Flow control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777733-B2
Application number	US-201414321639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2004
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A pumping system for at least one aquatic application comprises a motor coupled to a pump and a controller in communication with the motor. The controller may be adapted to determine a first motor speed, determine a present flow rate using curves of speed versus flow rate for discrete power consumptions, generate a difference value between the present flow rate and a reference flow rate, and/or drive the motor at a second motor speed based on the difference value until reaching a steady state condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:
a motor coupled to a pump; and
a controller in communication with the motor;
the controller adapted to determine a first motor speed;
the controller adapted to determine a present flow rate using curves of speed versus flow rate for discrete power consumptions;
the controller adapted to generate a difference value between the present flow rate and a reference flow rate;
the controller driving the motor to reach a steady state condition at a second motor speed based on the difference value.

2. The pumping system of claim 1 , the system comprising a reference estimator adapted to determine a reference power consumption by at least one of calculation, a look-up table, a graph, and/or a curve.

3. The pumping system of claim 2 , wherein the reference estimator is adapted to determine the reference power consumption using, curves of power versus speed for discrete flow rates.

4. The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the reference flow rate is based on at least one of a volume of the at least one aquatic application, a number of turnovers desired per day, and/or a time range that the pumping system is permitted to operate.

5. The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the first motor speed is determined from, a present shaft speed of a synchronous motor.

6. The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to determine a present power consumption based on at least one of a current and/or a voltage provided to the motor.

7. The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to determine a present power consumption based on at least one of a power factor, a resistance, and/or a friction of the motor.

8. A method of controlling a pumping system comprising a controller, a motor, and a pump, the controller in communication with the motor, the motor coupled to the pump, the method comprising:
determining, using curves of speed versus flow rate for discrete power consumptions, a present flow rate based on a first motor speed of the motor and a present power consumption of the motor; and
driving the motor to reach a steady state condition at a second motor speed based, on a difference value between a reference flow rate, and the present flow rate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first motor speed is determined directly from a sensor reading a present shaft speed.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first motor speed is determined from a present shaft speed of a synchronous motor.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reference flow rate is based on at least one of a volume of at least one aquatic application, a number of turnovers desired per day, and/or a time range that the pumping system is permitted to operate.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the present power consumption is based on at least one of a current and/or a voltage provided to the motor.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the present power consumption is based on at least one of a power factor, a resistance, and/or a friction of the motor.

Assignees

• Stiles Jr Robert W
• Berthelsen Lars Hoffmann
• Westermann-Rasmussen Peter
• Kjaer Gert
• Lungeanu Florin
• Pentair Water Pool & Spa Inc
• Danfoss Drives As

Inventors

• Stiles Jr Robert W
• Berthelsen Lars Hoffmann
• Westermann-Rasmussen Peter
• Kjaer Gert
• Lungeanu Florin

Classifications

• F04D15/0227

  Lack of liquid level being detected using a flow transducer · CPC title

• F04D15/0236

  Lack of liquid level being detected by analysing the parameters of the electric drive, e.g. current or power consumption · CPC title

• F04B2205/09

  Flow through the pump · CPC title

• F04B2203/0209

  Rotational speed · CPC title

• F04D15/0066 Primary

  by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine · CPC title