System and method for evaluating the performance of a pump

Abstract

Systems and methods to determine the apparent density of a fluid being displaced by a pump. The apparent density may be determined by comparing an expected torque of the pump to an actual torque of the pump. The apparent density can also be used to detect irregular operating conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A pump system for an ebullating reactor, the pump system comprising:
 an ebullating pump comprising:
 an intake for receiving a fluid comprising a liquid hydrocarbon raw material, a hydrogen gas additive and a catalyst; 
 a motor; and; 
 an outlet fluidly cooperative with the input such that upon operation of the motor, the pump recirculates the fluid through the ebullating reactor, 
   sensors connected to the motor that measure at least one of voltage, current, and temperature of the motor; and   a pump monitor comprising a computing device with a processor and a non-transitory memory cooperative with one another to operate on parameters contained within the non-transitory memory as well as on computer readable and executable instructions comprising:
 a rotor friction model to identify an amount of rotational friction losses present within the motor during operation thereof; 
 an equivalent circuit model to simulate electrical operation of the motor; 
 a winding temperature analyzer cooperative with the sensors and the equivalent circuit model to estimate a pump ending temperature; 
 a thrust analyzer cooperative with the sensors and parameters to calculate an operating thrust of the ebullating pump; 
 a torque analyzer cooperative with the sensors, the rotor friction model, the equivalent circuit model and the parameters to determine at least one of an actual torque and an operating speed of the motor during operation thereof; 
 an apparent density analyzer cooperative with the sensors, parameters and torque analyzer to:
 estimate the apparent density of the fluid passing through the ebullating pump; 
 detect an irregular operating condition in the form of one or the other of a catalyst carryover condition and a gas entrainment condition; and 
 generate a computerized upon detection of an irregular operating condition of the pump. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the actual torque comprises a difference between a developed torque and the rotational friction losses. 
     
     
         23 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the thrust analyzer may perform at least one diagnostic test on the ebullating pump. 
     
     
         24 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the apparent density analyzer further determines a volume fraction of gas, oil and catalyst inside the ebullated reactor. 
     
     
         25 . The pump system of  claim 21 , further comprising a lifespan estimator cooperative with the torque analyzer, the thrust analyzer, the winding temperature analyzer and the apparent density analyzer to estimate lifetimes for a plurality of components that make up the ebullated reactor. 
     
     
         26 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the actual torque is determined by calculating rotational losses using the sensor data indicative of the temperature of the motor. 
     
     
         27 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the ebullating pump is a submersible pump. 
     
     
         28 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the computer readable and executable instructions are contained within the non-transitory memory. 
     
     
         29 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the parameters are selected from the group consisting of data values that control one or more operations of the computing device and threshold values that define one or more ranges for data values during operation of the motor. 
     
     
         30 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the apparent density analyzer further may initiate one or more diagnostic routines (e.g., by altering one or more operating parameters of the ebullated bed and/or pump motor  202 ) 
     
     
         31 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the the alert is sent automatically by the apparent density analyzer. 
     
     
         32 . A method of operating a pump in an ebullated reactor, the method comprising:
 introducing a petroleum-based fluid and a hydrogen-containing gas into the reactor;   using the pump to circulate at least the petroleum-based fluid through a catalyst bed that is disposed within the reactor;   receiving sensor data indicative of at least one of operating parameter of a pump motor that provides mechanical power to the pump during circulation of the petroleum-based fluid; and   using a pump monitor to execute computer readable instructions comprising:
 a rotor friction model to identify an amount of rotational friction losses present within the motor during operation thereof; 
 an equivalent circuit model to simulate electrical operation of the motor; 
 a winding temperature analyzer cooperative with the sensors and the equivalent circuit model to estimate a pump ending temperature; 
 a thrust analyzer cooperative with the sensors and parameters to calculate an operating thrust of the ebullating pump; 
 a torque analyzer cooperative with the sensors, the rotor friction model, the equivalent circuit model and the parameters to determine at least one of an actual torque and an operating speed of the motor during operation thereof; 
 an apparent density analyzer cooperative with the sensors, parameters and torque analyzer to:
 estimate the apparent density of the fluid passing through the ebullating pump; 
 detect an irregular operating condition in the form of one or the other of a catalyst carryover condition and a gas entrainment condition; and 
 generate a computerized upon detection of an irregular operating condition of the pump. 
 
   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the computer readable instructions are contained on a computing device with a processor and a non-transitory memory that are signally cooperative with the pump monitor. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the rotor friction model and the equivalent circuit model are received from a remote computing system. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the rotor friction model and the equivalent circuit model are received through an interface device.