Electronic flow-control assembly and system

An electronic flow-control system, comprising:

• a master orchestrator;
• and
• a plurality of electronic flow-control valve assemblies (EFCA), each mechanically coupled to a respective pipe through which a respective component fluid flows and in electrical communication with the orchestrator being configured to synchronously control the EFCAs to modulate a corresponding flow characteristic of the respective component fluid in the respective pipe, wherein each EFCA comprises:
• an individual controller electrically coupled to the orchestrator, the individual controller configured to receive an input reference signal and to responsively generate a valve control signal to control a valve and a pump control signal to control a pump, wherein the valve control signal and the pump control signal are generated based on the input reference signal;
• a valve electrically coupled to the individual controller and configured to be coupled to the pipe through which fluid flows, the valve configured to receive the valve control signal from the individual controller and modulate a flow characteristic of the fluid in the pipe based on the valve control signal;
• a pump electrically coupled to the individual controller and configured to be coupled to the pipe through which fluid flows, the pump configured to receive the pump control signal from the individual controller and modulate the flow characteristic of the fluid in the pipe based on the pump control signal;
• and
• a sensor electrically coupled to the individual controller and configured to be coupled to the pipe through which fluid flows, the sensor configured to measure the flow characteristic of the fluid in the pipe and transmit a measurement signal associated with the measured flow characteristic to the individual controller,
• wherein the individual controller is configured to compare the measurement signal to the input reference signal, adjust the valve control signal and the pump control signal based on a result of the comparing, and simultaneously send an adjusted valve control signal to the valve and an adjusted pump control signal to the pump.

A method to electrically control at least one flow characteristic, comprising:

• receiving an input reference signal by a controller;
• measuring, by a sensor, a flow characteristic of a flow in a pipe;
• transmitting a measurement signal associated with the measured flow characteristic of the flow to the controller;
• comparing, by the controller, the input reference signal and the measurement signal;
• determining, by the controller, a valve control signal and a pump control signal based on comparison result;
• simultaneously transmitting, by the controller, the valve control signal to a valve and the pump control signal to a pump;
• and
• simultaneously modulating, by the valve and the pump, a flow characteristic of the flow in the pipe based on the valve control signal and the pump control signal.