Method for Increasing Compressed Air Efficiency In a Pump

A method for detecting an optimum turndown position of a diaphragm assembly in a pump, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pump having a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly having a first diaphragm position and a second diaphragm position, a current position XCL and a turndown position XSL;
• the pump also having a second diaphragm assembly disposed in a second diaphragm chamber, the second diaphragm assembly having a first diaphragm position, a second diaphragm position, a current position XCR, and a turndown position XSR;
• defining minimum velocities VMINL and VMINR and termination velocities VTERML and VTERMIL;
• providing a sensor operatively connected to the first diaphragm assembly and the second diaphragm assembly;
• providing an air inlet valve operatively connected to the first diaphragm chamber and the second diaphragm chamber;
• opening the air inlet valve;
• filling a portion of the first diaphragm chamber with a compressed air;
• decreasing air flow through the air inlet valve when XCL is about equal to XSL;
• monitoring the current velocity VCL of the first diaphragm assembly to the second diaphragm position;
• redefining XSL if VCL<VMINL or if VCL>VTERML at the second diaphragm position;
• moving the first diaphragm assembly towards the first diaphragm position, wherein as the first diaphragm assembly moves towards the first diaphragm position, the method further comprises the steps of:
• opening the air inlet valve;
• filling the second diaphragm chamber with the compressed air while simultaneously exhausting the compressed air from the first diaphragm chamber;
• decreasing air flow through the air inlet valve when XCR is about equal to XSR;
• monitoring the current velocity VCR of the second diaphragm assembly to the second diaphragm position;
• redefining XSR if VCR<VMINR or if VCR>VTERMIL at the second diaphragm position;
• and,
• moving the second diaphragm assembly towards the first diaphragm position, wherein XSL, is closer to or at an optimum turn down point.

A method for detecting an optimum turndown position of a diaphragm assembly in a pump, comprising the steps of:

• providing a pump having a conventional mode and an optimization mode, the pump having a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly having a first diaphragm position and a second diaphragm position, a current position XCL and a turndown position XSL;
• the pump also having providing a second diaphragm assembly disposed in a second diaphragm chamber, the second diaphragm assembly having a first diaphragm position, a second diaphragm position, a current position XCR, and a turndown position XSR;
• providing an air efficiency device operatively coupled to the first diaphragm assembly and the second diaphragm assembly;
• providing an air inlet valve in communication with the first chamber and the second chamber, said air inlet valve operated by a power source;
• operating the pump in the optimization mode, the steps comprising:
• opening the air inlet valve until the sensor determines XCL is about equal to XSL or XCR is about equal to XSR
• determining the diaphragm motion of the first diaphragm assembly or the second diaphragm assembly;
• evaluating operating parameters from the diaphragm motion to determine if the first diaphragm assembly or the second diaphragm assembly is moving within an accepted range;
• redefining XSL or XSR to reach an optimum turndown position.

A device comprising:

• a pump housing that defines a first diaphragm chamber and a second diaphragm chamber;
• a first diaphragm assembly having a first diaphragm that defines a first pumping chamber and a first fluid chamber within the first diaphragm chamber;
• a second diaphragm assembly having a second diaphragm that defines a second pumping chamber and a second fluid chamber within the second diaphragm chamber;
• a connecting rod operatively connected to the first and second diaphragm assemblies to allow for the reciprocal movement of the first and second diaphragm assemblies;
• a first valve assembly for controlling the alternating supply of compressed air into the first and second fluid chambers;
• a second valve assembly for controlling the first valve assembly;
• a third valve assembly for controlling the supply of compressed air into the pump;
• and,
• a computer having an operating means for detecting the velocity of the first or second diaphragm assemblies and controlling the third valve assembly to vary the supply of compressed air into the pump, wherein the variance of supply of compressed air into the pump is at least partially based on the detected velocity.