US 12,704,120 B2Granted

Monitoring method for monitoring the operation of a dosing pump and dosing pump system

AssigneeGrundfos Holding A/S

InventorsKlaus Müller, Valeri Kechler

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Abstract

A monitoring method and dosing pump system monitor operation of a dosing pump including a dosing chamber (2), a displacement element (4) and an electric drive (12). A position (S) of the displacement element and a pressure (P) inside the dosing chamber are continuously recorded as a curve in a pressure-stroke diagram. The method includes monitoring at least one characteristic portion (36, 38, 40, 42, B, C) of the curve in the pressure-stroke diagram by detecting a possible shift (A) of the characteristic portion over several strokes. The method further includes one or both of: adjusting a control of the electric drive based on the detected shift; and determining a trend of the shift over several strokes of the displacement element and determining based on the trend whether and/or when the shift will reach a predefined limit. A dosing pump system with the dosing pump execute the method.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A monitoring method for monitoring operation of a dosing pump comprising a dosing chamber with at least one displacement element and an electric drive, a controller connected to the electric drive, wherein a pressure indicating sensor and a position sensor are connected to the controller, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a position of the displacement element with the position sensor, and a pressure inside the dosing chamber or a pressure related indicator with the pressure indicating sensor, and recording the position, and the pressure or the pressure related indicator as a curve in a pressure-stroke diagram;
monitoring at least one characteristic portion of said curve in said pressure-stroke diagram with the controller and detecting a shift of the at least one characteristic portion by comparing said characteristic portion of said curve of the pressure-stroke diagram over several strokes of the displacement element with the controller;
and
using the controller for determining a trend of the detected shift of the of the at least one characteristic portion over several strokes of the displacement element and determining based on the determined trend whether the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach a predefined limit and when the detected shift of the at least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit in the future and based on the determination of when the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit calculating a predicted time period until failure;
and using the controller for at least one of:
outputting, to a communication device and/or display device, the calculated predicted time period until failure and/or outputting, to the communication device and/or display device a warning based on the predicted time period until failure;
adjusting a control of the electric drive prior to reaching the predefined limit at the calculated predicted time period;
and
switching off the dosing pump prior to reaching the predefined limit at the calculated predicted time period.

6 more elements

A dosing pump system comprising:

a dosing pump, the dosing pump comprising:
a dosing chamber;
at least one movable displacement element associated with the dosing chamber;
and
an electric drive connected to said displacement element for moving the displacement element;
and
a controller connected to a pressure indicating sensor and a position sensor, the controller, the pressure indicating sensor, and the position sensor are configured to:
continuously record a position of the displacement element and at least one of a pressure inside the dosing chamber and a pressure related indicator as a curve in a pressure-stroke diagram with the controller;
monitor at least one characteristic portion of said curve in said pressure-stroke diagram with the controller;
detect a shift of the at least one characteristic portion by comparing said characteristic portion of said curve of the pressure-stroke diagram over several strokes of the displacement element using the controller;
and
determine a trend of the detected shift of the at least one characteristic portion and based on the determined trend determine whether the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach a predefined limit and when the detected shift of the at least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit in the future and based on the determination of when the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit calculating a predicted time period until failure with the controller;
and using the controller for at least one of:
outputting, to a communication device and/or display device, the predicted time period until failure and/or outputting, to the communication device and/or display device, a warning based on the predicted time period until failure;
adjusting a control of the electric drive prior to reaching the predefined limit at the calculated time predicted period;
and
switching off the dosing pump prior to reaching the predefined limit at the calculated predicted time period.

14 more elements

A dosing pump system comprising:

a dosing pump, the dosing pump comprising:
a dosing chamber;
at least one movable displacement element associated with the dosing chamber;
and
an electric drive connected to said displacement element for moving the displacement element;
a control device operatively connected to the electric drive;
and
detecting means to detect a pressure inside the dosing chamber or a pressure related indicator, the detecting means being operatively connected to the control device and comprising:
a force sensor connected to the control device such that the control device receives one or more of force values representing the pressure inside the dosing chamber from said force sensor;
or
a pressure sensor connected to the control device such that the control device receives one or more of pressure values representing the pressure inside the dosing chamber from said pressure sensor;
or
an electric drive signal connection from the electric drive to the control device to provide data representing the pressure inside the dosing chamber,
wherein the control device includes a CPU, memory, software, a pressure sensor, and a position sensor, and the control device is configured to:
continuously record a position of the displacement element and at least one of the pressure inside the dosing chamber and the pressure related indicator as a curve in a pressure-stroke diagram;
monitor at least one characteristic portion of said curve in said pressure-stroke diagram to detect a shift of the at least one characteristic portion by comparing said characteristic portion of said curve of the pressure-stroke diagram over several strokes of the displacement element;
adjust a control of the electric drive based on the detected shift of the at least one characteristic portion;
and
determine a trend of the detected shift of the at least one characteristic portion and based on the determined trend determine whether the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach a predefined limit and when a shift of the at least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit in the future;
calculate a predicted time period until failure based on the determination of when the detected shift of the least one characteristic portion will reach the predefined limit and at least one of:
output the calculated predicted time period until failure and/or output a warning;
and
switch off the dosing pump prior to reaching the predefined limit at the calculated predicted time period.

20 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/848,477Filed 24 Jun 2022
Priority: EP 2118165225 Jun 2021
Published: US 2022/0412334 A129 Dec 2022
Granted: 11 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

F04B 43/0081
Special features: systems, control, safety measures
F04B 43/04
Having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms: pumps having electric drive
F04B 49/06
Control , e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided…:…
F04B 49/065
Control using electricity: and making use of computers