Pump efficiency of a fluid pump

• US 10,466,135 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iot Diagnostics LLC
• Original Assignee: Iot Diagnostics LLC
• Inventors: Wetherill, Rex A., Rasmussen, John, Prescott, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngon, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US15/345,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20180128705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 702 51
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/22 of reciprocating-piston type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Systems and methods determine a pump efficiency of a fluid pump. A characteristic of fluid flow of a fluid is monitored at a first point and at a second point on a flow path of the fluid pump. Fluid leakage that is a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and the second point is determined. The fluid leakage is compared to a nominal fluid flow for the fluid pump. The pump efficiency for the fluid pump is generated based on the comparison of the fluid leakage to the nominal fluid flow. The pump efficiency is an indicator as to an amount of fluid leakage that is leaked from the flow path as compared to the amount of fluid leakage when operating with the minimal amount of fluid leakage.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of monitoring a condition of a pump, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, one or more signals indicative of one or more of a characteristic of a fluid flow at a first point on a flow path, the characteristic of the fluid flow at a second point on the flow path, and a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and at the second point, wherein the flow path is a path through which a fluid leakage flows from a case drain of the pump;

determining, by the computing device based on the one or more signals, a fluid leakage flow rate through the flow path;

determining, by the computing device, a pump efficiency based on the fluid leakage flow rate and a nominal fluid flow rate for the pump, wherein the nominal fluid flow rate is an optimal fluid flow rate for the pump when operating with a minimal amount of the fluid leakage;

determining, by the computing device, whether the pump efficiency has dropped below a designated efficiency threshold;

if the pump efficiency has dropped below the designated efficiency threshold, predicting, by the computing device, an impending pump failure; and

in response to predicting the impending pump failure, generating, by the computing device, a first alert indicative of the impending pump failure.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the pump efficiency for the pump over a period of time;

determining an average pump efficiency for the pump over the period of time that excludes spikes and/or drops in the pump efficiency triggered by standard operations of the pump; and

generating the first alert when the average pump efficiency for the pump is below the designated efficiency threshold to prevent unnecessary alerts from being generated when the pump experiences spikes and/or drops in the pump efficiency triggered by the standard operations of the pump.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a visual graph that depicts how the pump efficiency deviates for the pump over an extended period of time.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a first temperature of a fluid at the first point and a second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path; and

determining the fluid leakage based on the difference between the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point;

determining a value associated with the difference in the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point; and

generating the pump efficiency for the pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generating a second alert when the amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid exceeds an alert threshold.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining the fluid leakage flow rate corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid;

comparing the fluid leakage flow rate to the nominal fluid flow rate of the pump; and

generating the first alert when the fluid leakage flow rate exceeds a specified flow rate for an amount of fluid leakage associated with the pump.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring a first pressure of the fluid at the first point and a second pressure of the fluid at the second point;

determining a value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generating the pump efficiency for the pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

9. A system for monitoring a condition of a pump, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

receive one or more signals indicative of one or more of a characteristic of a fluid flow at a first point on a flow path, the characteristic of the fluid flow at a second point on the flow path, and a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and at the second point, wherein the flow path is a path through which a fluid leakage flows from a case drain of the pump;

determine a fluid leakage flow rate through the flow path;

determine a pump efficiency based on the fluid leakage flow rate and a nominal fluid flow rate for the pump, wherein the nominal fluid flow rate is an optimal fluid flow rate for the pump when operating with a minimal amount of the fluid leakage;

determine whether the pump efficiency has dropped below a designated efficiency threshold;

if the pump efficiency has dropped below the designated efficiency threshold, predict an impending pump failure; and

in response to predicting the impending pump failure, generate a first alert indicative of the impending pump failure.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to:

monitor the pump efficiency for the pump over a period of time;

determine an average pump efficiency for the pump over the period of time that excludes spikes and/or drops in the pump efficiency triggered by standard operations of the pump; and

generate the first alert when the average pump efficiency for the pump is below the designated efficiency threshold to prevent unnecessary alerts from being generated when the pump experiences spikes and/or drops in the pump efficiency triggered by the standard operations of the pump.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to generate a visual graph that depicts how the pump efficiency for the pump deviates over an extended period of time.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to monitor a first temperature of a fluid at the first point and a second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to determine the fluid leakage based on the difference between the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to determine a value associated with the difference in the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to generate the pump efficiency for the pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to:

determine an amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generate a second alert when the amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid exceeds an alert threshold.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to:

determine the fluid leakage flow rate of the fluid corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid;

compare the fluid leakage flow rate of the fluid to the nominal fluid flow rate of the pump; and

generate the first alert when the flow rate corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature exceeds a specified flow rate for an amount of fluid leakage associated with the pump.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the system to:

monitor a first pressure of the fluid at the first point and a second pressure of the fluid at the second point; and

determine a value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further configured to generate the pump efficiency of the pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.