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US 6,203,281 B1Granted
Submersible pump controller for differentiating fluids
AssigneeRichal Corporation
InventorRichard R. Gurega
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRichal Corporation
InventorRichard R. Gurega
Estimating the term…
A probe is mounted on a water submersible pump or other fluid handling device housed within a vault for a transformer, elevator or the like. The probe will extend into any water which accumulates in the bottom of the vault enabling a conductive path to be established through an appropriate electric circuit to the pump motor to permit operation of the pump for pumping water from the vault. Oily fluids, which are immiscible in the water and will normally rise to a level above the water level in the vault, will come in contact with the probe to render the probe nonconductive, thereby inactivating the pump circuit. An alarm is provided to indicate the presence of oil in the vault. In order to prevent false alarms when the probe is nonconductive due to immersion in air, a controller is provided to inhibit operation of the alarm unless a float is raised and the probe is nonconductive.
A control apparatus for a submersible pump, wherein the pump is adapted to be placed in a walled housing, and the housing is exposed to air but is susceptible to the accumulation of both conductive and non-conductive liquids therein, comprising:
A method for controlling a submersible pump, wherein the pump is adapted to be placed in a walled housing, and the housing is exposed to air but is susceptible to the accumulation of both conductive and non-conductive liquids therein, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.