Control of a dual-pump single-power source system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12203459-B2
Application number	US-202217813575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2022
Priority date	Jul 19, 2022
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

In some implementations, a controller may obtain an indication of a first crank angle associated with a first pump, of a dual-pump single-power source system, that is mechanically connected to a power source of the dual-pump single-power source system via a first clutch. The controller may obtain an indication of a second crank angle associated with a second pump, of the dual-pump single-power source system, that is mechanically connected to the power source via a second clutch. The controller may determine that a difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of a tolerance of a crank angle difference value. The controller may modulate a fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch to cause the difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle to be within the tolerance of the crank angle difference value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a dual-pump single-power source system, comprising:
obtaining, by a controller, an indication of a first crank angle associated with a first pump of the dual-pump single-power source system during operation of the first pump to pressurize a fracturing fluid, wherein the first pump is mechanically connected to a power source of the dual-pump single-power source system via a first clutch;
obtaining, by the controller, an indication of a second crank angle associated with a second pump of the dual-pump single-power source system during operation of the second pump to pressurize the fracturing fluid, wherein the second pump is mechanically connected to the power source via a second clutch;
determining, by the controller, that a difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of a tolerance of a crank angle difference value; and
modulating, by the controller and during operation of the first pump and the second pump to pressurize the fracturing fluid, a fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch to cause the difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle to be within the tolerance of the crank angle difference value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein modulating the fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch causes at least one of the first crank angle associated with the first pump to change or the second crank angle associated with the second pump to change.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crank angle difference value is based on a quantity of cylinders associated with the first pump and the second pump.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crank angle difference value is associated with an alignment of a first phase of the first pump with a second phase of the second pump.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein modulating the fluid pressure associated with the first clutch causes the first clutch to engage, disengage, or partially disengage, a mechanical connection between the first pump and the power source to cause the first crank angle to change.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a control panel indication to cause a notification to be displayed via a control panel, wherein the notification includes an indication of at least one of the first crank angle, the second crank angle, or that the difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of the tolerance of the crank angle difference value; and
obtaining an operator input to modulate the fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch, wherein modulating the fluid pressure is based on obtaining the operator input.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein modulating the fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch comprises:
determining a fluid pressure threshold based on a discharge pressure associated with at least one of the first pump or the second pump and a torque limit associated with one of the first clutch and the second clutch; and
modulating the fluid pressure such that the fluid pressure is less than or equal to the fluid pressure threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein modulating the fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch comprises:
performing incremental pressure adjustments to the fluid pressure to cause the difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle to progress from an initial crank angle difference to the crank angle difference value over a time period;
monitoring a speed differential across the first clutch or the second clutch; and
performing an action to increase the fluid pressure if the speed differential satisfies a threshold.

9. A controller for controlling a dual-pump single-power source system, comprising:
one or more memories; and
one or more processors configured to:
obtain an indication of a first crank angle associated with a first pump of the dual-pump single-power source system during operation of the first pump to pressurize a fracturing fluid, wherein the first pump is mechanically connected to a power source of the dual-pump single-power source system via a first clutch;
obtain an indication of a second crank angle associated with a second pump of the dual-pump single-power source system during operation of the second pump to pressurize the fracturing fluid, wherein the second pump is mechanically connected to the power source via a second clutch; and
perform an action to cause the first clutch to modulate, during operation of the first pump and the second pump to pressurize the fracturing fluid, between engaging and disengaging a mechanical connection with the power source to cause the first crank angle to be modified to a modified crank angle, wherein the first crank angle is modified such that a difference between the modified crank angle and the second crank angle is modified to be within a tolerance of a crank angle difference value.

10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine that a difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of the tolerance of the crank angle difference value.

11. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the crank angle difference value is half of 360 degrees divided by a quantity of cylinders associated with each respective pump of the dual-pump single-power source system.

12. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a fluid pressure threshold associated with the first clutch based on a discharge pressure associated with the first pump and a torque limit or a speed limit associated with the first clutch.

13. The controller of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, to perform the action, are configured to:
modify a fluid pressure associated with the first clutch to cause the first clutch to modulate between engaging and disengaging the mechanical connection with the power source, wherein the fluid pressure satisfies the fluid pressure threshold.

14. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, to perform the action, are configured to:
monitor a speed differential across the first clutch while causing the first crank angle to be modified to the modified crank angle; and
cease the action to cause the first clutch to modulate between engaging and disengaging the mechanical connection with the power source based on the speed differential satisfying a threshold.

15. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the crank angle difference value is associated with a difference between a first phase of the first pump and a second phase of the second pump.

16. A dual-pump single-power source system, comprising:
a power source;
a first pump connected to the power source via a first mechanical connection that includes a first clutch;
a second pump connected to the power source via a second mechanical connection that includes a second clutch; and
a controller configured to:
obtain an indication of a first crank angle associated with the first pump during operation of the first pump to pressurize a fracturing fluid;
obtain an indication of a second crank angle associated with the second pump during operation of the second pump to pressurize the fracturing fluid;
determine that a difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of a tolerance of a crank angle difference value;
perform an action

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Peterson Lucas J
• Voiculescu David Alexandru
• Publes Andy
• Grimes Mark Francis

Classifications

• F04B2201/124

  Coupling parameters · CPC title

• F04B2201/1208

  Angular position of the shaft · CPC title

• F04B2201/1202

  Torque on the axis · CPC title

• F04B2205/05

  Pressure after the pump outlet · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title