Sludge Pump
AssigneeFriedrich Wilhelm Schwing GmbH
InventorBerthold A. Fehn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a sludge pump system which includes a means for monitoring operation of a sludge pump. The sludge pump includes a material cylinder and a piston moveable in the material cylinder. A pump drive moves the piston during working cycles which include a pumping stroke and a filling stroke. A pump valve mechanism connects the material cylinder to an outlet during pumping strokes and connects the material cylinder to an inlet during filling strokes. A means for monitoring operation of the pump is provided. The means for monitoring includes a means for sensing a first parameter related to operation of the pump drive, a means for sensing a second parameter indicative of operation of the piston, and a means for determining errors in the operation of the pump based upon the first parameter and the second parameter.
Claims28
A method of monitoring operation of a pump for pumping partially compressible material, the pump having a first material cylinder, a first piston movable in the first material cylinder, and a pump drive for driving the first piston during working cycles which include a first cylinder delivery stroke and filling stroke, the method comprising:
- sensing a first parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual volume of material displaced from the first material cylinder during the first cylinder delivery stroke;
- determining a first cylinder fill efficiency based upon the sensed first parameter;
- and
- determining errors in pump operation based upon a comparison of the first cylinder fill efficiency with a comparison value.
A method of monitoring operation of a pump for pumping partially compressible material, the pump having a first material cylinder, a first piston movable in the first material cylinder, a pump for driving the first piston during working cycles which include a first cylinder delivery stroke and a filling stroke, a second material cylinder, and a second piston movable in the second material cylinder, the second piston being driven by the pump drive during working cycles which include a second cylinder delivery stroke and a filling stroke, the method comprising:
- sensing a first parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual volume of material displaced from the first material cylinder during the first cylinder delivery stroke;
- determining a first cylinder fill efficiency based upon the sensed first parameter;
- sensing a second parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual volume of material displaced from the second material cylinder during the second cylinder delivery stroke;
- determining a second cylinder fill efficiency based upon the sensed second parameter;
- determining a system fill efficiency based upon the first cylinder fill efficiency and the second cylinder fill efficiency;
- and
- determining errors in pump operation based upon a comparison of the system fill efficiency with a comparison value.
A method of monitoring operation of a pump for pumping partially compressible material, the method comprising:
- calculating a pump fill efficiency based upon a parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual amount of material displaced from a cylinder of the pump;
- comparing the pump fill efficiency to a comparison value;
- and
- determining errors in pump operation as a function of the comparison of the pump fill efficiency to the comparison value.
A method of monitoring operation of a pump for pumping partially compressible material, the pump having a first material cylinder, a first piston movable in the first material cylinder, a pump drive for driving the first piston during working cycles which include a first cylinder delivery stroke and a filing stroke, a second material cylinder, and a second piston movable in the second material cylinder, the second piston being driven by the pump drive during working cycles which include a second delivery stroke and a filling stroke, the method comprising:
- sensing a first parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual pressure of material displaced from the first material cylinder during the first cylinder delivery stroke;
- determining a first cylinder delivery pressure based upon the sensed first parameter;
- sensing a second parameter which bears a known relationship to an actual pressure of material displaced from the second material cylinder during the second cylinder delivery stroke;
- determining a second cylinder delivery pressure based upon the sensed second parameter;
- and
- determining errors in pump operation based upon a comparison of the first cylinder delivery pressure and the second cylinder delivery pressure.
A method of monitoring operation of a pump for pumping partially compressible material, the pump having a first material cylinder, operation of which includes a first cylinder delivery stroke and a first cylinder filling stroke, and a second material cylinder, operation of which includes a second cylinder delivery stroke and a second cylinder filling stroke, the method comprising:
- measuring a first cylinder cycle time of the first cylinder delivery stroke;
- measuring a second cylinder cycle time of the second cylinder delivery stroke;
- and
- determining errors in pump operation based upon a comparison of the first cylinder cycle time with the second cylinder cycle time period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.