Methods and systems for determining operating states of pumps

• US 8,676,387 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Malakhova, Olga, Grant, John Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANCHAK, WALTER P
• Application Number:
  US12/250,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20100092307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44.3, 702/44
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and systems for monitoring of pumps are provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method for determining operating states of pumps. The method may include receiving, by a controller from a first sensor communicating with a first pump, a first vibration measurement. Further, the method may include receiving, by the controller from a second sensor communicating with a second pump, a second vibration measurement. Operating states of the first pump and the second pump may be thus determined based at least in part on comparing the first vibration measurement to a first operating condition and comparing the second vibration measurement to a second operating condition. A control action may be transmitted responsive to determining the respective operating states of the first pump and the second pump.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a plurality of pumps, comprising:

receiving, by a controller from a first sensor in communication with a first pump, a first vibration measurement during a period of time;

receiving, by the controller from a second sensor in communication with a second pump, a second vibration measurement during the period of time;

based at least in part on the first vibration measurement, determining a first operating condition associated with the first pump, wherein the first operating condition comprises a first threshold associated with the first pump;

based at least in part on the second vibration measurement, determining a second operating condition associated with the second pump, wherein the second operating condition comprises a second threshold associated with the second pump;

determining that the first pump is in a running operation state if the first vibration measurement is at or above the first threshold and in a stopped operation state if the first vibration measurement is below the first threshold;

determining that the second pump is in a running operation state if the second vibration measurement is at or above the second threshold and in a stopped operation state if the second vibration measurement is below the second threshold, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the first operating condition and the second operating condition based on vibration measurements of the first pump and the second pump; and

transmitting a control action responsive to the respective operation states of the first pump and the second pump.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold is based at least in part on an average of at least one historical minimum vibration measurement of the first pump when operating and at least one historical maximum vibration measurement of the first pump when not operating, and wherein the second threshold is based at least in part on an average of at least one historical minimum vibration measurement of the second pump when operating and at least one historical maximum vibration measurement of the second pump when not operating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operating condition is associated with the second pump and the second operating condition is associated with the first pump.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the controller, a first plurality of vibration measurements from the first sensor and a second plurality of vibration measurements from the second sensor over the period of time, wherein determining the respective operating states of the first pump and the second pump further comprises:

determining a first average of the first plurality of vibration measurements over the period of time and determining a second average of the second plurality of vibration measurements over the period of time, wherein the respective operating states of the first pump and the second pump are based at least in part on a comparison of the first average and the second average.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the first vibration measurement based at least in part on a first predetermined constant, wherein the first predetermined constant is based at least in part on historical vibration measurements of the first pump; and

adjusting the second vibration measurement based at least in part on a second predetermined constant, wherein the second predetermined constant is based at least in part on historical vibration measurements of the second pump.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time comprises a first period of time, and further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a first plurality of vibration measurements from the first sensor and a second plurality of vibration measurements from the second sensor during a second period of time;

determining the operating state of the first pump over the second period of time based at least in part on the variation of the first plurality of vibration measurements; and

determining the operating state of the second pump over the second period of time based at least in part on the variation of the second vibration plurality of measurements;

wherein the second period of time is greater than the first period of time.

7. A system for monitoring a plurality of pumps, comprising:

a first sensor in communication with a first pump;

a second sensor in communication with a second pump; and

a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, and comprising instructions operable to;

receive a first vibration measurement from the first sensor during a period of time;

receive a second vibration measurement from the second sensor during the period of time;

based at least in part on the first vibration measurement, determine a first operating condition associated with the first pump, wherein the first operating condition comprises a first threshold associated with the first pump;

based at least in part on the second vibration measurement, determine a second operating condition associated with the second pump, wherein the second operating condition comprises a second threshold associated with the second pump;

determine that the first pump is in a running operation state if the first vibration measurement is at or above the first threshold and in a stopped operation state if the first vibration measurement is below the first threshold;

determine that the second pump is in a running operation state if the second vibration measurement is at or above the second threshold and in a stopped operation state if the second vibration measurement is below the second threshold, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the first operating condition and the second operating condition based on vibration measurements of the first pump and the second pump; and

transmit a control action responsive to the respective operation states of the first pump and the second pump.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to:

determine the first threshold based at least in part on an average of at least one historical minimum vibration measurement of the first pump when operating and at least one historical maximum vibration measurement of the first pump when not operating; and

determine the second threshold based at least in part on an average of at least one historical maximum vibration measurement of the second pump when not operating.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first operating condition is associated with the second pump and the second operating condition is associated with the first pump.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to:

receive a first plurality of vibration measurements from the first sensor and a second plurality of vibration measurements from the second sensor over the period of time; and

determine a first average of the first plurality of vibration measurements over the period of time and determine a second average of the second plurality of vibration measurements over the period of time wherein, the respective operating states of the first pump and the second pump are based at least in part on a comparison of the first average and second average.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to:

adjust the first vibration measurement based at least in part on a first predetermined constant, wherein the first predetermined constant is based at least in part on historical vibration measurements of the first pump; and

adjust the second vibration measurement based at least in part on a second predetermined constant, wherein the second predetermined constant is based at least in part on historical vibration measurements of the second pump.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the period of time comprises a first period of time, and wherein the controller is further operable to:

receive a first plurality of vibration measurements from the first sensor and a second plurality of vibration measurements from the second sensor during a second period of time;

determine the operating state of the first pump over the second period of time based at least in part on the variation of the first plurality of vibration measurements; and

determine the operating state of the second pump over the second period of time based at least in part on the variation of the second plurality of vibration measurements;

wherein the second period of time is greater than the first period of time.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the first pump comprises a primary pump and the second pump comprises a paired pump.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor each comprises an accelerometer operable to detect respective vibration of the first pump and the second pump.

15. The system of claim 7, further comprising a monitor system in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and the controller, and operable to receive respective vibration measurements from the first sensor and the second sensor and to transmit the received vibration measurements to the controller.

16. A method for monitoring a pump, comprising:

receiving by a controller from a sensor in communication with a pump, a vibration measurement during a period of time;

based at least in part on the vibration measurement, determining at least one operating condition associated with the pump, wherein the at least one operating condition comprises a threshold associated with the pump;

determining that the pump is in a running operation state if the vibration measurement is at or above the threshold and in a stopped operation state if the vibration measurement is below the threshold, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the at least one operating condition based on vibration measurement of the pump; and

transmitting a control action responsive to the operation state of the pump.