Back to results
US 12,435,617 B2Granted
Measuring torque using shaft twist in electric submersible pumping system motors
AssigneeBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
InventorsAmeen Roshdy, Gary Williams, Mark Bellmyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A torque determination system for use in connection with a pumping system includes a first shaft sensor assembly that produces a first shaft revolution completion signal and a second shaft sensor assembly that produces a second shaft revolution completion signal. The torque determination system includes a processor unit configured to determine the torque produced by the motor based on a shaft twist angle calculated by comparing the first shaft revolution completion signal and the second shaft revolution completion signal.
Claims17
A torque determination system for use in connection with a pumping system that has a pump driven by a motor that includes a rotatable motor shaft, the torque determination system comprising:
- a first shaft sensor assembly, wherein the first shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a first sensor located in a lower portion the motor;
- a first sensor target secured to the motor shaft in close proximity to the first sensor;
- and
- wherein the first sensor is configured to output a first sensor shaft revolution completion signal when the first sensor target completes a rotation with the motor shaft;
- a second shaft sensor assembly, wherein the second shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a second sensor located in the motor in a spaced apart relationship from the first sensor;
- a second sensor target secured to the motor shaft in close proximity to the second sensor;
- and
- wherein the second sensor is configured to output a second sensor shaft revolution completion signal when the second sensor target completes a rotation with the motor shaft;
- and
- a processor unit configured to receive the first sensor shaft revolution completion signal and the second sensor shaft revolution completion signal, and wherein the processor unit is further configured to calculate a shaft twist angle based on the timing of the first sensor shaft revolution completion signal and the second sensor shaft revolution completion signal after the first and second sensor assemblies have been calibrated by:
- (i) either aligning the first sensor target and the second sensor target to synchronize the first and second shaft revolution completion signals;
- or (ii) determining an initial time gap between the first and second shaft revolution completion signals.
11 more elements
A method for measuring the torque applied by a motor to a motor shaft connected to a pump within a pumping system, the method comprising the steps of:
- activating a first shaft sensor assembly, wherein the first shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a first sensor in a first location of the motor;
- and
- a first sensor target on the motor shaft in close proximity to the first sensor;
- activating a second shaft sensor assembly, wherein the second shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a second sensor in a second location of the motor, wherein the second sensor is spaced apart from the first sensor;
- and
- a second sensor target on the motor shaft in close proximity to the second sensor;
- energizing the motor to cause the motor shaft to rotate;
- calibrating the first and second sensor assemblies by aligning the first sensor target and the second sensor target;
- producing a first shaft revolution completion signal from the first sensor when the first sensor target completes a revolution on the shaft;
- producing a second shaft revolution completion signal from the second sensor when the second sensor target completes a revolution on the shaft, wherein the first and second shaft revolution signals are initially substantially synchronized;
- applying a torque load to the motor shaft;
- and
- calculating a shaft twist angle as a function of a time shift determined as the difference in the time of the first shaft revolution completion signal and the time of the second shaft revolution completion signal.
12 more elements
A submersible pumping system comprising:
- a pump;
- a motor configured to drive the pump, wherein the motor includes a rotatable motor shaft;
- and
- a torque determination system, the torque determination system comprising:
- a first shaft sensor assembly that produces a first shaft revolution completion signal, wherein the first shaft sensor assembly comprises a first sensor located in a lower portion the motor and a first sensor target secured to the motor shaft in close proximity to the first sensor;
- a second shaft sensor assembly that produces a second shaft revolution completion signal, wherein the second shaft sensor assembly comprises a second sensor located in the motor in a spaced apart relationship from the first sensor and a second sensor target secured to the motor shaft in close proximity to the second sensor;
- and
- a processor unit configured to determine the torque produced by the motor in response to the first shaft revolution completion signal and the second shaft revolution completion signal after the first and second sensor assemblies have been calibrated by:
- (i) either aligning the first sensor target and the second sensor target to synchronize the first and second shaft revolution completion signals;
- or (ii) determining an initial time gap between the first and second shaft revolution completion signals.
7 more elements
A method for measuring the torque applied by a motor to a motor shaft connected to a pump within a pumping system, the method comprising the steps of:
- activating a first shaft sensor assembly, wherein the first shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a first sensor in a first location of the motor;
- and
- a first sensor target on the motor shaft in close proximity to the first sensor;
- activating a second shaft sensor assembly, wherein the second shaft sensor assembly comprises:
- a second sensor in a second location of the motor, wherein the second sensor is spaced apart from the first sensor;
- and
- a second sensor target on the motor shaft in close proximity to the second sensor;
- energizing the motor to cause the motor shaft to rotate;
- producing a first shaft revolution completion signal from the first sensor when the first sensor target completes a revolution on the shaft;
- producing a second shaft revolution completion signal from the second sensor when the second sensor target completes a revolution on the shaft;
- calibrating the first and second shaft sensor assemblies by identifying an initial time gap between the first and second shaft revolution completion signals;
- applying a torque load to the motor shaft;
- determining a second time gap between the first and second shaft revolution completion signals after the torque has been applied to the motor shaft;
- and
- calculating a shaft twist angle as a function of a time shift determined as the difference between the initial time gap and the subsequent time gap.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.