PUMP EFFICIENCY OF A FLUID PUMP

• US 20180128705A1
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iot Diagnostics LLC
• Original Assignee: Hydrotech Inc. (Rice Capital Corp.)
• Inventors: Wetherill, Rex A., Rasmussen, John, Prescott, Jon
• Granted Patent: US 10,466,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/22 of reciprocating-piston type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Systems and methods determine a pump efficiency of a fluid pump. A characteristic of fluid flow of a fluid is monitored at a first point and at a second point on a flow path of the fluid pump. Fluid leakage that is a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and the second point is determined. The fluid leakage is compared to a nominal fluid flow for the fluid pump. The pump efficiency for the fluid pump is generated based on the comparison of the fluid leakage to the nominal fluid flow. The pump efficiency is an indicator as to an amount of fluid leakage that is leaked from the flow path as compared to the amount of fluid leakage when operating with the minimal amount of fluid leakage.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining a pump efficiency of a fluid pump, comprising:

monitoring a characteristic of fluid flow of a fluid at a first point and at a second point on a flow path of the fluid pump, wherein the flow path is a path that the fluid flows through the fluid pump;

determining a fluid leakage that is a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and at the second point;

comparing the fluid leakage to a predetermined nominal fluid flow for the fluid pump, wherein the predetermined nominal fluid flow is a predetermined optimal fluid flow for the fluid pump when operating with a predetermined minimal amount of fluid leakage; and

generating the pump efficiency for the fluid pump based on the comparison of the fluid leakage to the predetermined nominal fluid flow, wherein the pump efficiency is an indicator as to an amount of fluid leakage that is leaked from the flow path as compared to the amount of fluid leakage when operating with the predetermined minimal amount of fluid leakage.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an alert when the pump efficiency for the fluid pump is below a predetermined threshold, wherein the threshold is an indicator that the fluid pump is experiencing a degradation in performance.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

monitoring the pump efficiency for the fluid pump over a period of time;

determining an average pump efficiency for the fluid pump over the period of time that excludes spikes and/or drops in pump efficiency triggered by standard operations of the fluid pump; and

generating the alert when the average pump efficiency for the fluid pump is below the threshold to prevent unnecessary alerts from being generated when the fluid pump experiences spikes and/or drops in pump efficiency triggered by the standard operations of the fluid pump.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a visual graph that depicts how the pump efficiency deviates for the fluid pump over an extended period of time.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow of the fluid is monitored at a first point on a case drain of the fluid pump and at a second point on the case drain of the fluid pump, wherein the case drain is part of the flow path of the fluid pump.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a first temperature of the fluid at the first point and a second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path; and

determining the fluid leakage based on the difference between the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point;

determining a value associated with the difference in the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point; and

generating the pump efficiency for the fluid pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining an amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generating an alert when the amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid exceeds an alert threshold.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a flow rate of the fluid corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid;

comparing the flow rate of the fluid that corresponds to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid to a nominal flow rate of the fluid pump, wherein the nominal flow rate of the fluid pump is the flow rate of the fluid pump with the minimal amount of fluid leakage; and

generating the alert when the flow rate corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature exceeds a specified flow rate for the amount of fluid leakage associated with the fluid pump.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

monitoring a first pressure of the fluid at the first point and a second pressure of the fluid at the second point;

determining a value associated with a difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generating the pump efficiency for the fluid pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

11. A system for determining a pump efficiency of a fluid pump, comprising:

a fluid monitoring device configured to monitor a characteristic of fluid flow at a first point and at a second point on a flow path of the fluid pump, wherein the flow path is a path that the fluid flows through the fluid pump; and

a fluid computing device configured to;

determine a fluid leakage that is a difference in the characteristic of the fluid flow at the first point and the second point,

compare the fluid leakage to a nominal flow for the fluid pump, wherein the nominal fluid flow is an optimal fluid flow for the fluid pump when operating with a minimal amount of fluid leakage, and

generate the pump efficiency for the fluid pump based on the comparison of the fluid leakage to the nominal fluid flow, wherein the pump efficiency is an indicator as to an amount of fluid leakage that is leaked from the flow path as compared to the amount of fluid leakage when operating with the minimal amount of fluid leakage.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to:

generate an alert when the pump efficiency for the fluid pump is below a threshold, wherein the threshold is an indicator that the fluid pump is experiencing a degradation in performance.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to:

monitor the pump efficiency for the fluid pump over a period of time;

determine an average pump efficiency for the fluid pump over the period of time that excludes spikes and/or drops in pump efficiency triggered by standard operations of the fluid pump; and

generate the alert when the average pump efficiency for the fluid pump is below the threshold to prevent unnecessary alerts from being generated when the fluid pump experiences spikes and/or drops in pump efficiency triggered by the standard operations of the fluid pump.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to generate a visual graph that depicts how the pump efficiency for the fluid pump deviates over an extended period of time.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the fluid monitoring device is further configured to:

monitor the fluid flow at a first point on a case drain of the fluid pump and at a second point on the case drain of the fluid pump, wherein the case drain is part of the flow path of the fluid pump.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the fluid monitoring device is further configured to monitor a first temperature of the fluid at the first point and a second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to determine the fluid leakage based on the difference between the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point on the flow path.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the fluid monitoring device is further configured to determine a value associated with the difference in the first temperature of the fluid at the first point and the second temperature of the fluid at the second point.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to generate the pump efficiency for the fluid pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to:

determine an amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid; and

generate an alert when the amount of fluid leakage for the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid exceeds an alert threshold.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to:

determine a flow rate of the fluid corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid;

compare the flow rate of the fluid that corresponds to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid to a nominal flow rate of the fluid pump, wherein the nominal flow rate of the fluid pump is the flow rate of the fluid pump is the flow rate of the fluid pump with the minimal amount of fluid leakage; and

generate the alert when the flow rate corresponding to the value associated with the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature exceeds a specified flow rate for the amount of fluid leakage associated with the fluid pump.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the fluid monitoring device is further configured to:

monitor a first pressure of the fluid at the first point and a second pressure of the fluid at the second point; and

determine a value associated with a difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the fluid computing device is further configured to generate the pump efficiency of the fluid pump based on the value associated with the difference in the first pressure and the second pressure of the fluid and the difference in the first temperature and the second temperature of the fluid.