Monitoring and controlling hydrocyclones using vibration data

1. A hydrocyclone vibration measurement system comprising:

a set of upper vibration sensors comprising at least one vibration sensor attached to an overflow portion of each hydrocyclone in a hydrocyclone pack, the upper vibration sensors generating a plurality of analog overflow vibration signals;

a set of lower vibration sensors comprising at least one vibration sensor attached to an underflow portion of each of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack, the lower vibration sensors generating a plurality of analog underflow vibration signals; and

a vibration analysis system including:

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the analog overflow vibration signals and underflow vibration signals at a fixed sampling rate and converting the analog overflow and underflow vibration signals into digital overflow and underflow vibration signals; and

one or more overall vibration processing channels for processing the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate overflow and underflow scalar vibration values representing overall vibration measured at the overflow and underflow portions of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack,

wherein the vibration analysis system interfaces with a distributed control system to provide control information to the distributed control system based at least in part on one or both of the overflow scalar vibration values and the underflow scalar vibration values,

wherein the control information is used by the distributed control system to implement one or more control functions comprising:

control of one or more valves to distribute flow to one or more available hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack;

adjustment of a speed of one or more pumps associated with the hydrocyclone pack; and

adjustment of density of a slurry going to the hydrocyclone pack.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vibration analysis system includes one or more band pass filters for band pass filtering the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate band pass limited digital overflow and underflow vibration signals.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the upper vibration sensors are disposed such that a sensing axis of each upper vibration sensor is substantially perpendicular to a central flow axis of the hydrocyclone on which the sensor is mounted, and the lower vibration sensors are disposed such that a sensing axis of each lower vibration sensor is substantially perpendicular to the central flow axis of the hydrocyclone on which the sensor is mounted.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the vibration analysis system includes a comparison module that compares one or more of

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a second time period that is different from the first time period,

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline overflow scalar vibration values measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition, and

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline underflow scalar vibration values measured during the time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition,

based on which the comparison module generates control information that is used in implementing the one or more control functions.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the comparison module compares the overflow scalar vibration values in a frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during the first time period to baseline overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the comparison module generates control information for controlling operation of one or more of the hydrocyclones in the pack when energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during the first time period are higher than energy levels of the baseline overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the control information comprises an alert message that informs an operator regarding a roping condition that may be occurring in underflow from one or more of the hydrocyclones.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the control information comprises a control signal that initiates a shutdown of one or more of the hydrocyclones.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the comparison module compares the underflow scalar vibration values in a frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during the first time period to baseline underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein the comparison module generates control information for controlling one or more of the hydrocyclones when energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during the first time period are higher than energy levels of the baseline underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the control information comprises an alert message that informs an operator regarding a roping condition that may be occurring in underflow from one or more of the hydrocyclones.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the control information comprises a control signal that initiates a shutdown of one or more of the hydrocyclones.

13. The system of claim 4 wherein the comparison module generates control information for controlling operation of one or more of the hydrocyclones when

energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period are less than energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period, or

energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period which occurs after the first time period are greater than energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period,

wherein a transition of the energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values from less than to greater than the energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values indicates a plugged condition of one or more of the hydrocyclones.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the comparison module generates an alert message that informs an operator regarding the plugged condition of one or more of the hydrocyclones.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the control information comprises a control signal that initiates a shutdown of one or more of the hydrocyclones.

16. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more band pass filters comprise:

a first band pass filter for band pass filtering the digital overflow vibration signal in a first frequency range of 0 to 4000 Hz to generate the filtered digital overflow vibration signal; and

a second band pass filter for band pass filtering the digital underflow vibration signal in a first frequency range of 500 to 2500 Hz to generate the filtered digital underflow vibration signal.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more overall vibration processing channels comprise:

a first overall vibration processing channel for calculating the overflow scalar vibration values representing overall vibration measured at the overflow portions of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack; and

a second overall vibration processing channel for calculating the underflow scalar vibration values representing overall vibration measured at the underflow portions of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack.

18. A method for measuring and analyzing vibration associated with a hydrocyclone, the method comprising:

(a) sensing vibration associated with an overflow portion of the hydrocyclone using an upper vibration sensor attached to the overflow portion;

(b) the upper vibration sensor generating an analog overflow vibration signal indicative of the vibration sensed in step (a);

(c) sensing vibration associated with an underflow portion of the hydrocyclone using a lower vibration sensor attached to the underflow portion;

(d) the lower vibration sensor generating an analog underflow vibration signal indicative of the vibration sensed in step (c);

(e) sampling the analog overflow vibration signal and underflow vibration signal at a fixed sampling rate and converting the analog overflow and underflow vibration signals into digital overflow and underflow vibration signals;

(f) band pass filtering the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate band pass limited digital overflow and underflow vibration signals;

(g) processing the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate overflow and underflow scalar vibration values representing overall vibration measured at the overflow and underflow portions of the hydrocyclone, and

(h) providing control information to a distributed control system based at least in part on the overflow and underflow scalar vibration values, wherein the control information may be used by the distributed control system to control one or more functions comprising:

control of one or more valves to distribute flow to the hydrocyclone;

adjustment of a speed of one or more pumps associated with the hydrocyclone; and

adjustment of a density of a slurry going to the hydrocyclone.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

(i) comparing one or more of

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a second time period that is different from the first time period,

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline overflow scalar vibration values measured during a time period when hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition, and

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline underflow scalar vibration values measured during the time period when hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition; and

(j) based on the comparing of step (i), generating control information that may be used by the distributed control system to control the one or more functions.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein step comprises comparing the overflow scalar vibration values in a frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during the first time period to baseline overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during a time period when the hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein step (j) comprises generating control information for controlling operation of the hydrocyclone when energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during the first time period are higher than energy levels of the baseline overflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0 kHz to 4 kHz measured during a time period when the hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein step (j) comprises generating an alert message that informs an operator regarding a roping condition that may be occurring in underflow from the hydrocyclone.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein step (j) comprises generating a control signal that initiates a shutdown of the hydrocyclone.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein step (i) comprises comparing the underflow scalar vibration values in a frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during the first time period to baseline underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during a time period when the hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein step (j) comprises generating control information for controlling operation of the hydrocyclone when energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during the first time period are higher than energy levels of the baseline underflow scalar vibration values in the frequency range of 0.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz measured during a time period when the hydrocyclone was operating in a normal condition.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein step (j) comprises generating control information for controlling operation of the hydrocyclone when

energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period are less than energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period, and

energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period which occurs after the first time period are greater than energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period,

wherein a transition of the energy levels of the underflow scalar vibration values from less than to greater than the energy levels of the overflow scalar vibration values indicates a plugged condition of the hydrocyclone.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein step (j) comprises generating the control information comprising an alert message that informs an operator regarding the plugged condition of the hydrocyclone.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein step (j) comprises generating the control information comprising a control signal that initiates a shutdown of the hydrocyclone.

29. A hydrocyclone vibration measurement system comprising:

a set of upper vibration sensors comprising at least one vibration sensor attached to an overflow portion of each hydrocyclone in a hydrocyclone pack, the upper vibration sensors generating a plurality of analog overflow vibration signals;

a set of lower vibration sensors comprising at least one vibration sensor attached to an underflow portion of each of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack, the lower vibration sensors generating a plurality of analog underflow vibration signals;

a vibration analysis system including:

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the analog overflow vibration signals and underflow vibration signals at a fixed sampling rate and converting the analog overflow and underflow vibration signals into digital overflow and underflow vibration signals;

one or more overall vibration processing channels for processing the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate overflow and underflow scalar vibration values representing overall vibration measured at the overflow and underflow portions of the hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack, the one or more overall vibration processing channels including one or more band pass filters for band pass filtering the digital overflow and underflow vibration signals to generate band pass limited digital overflow and underflow vibration signals, and

a comparison module that compares one or more of

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the overflow scalar vibration values measured during a second time period that is different from the first time period,

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the second time period,

the overflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline overflow scalar vibration values measured during a time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition, and

the underflow scalar vibration values measured during the first time period to baseline underflow scalar vibration values measured during the time period when one or more of the hydrocyclones were operating in a normal condition,

based on which the comparison module generates control information that may be is used in implementing the one or more control functions,

wherein the vibration analysis system interfaces with a distributed control system to provide the control information to the distributed control system;

wherein the control functions comprising: control of one or more valves to distribute flow to one or more available hydrocyclones in the hydrocyclone pack;

adjustment of a speed of one or more pumps associated with the hydrocyclone pack; and

adjustment of density of a slurry going to the hydrocyclone pack.