System and method for monitoring operations of equipment by sensing deformity in equipment housing

A universal monitoring system applicable to a variety of hydraulic fracturing equipment, comprising:

• at least one sensor mounted on a housing of the hydraulic fracturing equipment and configured to measure a particular aspect of the hydraulic fracturing equipment during operations and generate sensor data based on the measured particular aspect of the equipment, the at least one sensor being an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a piezoelectric element, a proximity sensor, a linear variable displacement transducer, or a load cell;
• a processor configured to:
• receive the sensor data including a wake-up signal from the accelerometer,
• analyze the sensor data,
• interpret the sensor data as including the wake-up signal indicative of sensing start-up operation of the hydraulic fracturing equipment and including data indicative of a cycle count, and
• determine a cycle count value for the hydraulic fracturing equipment based on the generated sensor data;
• and
• at least one wireless communication interface coupled to the processor configured to wirelessly transmit the sensor data and cycle count value to another device.

A universal monitoring method applicable to a variety of hydraulic fracturing equipment, comprising:

• sensing a vibration in a pump housing associated with a positive displacement pump on start-up and generating a wake-up signal;
• initiating, in response to the wake-up signal, operation of a sensor mounted on a pump housing of the positive displacement pump;
• sensing, by the sensor, deformity in the pump housing caused by alternating high and low pressures within the pump housing during pump operations and generating sensor data based on the sensed deformity caused by alternating high and low pressures;
• analyzing the sensor data and determining a cycle count value for the positive displacement pump based on the sensor data;
• and
• storing the sensor data and cycle count value.