Vessel pressure testing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933293-B2
Application number	US-202017608946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2020
Priority date	May 5, 2019
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

In a control system for operating a pump, the pump is pneumatically driven to pump hydraulic fluid to pressurize a closed vessel. The control system includes inlet and outlet ports, a pneumatic regulator, a pressure transducer, and control circuitry. The inlet and outlet ports are configured to receive inlet and output outlet pressurized air, respectively. The outlet pressurized air powers the pump. The pneumatic regulator is disposed between the ports, and configured to receive the inlet air and output the outlet air. The pneumatic regulator includes a valve that modulates pneumatic pressure based on a control signal. The pressure transducer provides a hydraulic pressure signal indicative of pressure at the output of the pump. The control circuitry is configured to adjust a parameter of the control signal based on this hydraulic pressure signal, and output the control signal to the pneumatic regulator to indirectly control operation of the pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure testing system for pressurizing and testing a test vessel using a pump driven by pneumatic pressure and having a pressurized hydraulic fluid outlet to the test vessel, the pressure testing system comprising: a hydraulic pressure transducer configured to be coupled to the hydraulic fluid outlet to generate a hydraulic pressure signal indicative of the hydraulic pressure at the test vessel; and a pneumatic control unit configured to drive the pump via a supply of pressurized air from a pneumatic source, the pneumatic control unit comprising: a pressurized air inlet from the pneumatic source, and a pressurized air outlet to the pump; a pneumatic regulator disposed between the pressurized air inlet and the pressurized air outlet to modulate a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air toward a target pneumatic pressure by metering airflow from the pressurized air inlet to the pressurized air outlet; control circuitry configured to receive the hydraulic pressure signal, set the target pneumatic pressure based on a target hydraulic pressure at the test vessel, and iteratively increase the target pneumatic pressure until the hydraulic pressure signal exceeds the target hydraulic pressure; wherein the pneumatic regulator comprises a pneumatic valve, the pneumatic valve disposed between the pressurized air inlet and the pressurized air outlet and actuatable open or close in response to a control signal from the control circuitry; a pneumatic pressure transducer disposed between the pneumatic valve and the pump to sense a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air provided by the pneumatic control unit to the pump; and wherein the pneumatic regulator is configured to iteratively adjust a position of the pneumatic valve based on a comparison of the sensed pneumatic pressure with the target pneumatic pressure, independently of the target hydraulic pressure or the sensed hydraulic pressure.

2. The pressure testing system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is an intensifier pump, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive pump data reflecting an intensification ratio of the pump.

3. The pressure testing system of claim 2 , wherein setting the target pneumatic pressure based on the target hydraulic pressure comprises determining a pneumatic pressure corresponding to the target hydraulic pressure, based on the intensification ratio.

4. The pressure testing system of claim 2 , further comprising an operator interface disposed to input the pump data to the control circuitry, and configured to output test results to an operator.

5. The pressure testing system of claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic valve actuatable to fluidly isolate the pump from a fluid circuit including both the test vessel and the hydraulic pressure transducer.

6. The pressure testing system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is driven entirely by the pressurized air.

7. A pressure testing system for pressurizing and testing a test vessel using a pump driven by pneumatic pressure and having a pressurized hydraulic fluid outlet to the test vessel, the pressure testing system comprising:
a hydraulic pressure transducer configured to be coupled to the hydraulic fluid outlet to generate a hydraulic pressure signal indicative of hydraulic pressure at the test vessel; and
a pneumatic control unit configured to drive the pump via a supply of pressurized air from a pneumatic source, the pneumatic control unit comprising:
a pneumatic regulator disposed to modulate a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air toward a target pneumatic pressure, wherein the pneumatic regulator comprises a pneumatic valve disposed between a pressurized air inlet and a pressurized air outlet;
a pneumatic pressure transducer disposed between the pneumatic valve and the pump to sense a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air provided by the pneumatic control unit to the pump; and
control circuitry configured to receive the hydraulic pressure signal, set the target pneumatic pressure based on a target hydraulic pressure at the test vessel, and iteratively increase the target pneumatic pressure until the hydraulic pressure signal exceeds the target hydraulic pressure;
wherein the pneumatic regulator is configured to iteratively adjust a position of the pneumatic valve based on a comparison of the sensed pneumatic pressure with the target pneumatic pressure, independently of the target hydraulic pressure or the sensed hydraulic pressure.

8. A pressure testing system for pressurizing and testing a test vessel using a pump driven by pneumatic pressure and having a pressurized hydraulic fluid outlet to the test vessel, the pressure testing system comprising:
a hydraulic pressure transducer configured to be coupled to the hydraulic fluid outlet to generate a hydraulic pressure signal indicative of hydraulic pressure at the test vessel; and
a pneumatic control unit configured to drive the pump via a supply of pressurized air from a pneumatic source, the pneumatic control unit comprising:
a pneumatic regulator disposed to modulate a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air toward a target pneumatic pressure by metering airflow of the pressurized air to the pump via a pneumatic valve;
a pneumatic pressure transducer disposed between the pneumatic regulator and the pump to sense a pneumatic pressure of the pressurized air provided by the pneumatic control unit to the pump; and
control circuitry configured to receive the hydraulic pressure signal, set the target pneumatic pressure based on a target hydraulic pressure at the test vessel, and iteratively increase the target pneumatic pressure until the hydraulic pressure signal exceeds the target hydraulic pressure;
wherein the pneumatic regulator is configured to iteratively adjust the position of the pneumatic valve based on a comparison of the sensed pneumatic pressure with the target pneumatic pressure, independently of the target hydraulic pressure or the sensed hydraulic pressure.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Dion Matthew P
• Clint Patrick J
• Daniski Joseph A
• Schluender Grant S

Classifications

• F04B51/00 Primary

  Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations · CPC title

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F04B49/08

  Regulating by delivery pressure · CPC title

• F04B2205/05

  Pressure after the pump outlet · CPC title

• G01M3/32 Primary

  for containers, e.g. radiators · CPC title