Rcd seal and bearing condition

Abstract

A system for use with a well can include a rotating control device, a sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of a condition of a seal of the rotating control device, and an artificial intelligence configured to provide an alert if the parameter is outside of an acceptable range. A method of monitoring a condition of a seal of a rotating control device can include sensing a parameter indicative of a condition of the seal, thereby generating sensor data, and providing an alert when the parameter is outside of an acceptable range. Another system can include sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of a condition of a seal of a rotating control device, with the sensor being in or on the rotating control device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising: 
 a rotating control device;   at least one sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of a condition of at least one seal of the rotating control device; and   an artificial intelligence configured to provide an alert if the parameter is outside of an acceptable range.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the at least one sensor comprises a first rotational speed sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , in which the at least one sensor comprises a second rotational speed sensor, and in which the artificial intelligence is configured to provide the alert if a difference between measurements of the first and second rotational speed sensors is outside of the acceptable range. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the sensor comprises a load sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , in which the artificial intelligence is configured to provide the alert if a change in a pattern of loads measured by the load sensor is outside of the acceptable range. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the sensor comprises a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , in which the at least one seal comprises first and second annular seals, and in which the pressure sensor senses pressure between the first and second annular seals. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the sensor comprises a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the sensor comprises an alignment sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the sensor comprises a liquid level sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring a condition of at least one seal of a rotating control device, the method comprising: 
 sensing a parameter indicative of a condition of the seal, thereby generating sensor data; and   providing an alert when the parameter is outside of an acceptable range.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising training an artificial intelligence to determine whether the parameter is outside of the acceptable range. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the training comprises training the artificial intelligence to determine a level of divergence between the parameter and the acceptable range. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , in which the providing the alert comprises selecting the alert based in part on the level of the divergence. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the sensing comprises mounting a sensor on the rotating control device, the sensor being selected from the group consisting of a rotational speed sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, an alignment sensor, a level sensor and a lubricant condition sensor. 
     
     
         16 . A system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising: 
 a rotating control device;   at least one sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of a condition of at least one seal of the rotating control device, the sensor being in or on the rotating control device; and   an artificial intelligence configured to provide an alert if the parameter is outside of an acceptable range.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a first rotational speed sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, an alignment sensor, a liquid level sensor and a lubricant condition sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , in which the at least one sensor comprises a second rotational speed sensor, and in which the artificial intelligence is configured to provide the alert if a difference between measurements of the first and second rotational speed sensors is outside of the acceptable range. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the at least one seal comprises first and second annular seals, and in which the at least one sensor senses pressure between the first and second annular seals. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the artificial intelligence is trained with historical data to predict a useful life of the at least one seal.