Variable speed pumping system and method
AssigneePentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc.
InventorsJames Miller, Ryan Weaver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating a variable speed pumping system. The method includes measuring a first power consumption value of a pool pump at a first speed, estimating a first total dynamic head value at the first speed, measuring a second power consumption value of the pool pump at a second speed, estimating a second total dynamic head value at the second speed, and generating a system friction curve based on the first total dynamic head value and the second total dynamic head value. The method also includes categorizing the variable speed pumping system into a pumping system category based on the system friction curve and recommending a modification to the variable speed pumping system based on the pumping category.
Claims17
A method of operating a variable speed pumping system, the method comprising:
- providing a variable speed pump with an onboard controller;
- measuring a first power consumption value of a pool pump at a first speed;
- estimating a first total dynamic head value based on the first power consumption value at the first speed;
- measuring a second power consumption value of the pool pump at a second speed;
- estimating a second total dynamic head value based on the second power consumption value at the second speed;
- generating a system friction curve based on the first total dynamic head value and the second total dynamic head value;
- categorizing the variable speed pumping system into a pumping system category based on the system friction curve;
- measuring a current power consumption value of the pool pump over a current period of time during a current pump operation schedule;
- automatically updating an operation schedule of the variable speed pump based on the pumping system category;
- estimating an updated power consumption value of the pool pump over an updated period of time based on the updated pump operation schedule;
- and
- displaying a comparison of the current power consumption value and the updated power consumption value on the onboard controller.
A method of operating a variable speed pumping system, the method comprising:
- providing a pool circulation system including a variable speed pump with an onboard controller including a relay, an auxiliary device coupled to the relay, a first pressure sensor positioned on a pressure side of the variable speed pump, a filter assembly downstream of the variable speed pump, and a second pressure sensor positioned downstream of the filter assembly;
- measuring a first pressure value in the pool circulation system at a first pump speed;
- estimating a first total dynamic head value at the first pump speed based on a first power consumption value of the variable speed pump;
- measuring a second pressure value in the pool circulation system at a second pump speed;
- estimating a second total dynamic head value at the second pump speed based on a second power consumption value of the variable speed pump;
- measuring an auxiliary pressure value with the second pressure sensor;
- generating a system friction curve based on the first pressure value, the first total dynamic head value, the second pressure value, the second total dynamic head value, and the auxiliary pressure value;
- categorizing the variable speed pumping system into a pumping system category based on the system friction curve;
- recommending a modification to the variable speed pumping system based on the pumping system category;
- and
- recommending periodic maintenance of the auxiliary device based on the pumping system category.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.