Molten sulfur pump vibration and temperature sensor for enhanced condition monitoring

Abstract

A system includes a vertical molten sulfur pump assembly that includes a top portion adjacent to a first end of the vertical molten sulfur pump assembly and a bottom portion adjacent to a second end of the vertical molten sulfur pump assembly. A pump motor is disposed in the top portion, an impeller is disposed in the bottom portion within an impeller casing, and a shaft is disposed within a central column and connecting the pump motor with the impeller. A pump inlet is disposed at the second end below the impeller casing. The pump inlet and the impeller casing are configured to be immersed in molten sulfur. The vertical molten sulfur pump assembly is configured to pump the molten sulfur into the inlet and upwards through a discharge passageway by rotation of the impeller. A vibration sensor and a temperature sensor are disposed on an external surface of the bottom portion, on or proximate to the impeller casing and the pump inlet. The temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the molten sulfur proximate to the pump inlet. The vibration sensor includes a substrate comprising a polymer and a resonant layer disposed on a surface of the substrate. The resonant layer includes an electrically conductive nanomaterial and is configured to produce a resonant response in response to receiving a radio frequency signal.