the one or more processors for causing the one or more processors to:
• determine actuation delays for the valve in each pump of the plurality of pressure pumps using a position measurement generated by the position sensor, a strain measurement generated by the strain gauge, and a pressure measurement generated by the pressure transducer;
• identify a cavitation threshold for each pump of the plurality of pressure pumps based on the actuation delays;
• identify a pump of the plurality of pressure pumps having a boost pressure beyond the respective cavitation threshold of the pump;
• and
• adjust a pump rate of the pump.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of strain gauges positioned on a plurality of pressure pumps to generate strain measurements for the plurality of pressure pumps;
• a plurality of position sensors positioned on the plurality of pressure pumps to generate position measurements for rotating members of the plurality of pressure pumps;
• a plurality of pressure transducers positioned on the plurality of pressure pumps to generate boost pressure measurements associated with fluid ends of the plurality of pressure pumps;
• and
• a computing device including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions that are executable by the processor for causing the processor to:
• determine a cavitation threshold of each pump based on the strain measurements, the position measurements, and the boost pressure measurements;
• identify a pump of the plurality of pressure pumps operating beyond the respective cavitation threshold of the pump;
• transmit a first control signal configured to cause a pump rate of the pump to be adjusted in a first direction;
• subsequent to transmitting the first control signal, determine an undesirable change resulting from adjusting the pump rate in the first direction to an adjusted pump rate;
• and
• subsequent to determining the undesirable change, transmit a second control signal configured to cause the adjusted pump rate of the pump to be adjusted in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.