Pump integrity monitoring

Abstract

A method of monitoring integrity of a pump. The method may include recording timing information of the pump during operation while simultaneously sampling acoustic data with a high speed equidistant acquisition mechanism or at a rate based on the speed of the pump in operation. The acquisition of acoustic data is followed by evaluation thereof. Such techniques may improve resolution of acquired data while substantially increasing processor capacity for evaluation. A pump integrity monitor for carrying out such techniques is also described.

1 . A method of monitoring integrity of a pump assembly, the method comprising:
 operating the pump assembly;   recording timing information relative to said operating;   sampling acoustic data with a high speed acquisition mechanism of the pump assembly; and   evaluating the acoustic data in light of the timing information.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sampling occurs at a rate of more than about 100,000 samples of the acoustic data per second. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the high speed acquisition mechanism is a high speed acquisition board of a pump integrity monitor for said recording, said sampling and said evaluating. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said evaluating further comprises distinguishing acoustic data that represents a healthy pump assembly condition from acoustic data that represents an unhealthy pump assembly condition. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the unhealthy condition is a condition of one of pump mounts, a plunger, crankshaft bearings, a transmission, a pump valve seal, valve spring, crossheads, pony rods, and piston operation of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said distinguishing is achieved with reference to a vibration signature pre-programmed into a processor of the pump integrity monitor. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said recording further comprises monitoring a position of a moving part of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said monitoring is achieved with a speed sensor coupled to a driveline mechanism of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said operating of the pump assembly is at a given speed, said sampling occurring at a rate based on the given speed. 
   
   
       10 . A method of monitoring integrity of a pump assembly, the method comprising:
 operating the pump assembly;   monitoring a speed of said operating;   sampling acoustic data from the pump assembly at a rate based on the speed; and   evaluating the acoustic data for distinguishing acoustic data that represents a healthy pump assembly condition from acoustic data that represents an unhealthy pump assembly condition.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the unhealthy condition is a condition of one of pump mounts, a plunger, crankshaft bearings, a transmission, a pump valve seal, valve spring, crossheads, ponyrods, and piston operation of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said pump assembly includes a crankshaft for rotation during said operating, said sampling occurring at a rate of between about 50 and about 5,000 samples of the acoustic data per rotation. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said monitoring further comprises tracking a position of a moving part of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the pump assembly is a positive displacement pump assembly and the moving part is a plunger, said monitoring achieved with an index sensor coupled to a plunger housing of the pump assembly, the plunger housing to accommodate the plunger, the plunger having a collar detectable by the index sensor. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said evaluating occurs without performing a discrete Fourier Transform conversion. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said evaluating further comprises analyzing acoustic data in frequencies between about 100 Hz and about 600 KHz. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said evaluating occurs as the speed varies. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the distinguishing is achieved with reference to a vibration signature loaded into a processor of a pump integrity monitor for said monitoring, said sampling and said evaluating. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the distinguishing of data that represents a healthy pump assembly condition includes recognizing noise based on the speed. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said sampling occurs at a rate of more than about 100,000 samples of the acoustic data per second. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said sampling takes place at one of a constant sampling rate and a variable sampling rate. 
   
   
       22 . A pump integrity monitor comprising:
 a processor;   a speed sensor coupled to said processor for monitoring a speed of an operating pump assembly; and   a data sensor coupled to said processor for sampling harmonic data from the pump assembly at a rate based upon the speed.   
   
   
       23 . The pump integrity monitor of  claim 22  wherein said speed sensor is one of an index sensor and a proximity switch for tracking a position of a moving part of the pump assembly. 
   
   
       24 . The pump integrity monitor of  claim 22  wherein said data sensor is coupled to said processor via a high speed acquisition board to acquire the harmonic data at a rate of more than about 100,000 samples per second. 
   
   
       25 . The pump integrity monitor of  claim 22  wherein said data sensor is one of an accelerometer coupled to the operating pump and a pressure transducer coupled to a fluid line for receiving fluid pumped by the operating pump. 
   
   
       26 . The pump integrity monitor of  claim 25  wherein said data sensor is a first data sensor, the pump integrity monitor further comprising a second data sensor that is one of the accelerometer and the pressure transducer, harmonic data from each of the first and second data sensor to be simultaneously analyzed and correlated. 
   
   
       27 . A pump assembly comprising:
 a pump;   a pump integrity monitor having a speed sensor coupled to said pump for monitoring a speed thereof during operation thereof; and   an acoustic sensor coupled to said pump integrity monitor for sampling acoustic data at a rate based upon the speed.   
   
   
       28 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  further comprising a processor coupled to said pump integrity monitor for distinguishing acoustic data that represents a healthy pump assembly condition from acoustic data that represents an unhealthy pump assembly condition. 
   
   
       29 . The pump assembly of  claim 28  wherein the unhealthy condition is a condition of one of engine mounts, a plunger, crankshaft bearings, a transmission, a pump valve seal, and piston operation. 
   
   
       30 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein said pump is a positive displacement pump and comprises a crankshaft for rotation during operation, the sampling to occur at a rate of between about 50 and about 5,000 samples of the acoustic data per rotation. 
   
   
       31 . The pump assembly of  claim 30  wherein said pump further comprises:
 a plunger having a detectable collar secured thereto, said plunger coupled to said crankshaft; and   a fluid housing to accommodate said plunger therein, the speed sensor coupled to said fluid housing and being an index sensor for detecting a position of the detectable collar as said crankshaft reciprocates said plunger during the rotation.   
   
   
       32 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein said pump is one of a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal pump, a triplex pump, a fracturing pump, a cementing pump, a coiled tubing pump, and a pump for water jet cutting. 
   
   
       33 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  further comprising:
 an engine for driving operation of said pump;   a transmission coupled to said pump and said engine for directing the driving; and   a platform securing said engine, said transmission, said pump and said pump integrity monitor thereto.   
   
   
       34 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein said pump integrity monitor is a first pump integrity monitor, the pump assembly further comprising:
 a second pump integrity monitor having a second speed sensor coupled to a second pump for monitoring a speed thereof during operation thereof, and   a second acoustic sensor coupled to said second pump integrity monitor for sampling acoustic data at a rate based upon the speed.   
   
   
       35 . The pump assembly of  claim 34  wherein said first pump integrity monitor is coupled to said second pump integrity monitor to obtain data from said second pump. 
   
   
       36 . The pump assembly of  claim 34  further comprising a central host for analysis of data from the first pump and the second pump simultaneously. 
   
   
       37 . The pump assembly of  claim 36  wherein said central host is a first central host coupled to a second central host at a remote location for analysis of data from each of said first central host and said second central host. 
   
   
       38 . The pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein said acoustic sensor is coupled to said pump integrity monitor via a high speed acquisition board to acquire the acoustic data at a rate of more than about 100,000 samples per second. 
   
   
       39 . A multi-pump assembly comprising:
 a first pump assembly having a first pump integrity monitor with a speed sensor coupled to a pump of said first pump assembly for monitoring a speed thereof and an acoustic sensor for sampling acoustic data at a rate based on the speed;   a second pump assembly having a second pump integrity monitor with a speed sensor coupled to a pump of said second pump assembly for monitoring a speed thereof and an acoustic sensor for sampling acoustic data at a rate based on the speed; and   a common manifold in fluid communication with said first pump assembly and said second pump assembly.   
   
   
       40 . The multi-pump assembly of  claim 39  wherein the first pump integrity monitor is configured to decipher acoustic data of said first pump assembly and said second pump integrity monitor is configured to decipher acoustic data of said second pump assembly. 
   
   
       41 . The multi-pump assembly of  claim 39  wherein the acoustic sensor of the first pump integrity monitor is one of an accelerometer coupled to the pump of the first pump assembly and a pressure transducer disposed within a fluid line coupling said common manifold and said first pump assembly. 
   
   
       42 . The multi-pump assembly of  claim 41  wherein the fluid line is equipped with a choke disposed therein and positioned between the pressure transducer and said common manifold for one of attenuating acoustics from said second pump assembly toward the first pump integrity monitor and dampening acoustics from said first pump assembly toward the second pump integrity monitor. 
   
   
       43 . The multi-pump assembly of  claim 39  wherein the first pump integrity monitor includes a high speed acquisition board to acquire the acoustic data from the acoustic sensor of the first pump integrity monitor at a rate of more than about 100,000 samples per second.