Hydraulic fracturing system and method for detecting pump failure of same

• US 9,920,615 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Yanchai, Kamp, Derek Paul, Dandibhotla, Venkata Bhagavathi
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US15/229,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20180038216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 7386208
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0061 Force sensors associated with industrial machines or actuators for the specific machine or actuator involved see relevant class, e.g. F01, F04, F16, B66, E21
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0071 Specific indicating arrangements, e.g. of overload

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system with pump failure detection includes an engine, transmission, hydraulic fracturing pump and a driveshaft coupled between the transmission and the hydraulic fracturing pump to transfer torque from the engine to the hydraulic fracturing pump. A torque sensor is positioned and configured to measure torque acting on the driveshaft, with the torque sensor generating torque measurement data. A controller is programmed to analyze the torque measurement data and identify a pump failure mode based on the torque measurement data.

Claims

1. A hydraulic fracturing system with pump failure detection, including:

an engine;

a transmission;

a hydraulic fracturing pump;

a driveshaft coupled between the transmission and the hydraulic fracturing pump to transfer torque from the engine to the hydraulic fracturing pump;

a torque sensor positioned and configured to measure torque acting on the driveshaft, the torque sensor generating torque measurement data; and

a controller programmed to analyze the torque measurement data and identify a pump failure mode based on the torque measurement data.

2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to provide a representation of the torque measurement data within a frequency domain.

3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to apply a fast Fourier transform to the torque measurement data.

4. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to compare the torque measurement data in the frequency domain to a baseline to identify the pump failure mode.

5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further programmed to identify a pump cavitation event if the torque measurement data in the frequency domain varies at least a predetermined amount from the baseline.

6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to compare an amplitude of the torque measurement data to a baseline to identify the pump failure mode.

7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 6, wherein the pump failure mode may include one or both of a pump cavitation event and a leakage event.

8. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the pump failure mode may include one or both of a pump cavitation event and a leakage event.

9. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the torque sensor is a strain gauge.

10. A method for detecting a pump failure of a hydraulic fracturing system, the hydraulic fracturing system including an engine, a transmission, a hydraulic fracturing pump, a driveshaft coupled between the transmission and the hydraulic fracturing pump, a torque sensor, and a controller, the method including steps of:

transferring torque from the engine to the hydraulic fracturing pump using the driveshaft;

measuring torque acting on the driveshaft using the torque sensor;

generating torque measurement data using the torque sensor;

analyzing the torque measurement data using the controller; and

identifying a pump failure mode based on the torque measurement data.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

providing a representation of the torque measurement data within a frequency domain using the controller.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

applying a fast Fourier transform to the torque measurement data using the controller.

13. The method of claim 12, further including:

identifying the pump failure mode by comparing the torque measurement data in the frequency domain to a baseline.

14. The method of claim 13, further including:

identifying a pump cavitation event if the torque measurement data in the frequency domain varies at least a predetermined amount from the baseline.

15. The method of claim 10, further including:

comparing an amplitude of the torque measurement data to a baseline to identify the pump failure mode.

16. The method of claim 15, further including:

comparing the amplitude of the torque measurement data to the baseline to identify one or both of a pump cavitation event and a leakage event.

17. A control system for a hydraulic fracturing system with pump failure detection, including:

a controller programmed to;

receive torque measurement data representative of torque acting on a driveshaft coupled between a transmission and a hydraulic fracturing pump;

convert the torque measurement data from a time domain to a frequency domain; and

identify a pump failure mode based on the torque measurement data in the frequency domain.

18. The control system of claim 17, further including a strain gauge positioned and configured to measure the torque acting on the driveshaft.

19. The control system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further programmed to:

identify the pump failure mode by comparing the torque measurement data in the frequency domain to a baseline.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further programmed to:

identify a pump cavitation event if the torque measurement data in the frequency domain varies at least a predetermined amount from the baseline.