METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN INSTRUMENTED PISTON ASSEMBLY

• US 20160090980A1
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Howard, Brian Francis, Jensen, Raymond Verle
• Granted Patent: US 10,288,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/0005 adaptations of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/14 Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring operating parameters of a reciprocating compressor are provided. The system includes a piston head assembly including a piston head body, at least one sensor positioned within the piston head body, and an electrical power source positioned within the piston head body. The electrical power source is configured to provide electrical energy to the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A piston head assembly comprising:

a piston head body;

at least one sensor positioned within said piston head body; and

an electrical power source positioned within said piston head body, said electrical power source configured to provide electrical energy to said at least one sensor positioned with said piston head body.

2. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said electrical power source comprises an electrical generator positioned within said piston head body, said generator configured to generate electrical energy from forces acting on said piston head body.

3. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said electrical power source comprises at least one of a linear alternator, a storage capacitor, and a battery.

4. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said electrical power source comprises a phase reference sensor configured to facilitate synchronizing measured parameter values with piston head body motion.

5. The piston head assembly of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver positioned within said piston head body, said transceiver configured to receive signals representing measured parameter values from said at least one sensor, said transceiver configured to transmit one or more messages including the received signals offboard the piston head body.

6. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a first proximity probe orthogonally aligned with respect to a face of said piston head body.

7. The piston head assembly of claim 6, wherein said at least one sensor includes a second proximity probe orthogonally aligned with respect to a face of said piston head body and spaced circumferentially approximately 90°

from said first proximity probe.

8. The piston head assembly of claim 7, wherein an output of at least one of said first proximity probe and said second proximity probe is configured to provide phase reference sensor information.

9. The piston head assembly of claim 7, further comprising a third proximity probe positioned within said piston head body, said third proximity probe configured to provide phase reference sensor information.

10. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a first pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure at a crank end of said piston head body.

11. The piston head assembly of claim 10, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a second pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure at a head end of said piston head body.

12. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of an ultrasonic and an acoustic emission sensor positioned within said piston head body proximate pressure rings at least partially circumscribing said piston head body and configured to detect leakage past said pressure rings.

13. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of a single axis and multi-axial accelerometers positioned within said piston head body and configured to detect at least one of piston hop and mechanical looseness.

14. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a temperature measuring element positioned within said piston head body and configured to detect at least one of a head end chamber temperature and a crank end chamber temperature.

15. The piston head assembly of claim 1, wherein the piston head assembly is double-acting.

16. A control system for a reciprocating compressor comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned within a piston head body of said reciprocating compressor; and

a power supply positioned within said piston head body and configured to generate electrical power using forces acting on said piston head body, said power supply electrically coupled to said plurality of sensors.

17. The control system of claim 16, further comprising a signal transceiver positioned within said piston head body and configured to communicate signals from said plurality of sensors to a complementary signal transceiver positioned offboard said piston head body.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein said complementary signal transceiver is communicatively coupled to a condition monitoring system associated with said reciprocating compressor.

19. The control system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of sensors positioned offboard said piston head body, said condition monitoring system configured to integrate measurements of operating parameters acquired by said plurality of sensors positioned within said piston head body with measurements of operating parameters acquired by said plurality of sensors positioned offboard said piston head body to at least one of validate measurements between sensors, generate virtual measurements of parameters not directly measured using sensors, and provide compressor health information.

20. A method of monitoring operating parameters of a reciprocating compressor, said method comprising:

positioning one or more sensors within a piston head body of the reciprocating compressor, the piston head body configured to translate axially along a cylinder bore, the one or more sensors configured to measure operating parameters of the piston head body, the one or more sensors configured to measure operating parameters adjacent the piston head body;

wirelessly communicating signals representing the measured operating parameters from onboard the piston head body to a receiver positioned offboard the piston head body; and

generating electrical power onboard the piston head body using forces acting on the piston head body, the generated electrical power used to provide electrical power to electrical components positioned onboard the piston head body.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising;

integrating measurements of operating parameters acquired by the one or more sensors positioned within the piston head body with measurements of operating parameters acquired by a plurality of sensors positioned offboard the piston head body using a condition monitoring system associated with the reciprocating compressor; and

at least one of validating measurements between sensors, generating virtual measurements of parameters not directly measured using the sensors, and providing compressor health information based on the integrated measurements.