Pump wear detection system
AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.
InventorTravis Lee Bolt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pump monitoring system may include a sensor for monitoring a parameter of a pump system. The sensor may include at least one of an ammeter in electrical communication with an electric motor driving a pump and a torque sensor on a drive shaft that drives a pump. The system may also include a controller in data communication with the sensor to receive sensor data. The controller may be configured to assess the performance of the respective pump in one or more ways. At least one of the one or more ways may include reliance on the sensor data from only one sensor to identify valve or seat wear or failure. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the one or more ways may identify valve or seat wear or failure without reliance on pump output pressure.
Claims18
A pump monitoring system, comprising:
- a sensor configured for monitoring a parameter of a pump and generating sensor data corresponding to the parameter, the sensor comprising:
- (1) an ammeter in electrical communication with an electric motor driving the pump, or (2) a torque sensor on a drive shaft that drives the pump;
- and
- a controller in data communication with the ammeter or the torque sensor to receive the sensor data, the controller configured to assess the performance of the pump in one or more ways, wherein at least one of the one or more ways includes reliance on the sensor data from only one sensor to identify at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of a valve or a valve seat, wherein the controller is configured to issue an alert when at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of the valve or the valve seat is identified.
A method of assessing pump performance, comprising:
- receiving sensor data at a controller from:
- (1) an ammeter in electrical communication with an electric motor driving a pump;
- or
- (2) a torque sensor on a drive shaft that drives the pump;
- at the controller, assessing the performance of the pump in one or more ways, wherein at least one of the one or more ways includes relying on the sensor data from only one sensor to identify at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of a valve or a valve seat;
- and
- issuing an alert when at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of the valve or the valve seat is identified.
A pump monitoring system, comprising:
- a sensor for monitoring a parameter of a pump and generating sensor data corresponding to the parameter, the sensor comprising:
- (1) an ammeter in electrical communication with an electric motor driving the pump;
- or (2) a torque sensor on a drive shaft that drives the pump;
- and
- a controller in data communication with the ammeter or torque sensor to receive the sensor data, the controller configured to assess the performance of the respective pump in one or more ways, wherein at least one of the one or more ways identifies at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of a valve or a valve seat without reliance on pump output pressure, wherein the controller is configured to issue an alert when at least one of wear or wear-related mechanical failure of at least one of the valve or the valve seat is identified.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.