Apparatus for detecting valve failure in a reciprocating pump

• US 3,921,435 A
• Filed: 10/12/1973
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Willis W. Howard
• Original Assignee: Willis W. Howard
• Inventors: Howard, Willis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rasco, Marcus S.
• Application Number:
  US05/406,043
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40,49.7,49.2,168
• US Class Current: 374/5
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/10 Valves; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/002 by using thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/184 for valves

Abstract

A system for detecting early failure of valves employed in reciprocating pump includes a temperature sensing element positioned on each valve or on the pump in the immediate vicinity of each valve, and means responsive to the sensing element for indicating temperature. An increase in the temperature of one valve over the temperature of the other valves provides an indication of valve failure.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting leakage of fluid past a valve of a reciprocating pump having at least two suction valve cages and at least two discharge valve cages mounted externally of the pump body which comprises:

a. a plurality of temperature sensing elements, one for each pump valve cage;

b. means for mounting a temperature sensing element on the outer surface of each valve cage;

c. means responsive to said temperature sensing element for indicating the temperature of each valve cage; and

d. means for comparing the temperature of each of said valve cages with the temperature of at least one other of said valve cages.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said temperature sensing element is an electric device capable of providing an electric output indicative of temperature.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said electric device is a resistance thermometer and said means for indicating the temperature includes an instrument electrically connected to said resistance thermometer and means for visually indicating or recording the output of said resistance thermometer.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for mounting said electric devicE on said pump valve cage includes magnetic insulating material adapted to magnetically attach each electric device to its associated valve cage and to insulate said thermometer from external effects.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for comparing said temperatures includes a temperature recorder electrically connected to said instrument for automatically plotting temperature of each thermometer as a function of time.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for comparing the temperature of each valve cage includes means for comparing the temperature of each suction valve with the temperature of at least one other suction valve cage, and for comparing the temperature of each discharge valve cage with the temperature of at least one other discharge valve cage.