Determining timing for lubricating fluid change
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsWolfgang Hartmut Nitsche, John Laureto Maida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus includes monitoring the lubricating fluid flowing within the apparatus by passing radiation through the lubricating fluid from a radiation source. The lubricating fluid is analyzed for a presence of particles in the lubricating fluid based on the radiation passing through the lubricating fluid. A concentration of the particles in the lubricating fluid is determined when the presence of particles is detected. An alert to change the lubricating fluid is generated when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid exceeds a threshold.
Claims20
A method for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus, comprising:
- monitoring the lubricating fluid flowing within the apparatus, by passing radiation through the lubricating fluid from a radiation source at a location where the lubricating fluid is flowing through a pipe that carries the lubricating fluid to or from the apparatus;
- analyzing the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe for a presence of particles in the lubricating fluid based on the radiation passing through the lubricating fluid;
- determining a concentration of the particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe when the presence of particles is detected;
- and
- generating an alert to change the lubricating fluid when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe exceeds a threshold.
A computer program product for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing device and storing instructions for execution by the processing device for performing a method comprising:
- monitoring the lubricating fluid flowing within the apparatus, by passing radiation through the lubricating fluid from a radiation source at a location where the lubricating fluid is flowing through a pipe that carries the lubricating fluid to or from the apparatus;
- analyzing the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe for a presence of particles in the lubricating fluid based on the radiation passing through the lubricating fluid;
- determining a concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe when the presence of particles is detected;
- and
- generating an alert to change the lubricating fluid when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe exceeds a threshold.
A system for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus, comprising:
- a radiation source configured to generate radiation that passes through the lubricating fluid at a location where the lubricating fluid is flowing through a pipe that carries the lubricating fluid to or from the apparatus;
- a radiation detector configured to detect radiation that passed through the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe;
- a processing device operatively coupled to a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processing device, causes the processing device to:
- receive information from the radiation detector to monitor the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe for a presence of particles;
- determine a concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe when the presence of particles is detected;
- and
- generate an alert to change the lubricating fluid when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid flowing through the pipe exceeds a threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.