Fluid Delivery System Comprising One or More Sensing Devices and Related Methods

Abstract

Fluid delivery systems and related methods and computer program products for facilitating the timely identification and resolution of one or more problems or issues associated with one or more aspects of such fluid delivery systems are disclosed. In an aspect, the fluid delivery systems and related methods and computer program products of the present disclosure may include one or more sensing devices that may be configured to detect, measure, or sense one or more aspects of a given fluid delivery system in order to identify one or more problems or issues therewith. A user and/or computing device may then make one or more adjustments to the operation or functionality of a given fluid delivery system to help the fluid delivery system operate more efficiently and/or effectively, avoid or minimize fluid delivery system downtime, and/or avoid or minimize damage to one or more components of the fluid delivery system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid delivery system configured to transfer an amount of at least one fluid to at least one fluid destination, the fluid delivery system comprising:
 at least one fluid source;   at least one section of piping configured to at least partially contain the amount of the at least one fluid;   at least one pumping mechanism; and   at least one sensing device configured to detect at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises:
 at least one manifold apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid comprises at least one of: water, slickwater, produced water, saltwater, brine, at least one petroleum product, at least one chemical, at least one gel, at least one acid, methanol, at least one crosslinker, liquefied natural gas, pipeline quality natural gas, propane, and at least one biofuel. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises:
 at least one additive source.   
     
     
         5 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises at least one blending apparatus configured to combine at least one portion of the amount of the at least one fluid from the at least one fluid source with an amount of at least one additive from the at least one additive source. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one additive comprises at least one of: at least one chemical, at least one proppant, at least one acid, at least one friction reducer, at least one disinfectant, at least one breaker, at least one emulsifier, at least one stabilizer, at least one surfactant, at least one oxygen scavenger, at least one scale inhibitor, at least one pH adjusting agent, at least one corrosion inhibitor, at least one biocide, and at least one gelling agent. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pumping mechanism comprises a pressure pump. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensing device comprises at least one of: a flow meter, a densimeter, a thermometer, a pressure transducer, a velocity sensor, and a volume sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system comprises at least one of: a density of the amount of the at least one fluid, a flow rate of the amount of the at least one fluid, a pressure of the amount of the at least one fluid, a velocity of the amount of the at least one fluid, a volume of the amount of the at least one fluid, a temperature of the amount of the at least one fluid, a viscosity of the amount of the at least one fluid, a composition of the amount of the at least one fluid; an operating efficiency of at least one component of the fluid delivery system; and an operating condition of the at least one component of the fluid delivery system. 
     
     
         11 . A method for identifying at least one issue associated with a fluid delivery system, wherein the fluid delivery system is configured to transfer an amount of at least one fluid to at least one fluid destination, wherein the fluid delivery system comprises: at least one fluid source, at least one section of piping configured to at least partially contain the amount of the at least one fluid, at least one pumping mechanism, and at least one sensing device configured to detect at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system, the method comprising:
 detecting at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system using the at least one sensing device; and   presenting the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system to at least one user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving at least one input from the at least one user, wherein the at least one input is configured to make at least one adjustment to the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises:
 at least one manifold apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises:
 at least one additive source.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises at least one blending apparatus configured to combine at least one portion of the amount of the at least one fluid from the at least one fluid source with an amount of at least one additive from the at least one additive source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensing device comprises at least one of: a flow meter, a densimeter, a thermometer, a pressure transducer, a velocity sensor, and a volume sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system comprises at least one of: a density of the amount of the at least one fluid, a flow rate of the amount of the at least one fluid, a pressure of the amount of the at least one fluid, a velocity of the amount of the at least one fluid, a volume of the amount of the at least one fluid, a temperature of the amount of the at least one fluid, a viscosity of the amount of the at least one fluid, a composition of the amount of the at least one fluid; an operating efficiency of at least one component of the fluid delivery system; and an operating condition of the at least one component of the fluid delivery system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
 comparing, via the at least one computing device, the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system to at least one predetermined standard.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, via the at least one computing device, whether the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system is within a tolerable deviation of the at least one predetermined standard; and   initiating, via the at least one computing device, at least one adjustment to the at least one aspect of the fluid delivery system.