Fracturing pump systems having a hydraulically-driven assembly applying variable amounts of pressure on packing

Abstract

A fracturing pump system includes a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder. The cylinder has at least one cylinder sidewall, packing located to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the cylinder sidewall, and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fracturing pump system, comprising: a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder; the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; packing located to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing. 
     
     
         2 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulically-driven assembly comprises:
 a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid;   a hydraulic assembly for interacting with the packing, the hydraulic assembly comprising:
 a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and 
 a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; and 
   a control system for adjusting position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing, the control system comprising:
 non-transitory computer memory; 
 a processor in data communication with the computer memory; 
 a sensor in data communication with the processor; 
 a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; 
 a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from or towards the packing; and 
 programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate the pump to selectively allow the hydraulic assembly piston to move toward or away from the packing using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply. 
   
     
     
         3 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , wherein pressure in the fluid end ranges from 0 psi to at least 10,000 psi. 
     
     
         4 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid pressurized in the cylinder is an abrasive slurry. 
     
     
         5 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 4 , further comprising a power system outputting reciprocating motion to operate the piston in the cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 5 , wherein the power system includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of a reciprocating engine, an electric motor, and a gas turbine. 
     
     
         7 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component.   
     
     
         8 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 7 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting a failure event meeting a threshold warning level.   
     
     
         9 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold warning level includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a threshold pressure, a threshold block temperature, a threshold fluid temperature, a threshold vibration, and a fluid bypass occurrence. 
     
     
         10 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is at least one item selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a counter, a fluid-level sensor, and a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 (c) determine condition of at least one component of the fracturing pump system.   
     
     
         12 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 11 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level.   
     
     
         13 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein the control system measures pressure associated with the lubricant and alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The fracturing pump system of  claim 2 , further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein:
 the control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump; and   the control system alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.   
     
     
         15 . A system for pumping abrasive slurry, comprising:
 a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize an abrasive slurry in the cylinder;   the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall;   packing located to prevent the abrasive slurry from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and   a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing;   wherein the hydraulically-driven assembly comprises:   (i) a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid;   (ii) a hydraulic assembly for interacting with the packing, the hydraulic assembly comprising:
 a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and 
 a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; and 
   (iii) a control system for adjusting a position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing, the control system comprising:
 non-transitory computer memory; 
 a processor in data communication with the computer memory; 
 a sensor in data communication with the processor; 
 a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; 
 a valve in data communication with the processor for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; and 
 programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to the hydraulic assembly piston using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine condition of at least one component of the system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing the abrasive slurry in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein:
 the control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump; and   the control system alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.   
     
     
         20 . A method for automatically adjusting pressure applied to packing within a fracturing pump system, comprising:
 providing a fracturing pump system comprising:
 a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder, the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; 
 packing located at the cylinder sidewall to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and 
 a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing, the hydraulically-driven assembly comprising:
 a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting hydraulic control pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and 
 a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; 
 
   providing a control system comprising a processor in data communication with:
 a sensor; 
 a pump in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; and 
 a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; 
   activating the sensor to determine a first attribute of the fracturing pump system;   determining, via the processor, a first hydraulic control pressure based on the first attribute of the fracturing pump system;   actuating at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the first hydraulic control pressure;   activating the sensor to determine a second attribute of the fracturing pump system;   determining, via the processor, a second hydraulic control pressure based on the second attribute of the fracturing pump system; and   actuating at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the second hydraulic control pressure.