Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
MOTOR MALFUNCTION MONITORING DEVICE, DRIVE MOTOR
SYSTEM AND MOTOR MALFUNCTION MONITORING METHOD
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus utilized in
the field of oilfield
operations, and more specifically, to a motor malfunction monitoring device, a
drive motor
system and a motor malfunction monitoring method.
BACKGROUND
[0002] At present, the electrically-driven apparatus is widely used in the
field of oilfield
operations. For
example, the electrically-driven apparatus may be employed for
electrically-driven fracturing, electrically-driven mixing, electrically-
driven sand mixing,
electrically-driven sand transportation, and other engineering operations.
An
electrically-driven apparatus typically includes a motor for supplying power,
equipped with a
variable frequency drive (VFD) (also referred to as a drive unit of the motor)
regulating the
power source for the motor in frequency and voltage. The VFD includes a
rectifier, an
inverter and a control circuit, where the control circuit detects operation
status of the inverter
and the rectifier and controls an input from the inverter to the motor to
protect electrical
components (e.g., the motor and the like) of the circuit. The control circuit
of the VFD can
monitor parameters on a current, voltage, and the like, of the motor, triggers
an alarm when
those parameters exceed predetermined normal threshold ranges, and then cuts
off the power
supply circuit.
SUMMARY
[0003] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide an electrically-
driven apparatus
used in a well site with a motor malfunction monitoring device and a motor
control system.
For an electrically-driven apparatus used in a well site, due to complicated
material and
vibration conditions in the environment, some components of the apparatus are
vulnerable
after a period of time, causing shutdown of the electrically-driven apparatus
and further
incurring huge time and labor costs. Therefore, there is a necessity to
monitor and determine
a malfunction for an electrically-drive apparatus used in a well site, and
send a prompt to the
same, so as to give engineers a necessary reminder to examine and repair the
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-04-28
electrically-driven apparatus.
[0004] The motor malfunction monitoring device according to the present
disclosure cannot
only monitor the electrical status of a motor (e.g., whether a voltage or
current is normal, or
the like) but also can monitor status of mechanical components (e.g.,
bearings, bases, and the
like) of the motor. In the meantime, the motor control system can further
control the motor
based on the above status.
[0005] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a motor
malfunction
monitoring device for monitoring a malfunction of a drive motor in oilfield
operations,
comprising:
[0006] a signal acquisition module configured to acquire operation data of the
drive motor,
wherein the signal acquisition motor comprises a vibration signal acquisition
unit and/or an
electrical signal acquisition unit, the vibration signal acquisition unit
comprises one or more
vibration sensors for detecting transverse vibration and/or longitudinal
vibration of a
component to be detected of the drive motor, and/or the electrical signal
acquisition unit
comprises a voltage sensor and a current sensor for detecting a voltage and a
current of the
drive motor, respectively;
[0007] a data storage module storing therein a normal operation data spectrum
library
created when the drive motor runs normally; and
[0008] a signal analysis module, wherein the signal analysis module is
configured to extract
an acquired operation data spectrum of the operation data acquired, compare
the acquired
operation data spectrum with a respective normal operation data spectrum in
the normal
operation data spectrum library to obtain a similarity, determine whether the
similarity is less
than a predetermined threshold, and determine that the drive motor fails when
the similarity is
less than the predetermined threshold.
[0009] Alternatively, the data storage module stores therein a database for
malfunction
spectrums created when the drive motor runs at different types of
malfunctions, and the motor
malfunction monitoring device further comprises a malfunction diagnosis
module, and
wherein, after the signal analysis module determines that the drive motor
fails, the
malfunction diagnosis module compares the acquired operation data spectrum
with
malfunction spectrums in the database for malfunction spectrums and diagnoses
a
malfunction type of the drive motor.
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[0010] Alternatively, the data storage module is updated using operation data
and/or the
acquired operation data spectrums of the drive motor.
[0011] Alternatively, the data storage module expands the normal operation
data spectrum
library using the acquired operation data spectrum when the drive motor does
not fail, and
expands the database for malfunction spectrums using the acquired operation
data spectrum
when the drive motor fails.
[0012] Alternatively, the motor malfunction monitoring device comprises an
alarming unit,
wherein the alarming unit sends a malfunction alarm when the motor malfunction
monitoring
device determines that the drive motor fails.
[0013] Alternatively, the component to be detected comprises a bearing and a
base of the
drive motor.
[0014] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided
a drive motor
system, comprising: a drive motor, a variable frequency drive for regulating
an input current
to the drive motor and a controller, characterized by further comprising the
motor malfunction
monitoring device according to any of embodiments of the present disclosure,
wherein the
controller controls, based on a diagnosis result of the motor malfunction
monitoring device,
the variable frequency drive to regulate the input current to the drive motor.
[0015] Alternatively, for an electrical signal of the drive motor, the
controller controls the
variable frequency drive to switch off the input current to the drive motor
when either of the
variable frequency drive and the motor malfunction monitoring device monitors
that the drive
motor fails.
[0016] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided a
motor malfunction
monitoring method for monitoring a malfunction of a drive motor for oilfield
operations,
characterized by comprising steps of:
[0017] acquiring operation data of the drive motor, wherein the operation data
comprise a
transverse and/or a longitudinal vibration signal of a component to be
detected of the drive
motor, and/or a voltage and a current signal of the drive motor;
[0018] extracting an acquired operation data spectrum of the operation data
acquired; and
[0019] comparing the acquired operation data spectrum with a pre-stored,
respective normal
operation data spectrum in a normal operation data spectrum library of the
drive motor to
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obtain a similarity, and determining that the drive motor fails when the
similarity is less than a
predetermined threshold.
[0020] Alternatively, the motor malfunction monitoring method further
comprises:
[0021] when determining that the drive motor fails, comparing the acquired
operation data
spectrum with malfunction spectrums in a database for malfunction spectrums
pre-stored
created when the drive motor runs at different types of malfunctions, and
diagnosing a
malfunction type of the drive motor.
[0022] Alternatively, the motor malfunction monitoring method further
comprises:
[0023] storing the operation data and/or the acquired operation data spectrum
of the drive
motor.
[0024] Alternatively, the motor malfunction monitoring method further
comprises:
[0025] expanding the normal operation data spectrum library using the acquired
operation
data spectrum when the drive motor does not fail, and expanding the database
for malfunction
spectrums using the acquired operation data spectrum when the drive motor
fails.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] For the sake of better understanding on the above and other objectives,
features,
advantages, and functions of the present disclosure, the preferred embodiments
are provided
with reference to the drawings. The same reference symbols refer to the same
components
throughout the drawings. It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that the
drawings are merely provided to illustrate preferred embodiments of the
present disclosure,
without suggesting any limitation to the protection scope of the present
application, in which
[0027] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a motor malfunction monitoring device
according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0028] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a motor malfunction monitoring device
according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0029] Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a motor malfunction monitoring method
according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0030] Fig. 4 schematically illustrates a motor malfunction monitoring method
according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-04-28
[0031] A list of reference signs
[0032] 10, 10' motor malfunction monitoring device
[0033] 1, l' signal acquisition module
[0034] 11, 11' vibration signal acquisition unit
[0035] 12, 12' electrical signal acquisition unit
[0036] 2, 2' data storage module
[0037] 21, 21' database of normal operation spectrums
[0038] 22' database for malfunction spectrums
[0039] 3, 3' signal analysis module
[0040] 4, 4' malfunction diagnosis module
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0041] Reference now will be made to the drawings to describe in detail the
embodiments of
the present disclosure.
What will be described herein will only involve preferred
embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as other manners conceivable
for those skilled
in the art on the basis of the preferred embodiments of the present
disclosure, which also fall
into the scope claimed by the present disclosure.
[0042] The motor malfunction monitoring device as described therein is
generally provided
for monitoring malfunctions of a drive motor used in oilfield operations.
Fig. 1
schematically illustrates a modular structure diagram of a motor malfunction
monitoring
device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in
Fig. 1, the
motor malfunction monitoring device 10 includes a signal acquisition module 1,
a data
storage module 2 and a signal analysis module. Specifically, the signal
acquisition module 1
is responsible for acquiring operation data during the operation of the drive
motor, where
these operation data include an electrical signal of the drive motor, namely a
current or
voltage signal, and/or vibration signal of components to be detected. To this
end, the signal
acquisition module 1 may include an electrical signal acquisition unit 12
and/or a vibration
signal acquisition unit 11, where the electrical signal acquisition unit 12,
for example, can
include voltage sensor(s) and current sensor(s) and be mounted at appropriate
positions of the
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drive motor, as disclosed in the prior art, to detect and acquire the voltage
signal and current
signal of the drive motor. In addition, the vibration signal acquisition unit
11 may include
one or more vibration sensors, where, depending on components of the drive
motor and
vibration directions to be detected, the vibration sensors may be mounted at
the components
to be detected, particularly along specific directions of the vibration, such
that the vibration
sensors can detect and acquire the vibration signals of the components in the
specific
directions. Within the scope of the present disclosure, since components of
the drive motor
often vibrate in transverse and longitudinal directions in case of failure,
the vibration signal
acquisition unit 11 is used to mainly acquire vibration in the transverse and
longitudinal
directions. It is noted that, within the scope of the present disclosure, "a
transverse
direction" refers to a direction parallel to a mounting plane of the drive
motor and
perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the drive motor, and "a
longitudinal direction"
refers to a direction perpendicular to both of the mounting plane and the
longitudinal direction
of the drive motor. For example, within the scope of the present disclosure,
depending on
the components concerned and need to be detected, the vibration sensors of the
vibration
signal acquisition unit 11 may be mounted at the bearings and the bases of the
drive motor to
detect and acquire vibration of the bearings and the bases, for detecting
whether there is
abnormality, loosening or damage of the bearings, loosening of bases, and the
like.
[0043] Although the vibration signal acquisition unit, for example, includes
vibration
sensors mounted at the bearings of the drive motor and the bases of the drive
motor, as
described above, vibration sensors may be mounted at other components of the
drive motor,
depending on the different components need to be detected and concerned, which
also fall
into the scope of the present disclosure.
[0044] The data storage module 2 of the motor malfunction monitoring device 10
stores
therein a database 21 of normal operation spectrums during the normal
operation of the drive
motor. Specifically, the database 21 of normal operation spectrums includes
therein
operation data spectrums when the drive motor runs normally in different
operating
conditions, for example, transverse vibration signal spectrums, longitudinal
vibration signal
spectrums, voltage or current signal spectrums, and the like, of the
components to be detected.
[0045] The signal analysis module 3 of the motor malfunction monitoring device
10 can
perform processing and analysis on the operation data acquired by the signal
acquisition
module 1, extract acquired operation data spectrums of the acquired operation
data, and then
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compare them with corresponding normal operation spectrums in the database to
obtain a
similarity therebetween. If the similarity is lower than a predetermined
threshold, the signal
analysis module determines that the drive motor fails. Specifically, for
example, when the
signal acquisition module 1 has acquired the current or voltage signals and
the transverse and
longitudinal vibration signals when the drive motor runs in a certain
operating condition, the
signal analysis module extracts spectrums of these signals and compares them
with the
current or voltage signal spectrums and the transverse and longitudinal
vibration signal
spectrums at the bearing when the drive motor runs normally in the
corresponding operating
condition to obtain a similarity therebetween. If the similarity is lower than
a predetermined
threshold, it is determined that the drive motor fails. The predetermined
threshold as
mentioned above may be predetermined based on factors, such as the operating
status of the
drive motor and the like.
[0046] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a motor malfunction monitoring device
10' according
to another embodiment of the present disclosure. To avoid duplication, only
differences
between the embodiments as shown in Fig. 2 and the one in Fig. 1 will be
described below.
In order to differentiate the two embodiments, the reference symbols involved
in Fig. 2 are
represented with an additional superscript "'", as compared with those in Fig.
1. As shown
in Fig. 2, in addition to the modules in Fig. 1, the motor malfunction
monitoring device 10'
further includes a malfunction diagnosis module 4'. To be specific, when the
signal analysis
module 3 determines that the drive motor fails, the malfunction diagnosis
module 4' further
determines the malfunction type of the drive motor. With respect to the motor
malfunction
monitoring device 10' in the embodiment, the data storage module 2' further
stores therein a
database 22' for malfunction spectrums when the drive motor runs at different
types of
malfunctions, and the malfunction diagnosis module 4' compares the acquired
operation data
spectrums with the malfunction spectrums in the database and diagnoses the
malfunction type
of the drive motor. Specifically, the database 22' of malfunction spectrums
stored in the data
storage module 2' at least includes characteristic spectrums of operation data
when the drive
motor fails at different operating conditions, for example, characteristic
spectrums of the drive
motor when bearings, bases, or stator coils are loose, short circuit occurs
between stator
winding turns, and the like. The malfunction diagnosis module 4' compares the
acquired
operation data with those malfunction spectrums to find out a malfunction
spectrum mostly
similar to the acquired operation data, and then determines the specific
malfunction type of
the drive motor.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-04-28
[0047] Alternatively, within the scope of the present disclosure, the data
storage module 2,
2' is configured to store operation data and/or acquired operation data
spectrums of the drive
motor. Those spectrums may be stored in a local or remote memory of the data
storage
module 2, 2', which can be implemented by means of existing storage technique
in the related
fields. In this circumstance, alternatively, in some embodiments, the data
storage module 2,
2' can further update and expand the database stored therein (i.e., the
database of normal
operation spectrums and the database for malfunction spectrums) by using
operation data
and/or acquired operation data spectrums of the drive motor. Specifically, the
data storage
module 2, 2' expands and updates the database of normal operation spectrums by
using the
acquired operation data spectrums when the drive motor does not fail, and
expands and
updates the database for malfunction spectrums by using the acquired operation
data
spectrums when the drive motor fails. More specifically, the acquired
operation data
spectrums are respectively categorized according to the malfunction categories
into which
they fall.
[0048] Alternatively, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the motor
malfunction
monitoring device 10, 10' may further include an alarming unit which can send
out an alarm
based on the malfunction determined by the motor malfunction monitoring device
10, 10',
more specifically, a respective malfunction alarm (e.g., warning light, alarm
sound, alarm
information, or the like) corresponding to the malfunction type.
[0049] In the present disclosure, there is further provided a drive motor
system, including: a
drive motor, a variable frequency drive (also referred to as drive unit) that
can regulate the
current or voltage of the drive motor, a motor malfunction monitoring device
and a controller,
where the motor malfunction monitoring device can be configured in the form of
the motor
malfunction monitoring device 10, 10' according to any of the embodiments of
the present
disclosure. The controller controls the drive motor, based on the drive
motor's malfunction
information obtained by the motor malfunction monitoring device 10, 10' (i.e.
presence or
absence of a malfunction in the drive motor and/or the malfunction type of the
drive motor).
For example, in some malfunctions, the controller stops the drive motor. It is
noted that,
under this circumstance, the variable frequency drive monitors the current and
voltage of the
drive motor as mentioned in the prior art, but since the motor malfunction
monitoring device
is included in the present disclosure, the variable frequency drive may be
configured to only
regulate the input current to the drive motor under the control of the
controller, without the
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necessity to monitor the current and voltage of the drive motor.
[0050] In addition, within the scope of the present disclosure, the variable
frequency drive is
configured as a conventional variable frequency drive employed in the related
technical fields
of drive motors, which may include a rectifier, an inverter, a control circuit
assembly for
detecting the current or voltage of the drive motor and regulating an input
current to the drive
motor, and the like. Specifically, the controller controls, based on the
malfunction of the
drive motor determined by the motor malfunction monitoring device 10, 10', the
variable
frequency drive to regulate an input current or voltage to the drive motor.
[0051] Alternatively, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, for the
electrical
signals (i.e., current or voltage) of the drive motor, when one of the
variable frequency drive
and the motor malfunction monitoring device 10, 10' monitors an electrical
signal
malfunction (i.e., abnormality), the controller controls the variable
frequency drive to cut off
the input current to the drive motor. In other words, if the voltage or
current malfunction
cannot be detected due to failure of the variable frequency drive or one of
the voltage sensor
and the current sensor in the motor malfunction monitoring device, the
controller can switch
off the input current to the drive motor for the sake of security, rather than
performing control
based on the monitored result from one of the above. Such redundant
determination avoids
the deficiency of misjudging the malfunction of the drive motor due to circuit
failure in the
variable frequency drive.
[0052] Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a flowchart of a motor malfunction
monitoring
method according to the present disclosure. The motor malfunction monitoring
method
involved herein is particularly used to monitor a malfunction of a drive motor
in oilfield
operations, including steps of:
[0053] S101: acquiring operation data of the drive motor, where the operation
data include a
transverse and/or a longitudinal vibration signal of components to be detected
of the drive
motor, and/or an electrical signal, namely a voltage or current signal, of the
drive motor;
[0054] As aforementioned, depending on different components need to be
detected, the
transverse and longitudinal vibration signals at the bearings and the bases of
the drive motor
may be acquired, to detect and acquire vibration of the bearings and bases of
the drive motor
for subsequent determination of a malfunction, such as abnormality, loosening
or damage of
the bearings, loosening of bases, and the like.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-04-28
[0055] S102: extracting acquired operation data spectrums of the operation
data acquired;
[0056] Specifically, the operation data acquired are processed and analyzed,
and the
acquired operation data spectrums of the operation data acquired are
extracted.
[0057] S103: comparing the acquired operation data spectrums with normal
operation data
spectrums pre-stored in the database of normal operation spectrums of the
drive motor to
obtain a similarity, and determines that the drive motor fails when the
similarity is less than a
predetermined threshold.
[0058] Specifically, the database of normal operation spectrums during the
normal operation
of the drive motor is pre-stored. More specifically, the database of normal
operation
spectrums includes operation data spectrums (e.g., transverse vibration signal
spectrums,
longitudinal vibration signal spectrums, voltage or current signal spectrums,
and the like, of
components to be detected) when the drive motor runs normally under different
operating
conditions.
[0059] In other words, for example, after the current or voltage electrical
signals and
transverse and longitudinal vibration signals at the bearings under a certain
operating
condition of the drive motor are acquired, the spectrums of these signals are
extracted and
compared with the current or voltage signal spectrums and the transverse and
longitudinal
signal spectrums in the corresponding normal operating condition to obtain a
similarity
therebetween, and it is determined that the drive motor fails if the
similarity is less than a
predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold as mentioned above may be
predetermined based on factors, such as the use status of the drive motor and
the like.
[0060] Fig. 4 schematically illustrates a flowchart of a motor malfunction
monitoring
method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, where steps
S201 to S203
are identical with those in Fig. 3, which are omitted herein.
[0061] In addition, the motor malfunction monitoring method as shown in Fig. 4
further
includes steps of:
[0062] S204: when determining that the drive motor fails, comparing the
acquired operation
data spectrums with the malfunction spectrums pre-stored in the database for
malfunction
spectrums under different malfunction types of the drive motor, and diagnosing
a malfunction
.. type of the drive motor.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-04-28
[0063] Specifically, determining that the drive motor fails further includes
determining a
malfunction type of the drive motor. The database for malfunction spectrums
created when
the drive motor fails at different types of malfunctions is pre-stored,
including at least
characteristic spectrums of operation data when the drive motor fails at
different operating
conditions, for example, characteristic spectrums of the drive motor when
bearings, bases, or
stator coils are loose, short circuit occurs between stator winding turns, and
the like. Then,
the acquired operation data spectrums are compared with those malfunction
spectrums, to
determine malfunction spectrums mostly corresponding to the acquired operation
data
spectrums and thus determine a specific malfunction type of the drive motor.
[0064] Alternatively, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the motor
malfunction
monitoring method further includes a step of:
[0065] storing operation data and/or the acquired operation data spectrums of
the drive
motor.
[0066] In other words, the database of normal operation spectrums and the
database for
malfunction spectrums can be updated and expanded by using the operation data
and/or the
spectrums of the acquired operation data of the drive motor. The database of
normal
operation spectrums is expanded and updated by using the acquired operation
data spectrums
when the drive motor does not fail, while the database for malfunction
spectrums is expanded
and updated by using the acquired operation data spectrums when the drive
motor fails.
More specifically, the acquired operation data spectrums are categorized
according to the
malfunction categories into which they fall.
[0067] The above description on multiple embodiments of the present disclosure
is provided
to the ordinary skilled in the related field for illustration, without any
intention to be exclusive
or limited to a single embodiment of the present disclosure. Given the
teaching, the ordinary
skilled in the art would envision multiple types of substitution and variation
of the present
disclosure. Therefore, although some alternative embodiments are described
herein, the
ordinary skilled in the art would understand or easily devise other
embodiments. The
present disclosure intends to cover all substitution, modification and
variation of the
embodiments described herein, as well as other embodiments falling within the
spirits and
scope described above.
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