Method and system for monitoring a reciprocating compressor valve

• US 20070154325A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hala, Roger, Grant, John, Malakhova, Olga, Howard, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,147,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/63
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/0603 Valve wear
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/1208 Angular position of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/06 by monitoring positions of pistons or cranks

Abstract

A method for monitoring a condition of at least one valve positioned with respect to at least one of a first chamber and a second chamber of a reciprocating compressor is provided. The method includes establishing a compressor operation cycle including a valve opening event, a valve closing event and/or a rod reversal event. A crank angle is determined at each of the valve opening event, the valve closing event and/or the rod reversal event during the compressor operation cycle using at least one of a static pressure input and a machine speed input. The method further include diagnosing a valve leak condition during the compressor operation cycle at the valve closing event, wherein the at least one valve is closed.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a condition of at least one valve positioned with respect to at least one of a first chamber and a second chamber of a reciprocating compressor, said method comprising:

establishing a compressor operation cycle including at least one of a valve opening event, a valve closing event and a rod reversal event;

determining a crank angle at each of the at least one of the valve opening event, the valve closing event and the rod reversal event during the compressor operation cycle using at least one of a static pressure input and a machine speed input; and

diagnosing a valve leak condition during the compressor operation cycle at the valve closing event wherein the at least one valve is closed.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising diagnosing a restricted flow condition during the compressor operation cycle at the valve opening event wherein the at least one valve is open.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein establishing a compressor operation cycle further comprises plotting a pressure within at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein establishing a compressor operation cycle further comprises plotting at least one of a gas load, an inertial load and a combined load measured within at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein determining a crank angle at the rod reversal point further comprises calculating the combined load including the gas load and the inertial load.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein establishing a compressor operation cycle further comprises plotting a cylinder acceleration during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining a crank angle further comprises generating a crank angle degree variable at each 0.5°

increment for each of a plurality of rule processing cycles within a range of 0°

to 359.5°

.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein diagnosing a valve leak condition further comprises diagnosing the valve leak condition with each of a machine speed, a suction pressure and a discharge pressure within a design variation limit for at least twelve minutes.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein diagnosing a valve leak condition further comprises detecting a vibration during the valve closing event.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:

analyzing an acceleration waveform sample to establish a first compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is closed and a second compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is closed;

setting an acceleration baseline level; and

generating a “

Severity 1 Valve Leak Event”

indication when a maximum acceleration amplitude for one of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment exceeds the acceleration baseline level×

2 for at least six consequent acceleration waveform samples.

11. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein diagnosing a restricted flow condition further comprises diagnosing the restricted flow condition with each of a machine speed, a suction pressure and a discharge pressure within a design variation limit for at least twelve minutes.

12. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein diagnosing a restricted flow condition further comprises:

analyzing an acceleration waveform sample to establish a first compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is open and a second compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is open;

setting an acceleration baseline level;

obtaining eight maximum acceleration values for eight corresponding consequent crank angle intervals of 5°

during the first compressor operation cycle segment and obtaining eight maximum acceleration values for eight corresponding consequent crank angle intervals of 5°

during the second compressor operation cycle segment;

generating an exponential curve fit with the eight maximum acceleration values for each of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment;

calculating a decay rate for each of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment; and

generating a “

Severity 1 Restricted Flow Event”

indication with a minimum amplitude value from at least one of the decay rates less than the acceleration baseline level for six consequent acceleration waveform samples.

13. A system for monitoring a condition of at least one valve positioned with respect to at least one of a first chamber and a second chamber of a reciprocating compressor, said system configured to:

collect data by generating a crank angle degree variable and incrementally increasing the crank angle degree variable during each of a plurality of rule processing cycles to establish a compressor operation cycle;

plot a pressure measured within the first chamber and a pressure measured within the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle;

plot a gas load and an inertial load measured within at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle;

plot an acceleration waveform sample including a cylinder acceleration during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle;

diagnose a valve leak condition during the compressor operation cycle at a valve closing event wherein the at least one compressor valve is closed; and

diagnose a restricted flow condition during the compressor operation cycle at a valve opening event wherein the at least one compressor valve is open.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 further configured to:

analyze the acceleration waveform sample to establish a first compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is closed and a second compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is closed;

set an acceleration baseline level; and

generate a “

Severity 1 Valve Leak Event”

indication when a maximum acceleration amplitude for at least one of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment exceeds the acceleration baseline level×

2 for at least six consequent acceleration waveform samples.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13 further configured to:

analyze the acceleration waveform sample to establish a first compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is open and a second compressor operation cycle segment wherein the at least one valve is open;

set an acceleration baseline level;

obtain eight maximum acceleration values for eight corresponding consequent crank angle intervals of 5°

during the first compressor operation cycle segment and obtain eight maximum acceleration values for eight corresponding consequent crank angle intervals of 5°

during the second compressor operation cycle segment;

generate an exponential curve fit with the eight maximum acceleration values for each of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment;

calculate a decay rate for each of the first compressor operation cycle segment and the second compressor operation cycle segment; and

generate a “

Severity 1 Restricted Flow Event”

indication with a minimum amplitude value for at least one of the decay rates less than the acceleration baseline level for six consequent acceleration waveform samples.

16. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for monitoring a condition of at least one valve positioned with respect to at least one of a first chamber and a second chamber of a reciprocating compressor, said computer program comprising a code segment configured to:

determine a crank angle at each of a valve opening event, a valve closing event and a rod reversal event using at least one of a static pressure input and a machine speed input;

diagnose a valve leak condition during a compressor operation cycle at the valve closing event; and

diagnose a restricted flow condition during the compressor operation cycle at the valve opening event.

17. A computer program in accordance with claim 16 further configured to:

collect data by generating a crank angle degree variable and incrementally increasing the crank angle degree variable during each of a plurality of rule processing cycles to establish a compressor operation cycle;

plot a pressure measured within the first chamber and a pressure measured within the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle; and

plot a gas load and an inertial load measured within at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle.

18. A computer program in accordance with claim 17 further configured to calculate a combined load including the measured gas load and the measured inertial load to determine the rod reversal event.

19. A computer program in accordance with claim 17 further configured to plot an acceleration waveform sample including a cylinder acceleration during the compressor operation cycle as a function of crank angle.

20. A computer program in accordance with claim 17 further configured to:

generate a “

Severity 1 Valve Leak Event”

indication when a valve leak condition is detected; and

generate a “

Severity 1 Restricted Flow Event”

indication when a restricted flow condition is detected.