Method for operating a pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11846293-B2
Application number	US-202017099987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 2, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A method for operating a pump, for conveying a fluid from a low-pressure side to a high-pressure side of the pump includes determining a current rate of change of pump vibrations and comparing the current rate of change with a limit for the rate of change or determining a current vibration of the pump and comparing the current vibration with a vibration amplitude limit for the vibration, storing the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit in a surge controller, providing a control signal when the current rate of change reaches the limit or when the current vibration reaches the vibration amplitude limit, and changing a control variable of the pump by the control signal, such that the vibration is reduced and an unstable operating state of the pump is avoided.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for operating a pump for conveying a fluid from a low-pressure side to a high-pressure side of the pump, a pump vibration changing with a rate of change, the method comprising: determining a current value of an operating parameter of the pump and comparing the current value of the operating parameter to an operating limit, the operating limit for the operating parameter being a limit below which the pump is capable of being reliably operated in a stable operating state and is stored in a surge controller;
providing a first control signal when a current value of the operating parameter reaches the operating limit;
changing a first control variable of the pump based on the first control signal;
determining a current rate of change of pump vibration and comparing the current rate of change with a limit for the rate of change, or
determining a current vibration of the pump and comparing the current vibration with a vibration amplitude limit for the vibration;
storing the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit in the surge controller;
providing a second control signal when the current rate of change reaches the limit for the rate of change or when the current vibration reaches the vibration amplitude limit; and
changing a second control variable of the pump by the second control signal, only after changing the first control variable such that the vibration is reduced and an unstable operating state of the pump is avoided, and
the operating limit being a first trigger, and the first trigger in the surge controller providing the first control signal when the operating parameter reaches the operating limit, the limit for the rate of change or vibration amplitude limit being a second trigger in the surge controller that is initiated after the first trigger has provided the first control signal and the second trigger in the surge controller provides the second control signal, the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit and the operating limit thereby being combined in a cascaded manner as a trigger sequence.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the providing the second control signal includes providing the second control signal when the current rate of change reaches or exceeds the limit for the rate of change or the current vibration of the pump reaches or exceeds the vibration amplitude limit and a timer has elapsed at least a predetermined period of time.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current rate of change of the pump vibration is a first current rate of change of the pump vibration in a predetermined spatial direction.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pump vibration is a longitudinal or transverse pump vibration.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating limit indicates a unique relationship between the operating parameter and a pressure difference generated by the pump.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the pressure difference is detected by measuring a pressure at an inlet and a pressure at an outlet of the pump to compare the current value of the operating parameter with the operating limit.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating parameter is a torque with which the pump is driven.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the current value of the operating parameter is provided by a variable frequency drive for the pump.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit or the operating limit is determined with experimental test data for the determination of when the pump is brought into the unstable operating state.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a return line to return the fluid from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, and a position of a control valve in the return line is controlled as at least the first or second control variable, and the position of the control valve controls a flow through the return line.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pump is a booster pump in oil production and gas production.

12. The method for operating a pump according to claim 1 , wherein the pump is a multiphase pump.

13. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pump is a booster pump in sub-sea oil production and gas production.

14. A pump for conveying a fluid from a low-pressure side to a high-pressure side, the pump comprising: an inlet and an outlet for the fluid; and a surge controller configured to avoid an unstable operating state, wherein a limit for a rate of change of a vibration of the pump or a vibration amplitude limit for a vibration of the pump is stored in the surge controller, the surge controller configured to determine a current value of an operating parameter and compare the current value of the operating parameter to an operating limit, the operating limit for the operating parameter being a limit below which the pump is capable of being operated in a stable operating state and is stored in the surge controller, determine a current rate of change of pump vibration and a current vibration of the pump, compare the current rate of change of the vibration during the operation of the pump with the limit for the rate of change or the current pump vibration during the operation of the pump with the vibration amplitude limit, the surge controller configured to provide a first control signal when the operating parameter reaches the operating limit and provide a second control signal when the current rate of change reaches the limit for the rate of change or the current pump vibration reaches the vibration amplitude limit, the first control signal being capable of changing a first control variable of the pump and the second control signal being capable of changing a second control variable of the pump, only after changing the first control variable, such that an unstable operating state of the pump is avoided, and
the operating limit being a first trigger, and the first trigger in the surge controller capable of providing the first control signal when the operating parameter reaches the operating limit, the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit being a second trigger in the surge controller that is initiated after the first trigger has provided the first control signal and the second trigger in the surge controller capable of providing the second control signal, the limit for the rate of change or the vibration amplitude limit and the operating limit are thereby combinable in a cascaded manner as a trigger sequence.

15. The pump according to claim 14 , further comprising a control valve in a return line configured to return the fluid from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, a position of the control valve in the return line is controlled as at least the first or second control variable, and the position of the control valve is capable of controlling flow through the return line.

16. The pump according to claim 14 , wherein the pump is a subsea pump.

17. The pump according to claim 14 , wherein the pump is a multiphase pump.

18. The pump according to claim 14 , wherein the pump is a booster pump.

Assignees

• Sulzer Management Ag

Inventors

• Gassmann Simon
• Felix Thomas
• De Raeve Karel

Classifications

• F04D27/001 Primary

  Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring · CPC title

• F04D27/0223 Primary

  Control schemes therefor · CPC title

• F04D31/00

  Pumping liquids and elastic fluids at the same time · CPC title

• F04D27/0261

  by varying driving speed · CPC title

• F04D25/0686

  specially adapted for submerged use · CPC title