Beam pump dynamic load monitoring and methods

• US 20050089425A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PCS Ferguson Incorporated (ChampionX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FB Imonitoring, Inc.
• Inventors: Couch, Philip R., Boone, Douglas M., Harman, Rob
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/448
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/009 Monitoring of walking-beam pump systems
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/028 details of the walking beam
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers

Abstract

A pump monitoring system includes a monitoring device configured for attachment to a cable harness of a pump, a strain gauge configured to measure dynamic loading of at least one cable of the cable harness as the pump operates, a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the dynamic loading measurement, and an external device configured to receive the transmitted dynamic loading measurement.

Claims

1. A pump monitoring system, comprising:

a monitoring device configured for attachment to a cable harness of a pump, the monitoring device having;

a strain gauge configured to measure dynamic loading of at least one cable of the cable harness as the pump operates; and

a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the dynamic loading measurement; and

an external device configured to receive the transmitted dynamic loading measurement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a monitoring location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a motor controller configured to adjust a pumping frequency of the pump in relation to the dynamic loading measurement.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a solar cell configured to power the device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a battery configured to power the device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is configured for attachment to two cables of the cable harness at an attachment point, whereby the device is positioned to measure a horizontal restoring force tending to separate the cables from one another at the attachment point as the cables are tensioned in the vertical direction.

7. A monitoring device, comprising:

means for attaching the device to an attachment point of a cable harness of a beam pump;

means for measuring dynamic loading of at least one cable of the cable harness as the pump operates;

means for powering the measuring means; and

means for transmitting the dynamic loading measurement to a different location.

8. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the powering means comprises a solar cell.

9. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the powering means comprises a battery.

10. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the transmitting means comprises a wireless transmitter.

11. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the measuring means comprises a strain gauge.

12. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the attaching means comprises a threaded member and an opposing member, whereby the device may be placed around two cables of the cable harness and attached so as to measure a horizontal restoring force tending to separate the cables from one another at the attachment point as the cables are tensioned in the vertical direction.

13. The monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the different location comprises a location proximate a motor controller of the pump.

14. A method of monitoring dynamic loading in a beam pump, comprising:

attaching a monitoring device to an attachment point of a cable harness connecting a pump rod to the pump;

measuring the stress in at least one cable of the cable harness induced at the attachment point by operation of the pump; and

transmitting the measurement to a different location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein attaching a monitoring device to an attachment point of a cable harness comprises attaching the device to two cables of the cable harness, whereby the device is positioned to measure a horizontal restoring force tending to separate the cables from one another at the attachment point as the cables are tensioned in the vertical direction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein attaching a monitoring device to an attachment point of a cable harness comprises attaching the device to a single cable of the cable harness.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the different location comprises a location proximate a motor controller of the pump, the method further comprising using the measurement to adjust a pumping frequency of the pump.