System and method of controlling single or dual pump operation

A method of controlling a pumping unit pumping a wellbore treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a formation, comprising:

• pumping the wellbore treatment fluid with the pumping unit configured in a dual pump mode with a unit controller calibrated for the dual pump mode;
• receiving, by the unit controller comprising a processor and non-transitory memory, an indication of reduced pump operation;
• stopping, by the unit controller, the pumping of the wellbore treatment fluid by reducing a rotational speed of a prime mover to zero during a first transitional period, wherein the prime mover is a variable speed electric motor directly coupled to each of the two dual pumps;
• activating, by the unit controller, a coupling actuator of a decoupler mechanism from a home position to move a dynamic element from a coupled configuration to a decoupled configuration;
• receiving an indication from a sensor that the dynamic element is positioned in a decoupled position;
• returning the coupling actuator to the home position in response to the dynamic element in the decoupled position,
• recalibrating, by the unit controller, from the dual pump mode to a single pump mode in response to the decoupled position of the dynamic element;
• starting, by the unit controller, the pumping of the wellbore treatment fluid by increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover from zero during a second transitional period;
• and
• pumping the wellbore treatment fluid with the pumping unit configured in the single pump mode with the unit controller calibrated for the single pump mode.

A method of controlling a pumping unit during a pumping operation, comprising:

• determining, by a managing process executing on a system controller, a position of a decoupler mechanism on the pumping unit;
• calibrating, by the managing process, a unit controller to a dual pump mode in response to determining a dynamic element of the decoupler mechanism is in a coupled position, wherein the pumping unit is operating with a first pump and a second pump directly coupled to a prime mover in the dual pump mode, and wherein the prime mover is a variable speed electric motor;
• calibrating, by the managing process, the unit controller to a single pump mode in response to determining the dynamic element of the decoupler mechanism is in a decoupled position, wherein the pumping unit is operating with the first pump directly coupled to the prime mover and the second pump decoupled from the prime mover in the single pump mode;
• and
• pumping, by the system controller, a wellbore treatment fluid in accordance with the pumping unit in i) the dual pump mode or ii) the single pump mode.