Hydraulic fracturing system and method for detecting pump failure of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920615-B2
Application number	US-201615229347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yanchai
• Kamp Derek Paul
• Dandibhotla Venkata Bhagavathi

Classifications

• G01L5/0061 Primary

  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 title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• G01L3/00

  Measuring torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency, in general · CPC title

• E21B47/0007 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title