System and method for controlling fluid flow with a pressure relief valve

A fluid supply system, comprising:

• a fluid pump configured to receive a fluid from a first conduit disposed upstream of the fluid pump and to discharge fluid into a second conduit downstream of the fluid pump;
• a pressure sensor configured to produce signals representative of a sensed fluid pressure;
• a pressure relief valve (PRV) having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid passage therethrough, wherein the PRV is controllable to be in a closed configuration, or a fully open configuration, or a plurality of partially open configurations, wherein the PRV is in signal communication with the pressure sensor;
• and
• a fluid monitoring device having an upstream orifice (UO) in fluid communication with the second conduit, a downstream orifice (DO) in fluid communication with a third conduit, and a sensing chamber (SC) in fluid communication with both the UO and the DO, wherein the SC includes a sensing orifice;
• wherein the pressure sensor is disposed to sense fluid pressure at the sensing orifice of the SC.

A method of controlling fluid flow in a fluid supply system having a fluid pump configured to receive a fluid from a first conduit disposed upstream of the fluid pump and to discharge fluid into a second conduit downstream of the fluid pump, a pressure sensor configured to produce signals representative of a sensed fluid pressure, and a pressure relief valve (PRV) having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid passage therethrough, wherein the PRV is controllable to be in a closed configuration, or a fully open configuration, or a plurality of partially open configurations, wherein the PRV is in signal communication with the pressure sensor, the method comprising:

• providing a fluid monitoring device having an upstream orifice (UO) in fluid communication with the second conduit, a downstream orifice (DO) in fluid communication with a third conduit, and a sensing chamber (SC) in fluid communication with both the UO and the DO, wherein the SC includes a sensing orifice;
• using the pressure sensor to sense fluid pressure at the sensing orifice of the SC and to produce the signals representative of the sensed fluid pressure;
• and
• using the signals representative of the sensed fluid pressure to control the PRV.