Pump Performance
The Pump screen provides performance curve analysis for the installed ESP pump. Access it from the Pump tab in the navigation sidebar.
[Screenshot: Pump performance screen - full view]
Pump Performance Curves
ESP-GUARDX displays three primary pump performance curves:
1. Head vs. Flow Rate
Shows the pressure (head) the pump can generate at different flow rates. Head decreases as flow rate increases.
2. Efficiency vs. Flow Rate
Shows the pump's hydraulic efficiency across its operating range. The peak of this curve indicates the Best Efficiency Point (BEP) -- the ideal operating condition.
3. Brake Horsepower (BHP) vs. Flow Rate
Shows the power required to drive the pump at different flow rates.
All curves are calculated using 5th-order polynomial coefficients specific to each pump model, loaded from the pump database.
[Screenshot: Pump performance curves showing Head, Efficiency, and BHP]
Multi-Frequency Analysis
ESP motors driven by Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) can operate at different frequencies. ESP-GUARDX uses the Affinity Laws to calculate pump performance at any frequency between 40 Hz and 70 Hz.
Affinity Laws
The affinity laws relate pump performance at one speed to performance at another:
- Flow: Q2 = Q1 x (N2 / N1)
- Head: H2 = H1 x (N2 / N1)^2
- Power: P2 = P1 x (N2 / N1)^3
Where N is the rotational speed (proportional to frequency).
Frequency Selector
Use the frequency selector on the Pump screen to view performance curves at different operating frequencies. The display shows curves for multiple frequencies simultaneously, allowing comparison.
[Screenshot: Multi-frequency pump curves at different Hz values]
Safe Operating Region
The Pump screen highlights the safe operating region bounded by two critical limits:
DownThrust Limit
The minimum flow rate at which the pump should operate. Operating below this limit causes:
- Downward axial thrust on the pump shaft
- Bearing damage
- Reduced pump life
UpThrust Limit
The maximum flow rate at which the pump should operate. Operating above this limit causes:
- Upward axial thrust on the pump shaft
- Stage damage
- Mechanical failure risk
The safe operating region is displayed as a shaded band between the DownThrust and UpThrust boundaries on the performance curve chart.
[Screenshot: Pump curve showing safe operating region between DownThrust and UpThrust limits]
Supported Pump Models
ESP-GUARDX includes a database of 80+ pump models from major manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Example Models |
|---|---|
| APC | WA-900, and others |
| Levare | ESP 338-1500, and others |
| SLB (Schlumberger) | AN900, and others |
Pump data is stored as CSV files containing polynomial coefficients for head, efficiency, and power curves. The pump model is selected in the ESP Configurator.
Monitored Pump Parameters
| Parameter | Description | Default Warn | Default Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Intake Pressure | Suction pressure too low | 15% | 25% |
| Discharge Pressure | Discharge pressure deviation | 10% | 20% |
| Low Flow Rate | Flow below minimum | 5% | 15% |
| Pump Efficiency Drop | Efficiency degradation | 8% | 12% |
| Excessive Vibration | Mechanical vibration | 10% | 18% |
| Shaft Torque Overload | Excessive shaft torque | 15% | 25% |
| Gas Lock Detection | Gas accumulation in pump | 5% | 10% |
| Intake Temperature | Fluid temperature at intake | 12% | 20% |
See Event Settings to customize these thresholds.