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US 5,106,272 AGranted
Sludge flow measuring system
AssigneeSchwing America, Inc.
InventorsEdward A. Oakley, Harry K. Crow, Thomas M. Anderson, Richard T. Atherton, Berthold A. Fehn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for the transport of high solids sludge includes a positive displacement pump for pumping sludge through a pipeline. The volume of sludge transported is accurately measured by determining the fill percentage by using a material flow signal, measured time intervals, hydraulic fluid pressure, or hydraulic fluid flow rate during each pumping cycle.
Claims34
A pump system for pumping a sludge material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet for receiving sludge material which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible;
- an outlet at which sludge material is delivered under pressure;
- a first cylinder;
- a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
- first hydraulic drive means for moving the first piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- first valve means for connecting the first cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the first cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for providing a first signal which indicates when sludge material begins to flow from the first cylinder at a time following the beginning of piston movement during the pumping stroke;
- and
- means for determining volume of sludge material delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based upon the first signal.
8 more elements
The pump system of claim and further comprising:
- means for sensing position of the first piston in the first cylinder;
- and
- wherein the means for determining calculates the volume based upon the sensed position of the first piston when the first signal occurs.
The pump system of claim wherein the positive displacement pump further includes:
- a second cylinder;
- a second piston movable in the second cylinder;
- second hydraulic drive means for moving the second piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- second valve means for connecting the second cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the second cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke.
2 more elements
A pump system for pumping a material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a first cylinder;
- a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
- first hydraulic drive means for moving the first piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- first valve means for connecting the first cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the first cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for providing a first signal which indicates when material begins to flow from the first cylinder at a time following the beginning of piston movement during the pumping stroke, the means for providing a first signal comprising:
- means for sensing hydraulic fluid pressure;
- means for sensing pressure of the material at the outlet;
- and
- means for producing the first signal when the hydraulic fluid pressure sensed and the pressure of the material sensed have a predetermined relationship;
- and
- means for determining volume of material delivered during the pumping stroke based upon the first signal.
12 more elements
A pump system for pumping a material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a first cylinder;
- a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
- first hydraulic drive means for moving the first piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- first valve means for connecting the first cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the first cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for providing a first signal which indicates when material begins to flow from the first cylinder at a time following the beginning of piston movement during the pumping stroke;
- means for determining volume of material delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based upon the first signal;
- and
- means for sensing hydraulic fluid flow rate in the first hydraulic drive means;
- wherein the means for determining volume further bases the volume on sensed hydraulic fluid flow rate.
10 more elements
A pump system for pumping a sludge material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet for receiving sludge material which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible;
- an outlet at which sludge material is delivered under pressure;
- a cylinder;
- a piston movable in the cylinder;
- hydraulic drive means for moving the piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- valve means for connecting the cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for sensing a parameter related to operation of the pump and which is related to a fill percentage of sludge material in the cylinder during each pumping stroke;
- and
- means for providing a signal representative of volume of sludge material delivered at the outlet during each pumping stroke based upon the sensed parameter.
8 more elements
A pump system for pumping a material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a cylinder;
- a piston movable in the cylinder;
- hydraulic drive means for moving the piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- valve means for connecting the cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke only when pressure within the cylinder exceeds pressure at the outlet, and for connecting the cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for sensing when the valve means connects the cylinder to the outlet;
- and
- means for providing a signal representative of volume of material delivered at the outlet during each pumping stroke based upon the sensed time when the valve means connects the cylinder to the outlet.
8 more elements
A method of determining volume of sludge material delivered by a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump, the method comprising:
- sensing a fill percentage of the cylinder based upon when sludge material, which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible, begins to flow out of the cylinder during each pumping stroke of the pump after piston movement begins;
- and
- determining actual volume delivered during each pumping stroke based on the fill percentage of the cylinder when sludge material begins to flow out of the cylinder after piston movement begins.
A pump system for pumping a sludge material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet for receiving sludge material which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible;
- an outlet at which sludge material is delivered under pressure;
- a cylinder;
- a piston movable in the cylinder;
- hydraulic means for moving the piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- valve means for connecting the cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke when pressure within the cylinder essentially equals the pressure at the outlet;
- means for providing a signal which indicates when the valve means connects the cylinder to the outlet;
- and
- means for determining volume of sludge material delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based upon the signal.
8 more elements
A pump system for pumping a material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a first cylinder;
- a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
- first hydraulic drive means for moving the first piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- first valve means for connecting the first cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the first cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for sensing hydraulic fluid pressure;
- means for producing a first signal when the hydraulic fluid pressure sensed and the pressure of the material sensed have a predetermined relationship;
- and
- means for determining volume of viscous material delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based upon the first signal.
9 more elements
A pump system for pumping a material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a first cylinder;
- a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
- first hydraulic drive mans for moving the first piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- first valve means for connecting the first cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the first cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for sensing hydraulic fluid flow rate in the first hydraulic drive means;
- and
- means for determining volume of viscous material delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based on sensed hydraulic fluid flow rate.
8 more elements
A method of determining a volume of a sludge material delivered by a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump, the method comprising:
- sensing when, during each pumping stroke of the pump, the sludge material, which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible, begins to flow out of the cylinder during each pumping stroke of the pump after piston movement begins;
- and
- determining actual volume delivered during each pumping stroke based on when during the pumping stroke sludge material begins to flow out of the cylinder after piston movement begins.
A method of determining volume of sludge material delivered by a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump, the method comprising:
- sensing hydraulic fluid pressure;
- sensing the pressure of the sludge material, which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible;
- producing a signal when the sensed hydraulic fluid pressure and the sensed sludge material pressure have a predetermined relationship;
- and
- determining the volume of sludge material delivered during the pumping stroke based upon the signal.
2 more elements
A method of determining volume of compressible material delivered by a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump, the method comprising;
- sensing hydraulic fluid flow rate in a hydraulic drive means;
- and
- determining the volume of compressible material delivered during the pumping stroke based on the sensed hydraulic fluid flow rate.
A method of determining volume of sludge material delivered by positive displacement system/cylinder pump, the method comprising:
- measuring time intervals from start of the pumping stroke to a moment when sludge material, which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible, begins to flow from the cylinder at a time following the beginning of the piston movement during the pumping stroke;
- measuring time intervals from a moment when sludge material begins to flow from the cylinder at a time following the beginning of the piston movement during the pumping stroke to the end of the pumping stroke;
- and
- calculating volume based upon the measured time intervals.
1 more element
A pump system for pumping a sludge material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet for receiving sludge material which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible;
- an outlet at which sludge material is delivered under pressure;
- a cylinder;
- a piston movable in the cylinder;
- hydraulic drive means for moving the piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- valve means for connecting the cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for providing a signal which indicates when sludge material begins to flow from the cylinder at a time following the beginning of the piston movement during the pumping stroke;
- means for measuring time intervals from start of the pumping stroke to occurrence of the signal and from occurrence of the signal to end of the pumping stroke;
- and
- means for calculating volume of sludge material delivered during the pumping stroke based upon the time intervals.
9 more elements
A pump system for pumping sludge material, the pump system comprising:
- a positive displacement pump which includes:
- an inlet for receiving sludge material which contains solids, liquids, and gases and which is partially compressible such that a reduction in volume of sludge material occurs when sludge material is placed under pressure in the pump system;
- an outlet at which sludge material is delivered under pressure;
- a cylinder;
- a piston movable in the cylinder;
- hydraulic drive means for moving the piston reciprocatively through a cycle which includes a pumping stroke and a filling stroke;
- and
- valve means for connecting the cylinder to the outlet during the pumping stroke and connecting the cylinder to the inlet during the filling stroke;
- means for providing a signal which indicates when sludge material begins to flow from the cylinder at a time following the beginning of the piston movement during the pumping stroke;
- and
- means for determining volume of sludge delivered at the outlet during the pumping stroke based upon the signal.
8 more elements
A method of determining volume of sludge material delivered by a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump having an inlet and an outlet, the sludge material received at the inlet being partially compressible such that a reduction in volume of the sludge material occurs during each pumping stroke, the method comprising:
- sensing when during each pumping stroke of the pump, the sludge material begins to flow out of the cylinder during each pumping stroke from the pump after piston movement begins;
- and
- determining actual volume delivered during each pumping stroke based on when, during the pumping stroke, sludge begins to flow out of the cylinder after piston movement begins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.