US 12,360,003 B2
Pipe strain detection and diagnosis using sensors for machine casing nozzles
Keith William Brashler, Dhahran (SA); and Ali Al Shehri, Thuwal (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/984,807.
Prior Publication US 2024/0159618 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. G01M 5/00 (2006.01); F01D 21/00 (2006.01); F04D 27/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 5/0041 (2013.01) [G01M 5/0066 (2013.01); F01D 21/003 (2013.01); F04D 27/001 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a rotating machine comprising a rotating element, a machine casing, an inlet nozzle, and an outlet nozzle, wherein the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle are disposed on the machine casing, the inlet nozzle is connected to a first pipe, the outlet nozzle is connected to a second pipe, and the rotating element is configured to pump a fluid into the inlet nozzle through the first pipe and out of the outlet nozzle through the second pipe;
a vibration sensor disposed on a nozzle flange connection of one of the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle, wherein the vibration sensor comprises:
a substrate comprising a polymer; and
a resonant layer disposed on a surface of the substrate, the resonant layer comprising an electrically conductive nanomaterial and configured to produce a resonant response in response to receiving a radio frequency signal;
a temperature sensor disposed on the nozzle flange connection of one of the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle; and
a computer system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform computer system operations comprising:
receiving the resonant response;
receiving temperature data from the temperature sensor;
processing the resonant response to determine a current vibrational strain of the resonant layer; and
identifying, using the temperature data and the current vibrational strain of the resonant layer, one or more pipe strain conditions, wherein the one or more pipe strain conditions comprises at least one of a piping misalignment, a piping thermal growth, or a combination of the piping misalignment and the piping thermal growth.