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US 11,454,224 B2Granted
Positive displacement pump controller and method of operation
AssigneeGraco Minnesota Inc.
InventorBryan K. Colby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Non-limiting exemplary embodiments of a pumping system and methods for operating the pumping system in a region of high pressure or a region of high flow are disclosed. The pumping system includes a piston disposed within a piston cylinder, a drive shaft, an eccentric coupled to the drive shaft, a connecting arm having opposing first and second ends, and a controller for controlling the rotation of the drive shaft such that the piston oscillates within a region of high pressure or a region of high flow.
Claims21
A pumping system, comprising:
- a piston disposed within a piston cylinder;
- a motor;
- a drive shaft that is driven by the motor;
- an eccentric coupled to the drive shaft;
- a connecting arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein the first end of the connecting arm and the piston are coupled to each other;
- and the second end of the connecting arm and the eccentric are coupled to each other;
- and
- a controller for controlling the motor based upon position, rotational speed, and torque, such that the drive shaft alternately rotates in a first direction and a second opposite direction and the eccentric oscillates the piston within a region selected from a group consisting of:
- a first high pressure region (between HP1 and HP3);
- a second high pressure region (between HP4 and HP6);
- a first high flow region (between HF1 and HF3);
- and
- a second high flow region (between HF4 and HF6),
- wherein the controller limits rotational speed of the drive shaft while allowing torque to reach an upper limit when the region selected is the first high pressure region or the second high pressure region;
- and
- wherein the controller limits the torque of the drive shaft while allowing rotational speed to reach a speed limit when the region selected is the first high flow region or the second high flow region.
13 more elements
A pumping system, comprising:
- a piston disposed within a piston cylinder;
- a motor;
- a drive shaft that is driven by the motor;
- an eccentric coupled to the drive shaft;
- a connecting arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein:
- the first end of the connecting arm and the piston are coupled to each other;
- and
- the second end of the connecting arm and the eccentric are coupled to each other;
- and
- a controller for controlling the motor based upon rotational speed and torque of the drive shaft by limiting one of rotational speed or torque, such that the drive shaft alternately rotates in a first direction and a second opposite direction;
- wherein the eccentric oscillates the piston within a region of maximum relative mechanical advantage when the controller limits the rotational speed of the drive shaft while allowing torque to reach an upper limit;
- and
- wherein the eccentric oscillates the piston within a region of minimum relative mechanical advantage when the controller limits the torque of the drive shaft while allowing rotational speed to reach a speed limit.
10 more elements
A method of operating a pumping system in a region of high pressure, wherein:
- the pumping system comprises:
- a piston disposed within a piston cylinder;
- a motor;
- a drive shaft that is driven by the motor;
- an eccentric coupled to the drive shaft;
- a connecting arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein the first end of the connecting arm and the piston are coupled to each other;
- and the second end of the connecting arm and the eccentric are coupled to each other;
- and
- a controller that controls operation of the motor;
- wherein the method comprises oscillating rotation of the drive shaft in opposing directions based upon a plurality of commands by the controller to the motor to:
- rotate the drive shaft in a first direction whereby a torque and a rotational speed of the drive shaft increase;
- limit the rotational speed of the drive shaft to a level less than a maximum speed limit while allowing torque to reach an upper limit;
- stop rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction when the rotational speed reaches a minimum speed limit;
- rotate the drive shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction whereby the torque and the rotational speed of the drive shaft increase;
- limit the rotational speed of the drive shaft to a level less than a maximum speed limit while allowing torque to reach the upper limit;
- and
- stop rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction in response to the rotational speed reaching the minimum speed limit.
14 more elements
A method of operating a pumping system in a region of high flow, wherein:
- the pumping system comprises:
- a piston disposed within a piston cylinder;
- a motor;
- a drive shaft that is driven by the motor;
- an eccentric coupled to the drive shaft;
- a connecting arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein the first end of the connecting arm and the piston are coupled to each other;
- and the second end of the connecting arm and the eccentric are coupled to each other;
- and
- a controller that controls operation of the motor;
- wherein the method comprises oscillating rotation of the drive shaft in opposing directions based upon a plurality of commands by the controller to the motor to:
- rotate the drive shaft in a first direction whereby a torque and a rotational speed of the drive shaft increase;
- limit the torque of the drive shaft to a level less than a maximum torque threshold while allowing rotational speed to reach a maximum speed limit;
- stop rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction when the torque reaches a minimum torque threshold;
- rotate the drive shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction whereby the torque and the rotational speed of the drive shaft increase;
- limit the torque of the drive shaft to a level less than the maximum torque threshold while allowing rotational speed to reach the maximum speed limit;
- and
- stop rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction in response to torque reaching the minimum torque threshold.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.