Method for monitoring the operation of a pump station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024003782-A1
Application number	US-202118038391-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for monitoring the operation of a pump station comprising a tank for temporary storage of a liquid, an inlet for influent liquid, an outlet, and at least one pump configured for transporting the liquid away from the tank via the outlet. The method comprises steps. Monitoring an inflow of liquid to the tank during at least a part of a predetermined time period (T) and determining Inflow data (IN) representative of the inflow during T. Determining Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) that is representative of the max capacity of pumped liquid from the tank during T. For T, determining a momentary Pump Station Capacity Utilization (PSCU M ) based on IN and PSMC, using the overall formula PSCU M (%)=100*IN/PSMC. Determining a typical Pump Station Capacity Utilization (PSCU T ) for the pump station based on at least one momentary PSCU M value.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A method for monitoring the operation of a pump station comprising a tank for temporary storage of a liquid, an inlet for influent liquid, an outlet, and at least one pump configured for transporting the liquid away from the tank via the outlet, the method comprising:
monitoring an inflow of the influent liquid to the tank during at least a part of a predetermined time period (T) and determining an Inflow data (IN) value in volume per unit time representative of the inflow of the influent liquid to the tank of the pump station during the predetermined time period (T); determining a Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) value in volume per unit time representative of a max capacity of the liquid pumped from the tank of the pump station during the predetermined time period (T); for the predetermined time period, determining at least one momentary Pump Station Capacity Utilization (PSCU M ) based on the determined values of the Inflow data (IN) and the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC), using an overall formula PSCU M (%)=100*IN/PSMC; and determining a typical Pump Station Capacity Utilization (PSCU T ) for the pump station, representative of a capacity utilization of the pump station over time, based on the at least one momentary Pump Station Capacity Utilization (PSCU M ) value.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of determining the Inflow data (IN) comprises sub-steps of:
determining a rest-time (REST) required for a liquid level in the tank to rise from a pump stop liquid level (STOP) to a pump start liquid level (START) when all pumps of the at least one pump are inactive, wherein the rest-time (REST) is part of the predetermined time period (T); determining the Inflow data (IN) representative of the inflow of liquid during the predetermined time period (T) by dividing a volume (V) by the determined rest-time (REST), using an expression V/REST, wherein the volume (V) is a liquid volume in the tank between the pump start liquid level (START) and the pump stop liquid level (STOP).

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) is a maximum Outflow (Q M ) corresponding to all pumps of the at least one pump in the pump station being active concurrently and being operated at maximum operational speed.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of determining the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) comprises sub-steps of:
determining a run-time (RUN) required for a liquid level in the tank to lower from a pump start liquid level (START) to a pump stop liquid level (STOP) when all pumps of the at least one pump in the pump station are active concurrently and operated at maximum operational speed, wherein the run-time (RUN) is part of the predetermined time period (T); and determining the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) representative of the max capacity of the pump station during the predetermined time period (T) by dividing a volume (V) by the determined run-time (RUN) and adding the Inflow data (IN) representative for the inflow of liquid during the predetermined time period (T), using a PSMC expression (V/RUN)+IN, wherein the volume (V) is a liquid volume in the tank between the pump start liquid level (START) and the pump stop liquid level (STOP).

20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising a step to determine a reduction factor (X), wherein the at least one pump comprises a plurality of pumps constituted by a first subset of pumps and a second subset of pumps, wherein the first subset of pumps and the second subset of pumps are not active concurrently during the predetermined time period (T), and wherein the step of determining the reduction factor (X) comprises sub-steps of:
determining a First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) during a first pump cycle during the predetermined time period (T), wherein the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) is representative for a first subset max capacity of the first subset of pumps during the predetermined time period (T); determining a Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC) during a second pump cycle during the predetermined time period (T), wherein the Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC) is representative for a second subset max capacity of the second subset of pumps during the predetermined time period (T); and determining a reduction factor (X) by dividing the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) with the sum of the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) and the Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC), using a reduction factor expression PSMC/(P 1 _MC+P 2 _MC).

21 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one pump comprises a plurality of pumps constituted by a first subset of pumps and a second subset of pumps, wherein the first subset of pumps and the second subset of pumps are not active concurrently during the predetermined time period (T), and wherein the step of determining the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) comprises sub-steps of:
determining a First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) during a first pump cycle during the predetermined time period (T), wherein the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) is representative for a first subset max capacity of the first subset of pumps during the predetermined time period (T); determining a Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC) during a second pump cycle during the predetermined time period (T), wherein the Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC) is representative for a second subset max capacity of the second subset of pumps during the predetermined time period (T); and determining the Pump Station Max Capacity data (PSMC) representative of the max capacity of the pump station during the predetermined time period (T) by multiplying a reduction factor (X) with the sum of the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) and the Second Subset Max Capacity data (P 2 _MC), using a PSMC expression X*(P 1 _MC+P 2 _MC), wherein the reduction factor (X) is in the range 0.6-0.9.

22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the step of determining the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) comprises sub-steps of:
determining a first run-time (P 1 _RUN) required for a liquid level in the tank to lower from a pump start liquid level (START) to a pump stop liquid level (STOP) when pumps of the first subset of pumps are active concurrently and operated at maximum operational speed, wherein the first run-time (P 1 _RUN) is part of the predetermined time period (T); and determining the First Subset Max Capacity data (P 1 _MC) by dividing a volume (V) by the determined first run-time (P 1 _RUN) and adding a first Inflow data (P 1 _IN) that is representative for the inflow of liquid during the first pump cycle, using a first subset max capacity expression (V/P 1 _RUN)+P 1 _IN, wherein the volume (V) is the liquid volume in the tank between the pump start liquid level (START) and the pump stop liquid level (STOP).

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first Inflow data (P 1 _IN) comprises the sub-steps of:
determining a first rest-time (P 1 _REST) required for the liquid level in the tank to rise from a pump stop liquid level (STOP) to a pump start liquid level (START) when all pumps of the at least one pump are inactive, wherein the first rest-time (P 1 _REST) is part of the predetermined time period (T); and determining the first Inflow data (P 1 _IN) representative of the inflow of liquid during the predetermined time period (T) by dividing a volume (V) by the determined first rest-time (P 1 _REST), using a first Inflow expression V/P 1 _REST, wherein the volume (V) is the liquid volume in the tank between the pump start liquid level (START) and the pump stop

Assignees

• Xylem Europe Gmbh

Inventors

• Wessman Martin
• Irestedt Nils
• Fullemann Alexander

Classifications

• G01M99/005 Primary

  Testing of complete machines, e.g. washing-machines or mobile phones (testing of machine parts G01M13/00; testing of electric apparatus or components G01R31/50) · CPC title

• E03F5/22 Primary

  Adaptations of pumping plants for lifting sewage (wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10; pumps, pumping plants, per se F04) · CPC title