Devices and methods for power control in horizontal directional drilling

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to methods and apparatuses for controlling pump power draw from an engine in horizontal directional drilling. Various embodiments of the invention are directed to a horizontal directional drilling machine that comprises an engine that outputs mechanical energy, a rotation pump that draws upon the mechanical energy output by the engine to operate a rotation motor that rotates a drill string, a thrust pump that draws upon the mechanical energy output by the engine to operate a thrust motor that longitudinally moves the drill string, a mud pump that draws upon the mechanical energy output by the engine to operate a mud motor that delivers fluid through the drill string, and control circuitry comprising a controller and memory, the processor configured to execute program instructions stored on the memory, processor execution of the stored program instructions causing the control circuitry to calculate a rotation pump power draw from the engine, calculate a thrust pump power draw from the engine, calculate a mud pump power draw from the engine, calculate a total power draw based on the rotation pump power draw, the thrust pump power draw and the mud pump power draw, compare the total power draw to a threshold, and decrease mechanical energy draw of each of the rotation pump, the thrust pump, and the mud pump from the engine based on the total power draw exceeding the threshold.