Caterpillar Inc.

National Oilwell Varco, L.p.

Mark Francis Grimes

Andy Publes

Mark C Paul

Todd R Kabrich

Yuesheng He

Riadh Benguedda

Lucas J Peterson

David Alexandru Voiculescu

Kent Erin Hulick

Gregory Paul Cervenka

A controller that is associated with a pump system causes a power ramp rate of a motor of the pump system to have an initial power ramp rate. The controller monitors, after causing the power ramp rate of the motor to have the initial power ramp rate, a frequency of a power bus. One or more power sources provide power to the pump system via the power bus. The controller causes, based on monitoring the frequency of the power bus, the power ramp rate of the motor to be modified.

Automatically controlling a power ramp rate of a motor of a pump system

In some implementations, a controller may monitor, during a ramp up period of a fluid pump driven by a motor that is controlled by a variable frequency drive (VFD), an intake pressure of the fluid pump and a discharge pressure of the fluid pump. The controller may detect, based on monitoring the intake pressure and the discharge pressure, whether the intake pressure satisfies an intake pressure threshold or the discharge pressure satisfies a discharge pressure threshold. The controller may cause, via the VFD, reduction of a torque of the motor based on the intake pressure satisfying the intake pressure threshold or the discharge pressure satisfying the discharge pressure threshold.

Controlling ramp up of a fluid pump

In some implementations, a controller may obtain an indication of a first crank angle associated with a first pump, of a dual-pump single-power source system, that is mechanically connected to a power source of the dual-pump single-power source system via a first clutch. The controller may obtain an indication of a second crank angle associated with a second pump, of the dual-pump single-power source system, that is mechanically connected to the power source via a second clutch. The controller may determine that a difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is outside of a tolerance of a crank angle difference value. The controller may modulate a fluid pressure associated with at least one of the first clutch or the second clutch to cause the difference between the first crank angle and the second crank angle to be within the tolerance of the crank angle difference value.

Control of a dual-pump single-power source system

In some implementations, a controller may monitor, in connection with a fluid pump driven by a motor that is controlled by a variable frequency drive and over a time period, a torque of the motor to obtain torque data, a speed of the motor to obtain speed data, and a pressure of the fluid pump to obtain pressure data. The controller may determine that the fluid pump is associated with a leak of a particular severity level based on the torque data indicating a deviation that satisfies a first threshold, the speed data indicating a deviation that satisfies a second threshold, and the pressure data indicating a deviation that satisfies a third threshold. The controller may perform at least one operation based on the particular severity level of the leak.

Fluid pump health protection

In some implementations, a controller may obtain a setting for a maximum discharge pressure associated with a fluid pump that is to be allowed during a hydraulic fracturing operation. The fluid pump may be driven by a motor that is controlled by a variable frequency drive (VFD). The controller may determine a maximum torque for the motor that achieves the maximum discharge pressure. The controller may cause, via the VFD, adjustment to a speed of the motor to maintain a torque of the motor at or below the maximum torque for the motor.

Controlling a discharge pressure from a pump

In some implementations, a controller may obtain a setting for a target discharge pressure associated with a fluid pump driven by a motor that is controlled by a variable frequency drive (VFD). The target discharge pressure may be for use in a pressure test of a system that includes the fluid pump. The controller may determine a target torque for the motor that achieves the target discharge pressure. The controller may cause, via the VFD and in connection with the pressure test, adjustment to a speed of the motor to achieve the target torque for the motor.

Controlling a discharge pressure from a pump for pressure testing a fluid system

In some implementations, a controller may monitor an available power supply of at least one power source for a system for hydraulic fracturing, and a current power demand of the system. The controller may determine, based on monitoring the available power supply and the current power demand, whether a relationship between the current power demand and the available power supply is indicative of an impending power failure. The controller may cause, based on determining that the relationship between the current power demand and the available power supply indicates the impending power failure, reduction of flow rates of one or more fluid pumps of the system to reduce the current power demand.

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Cypress, TX, United States of America

Mark Francis Grimes