Controller for a motor and a method of controlling the motor
AssigneeRegal Beloit EPC Inc.
InventorsWilliam Louis Mehlhorn, Andrew William Phillips
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling a motor operating a pumping apparatus of a fluid-pumping application. The pumping apparatus includes a pump having an inlet to receive a fluid and an outlet to exhaust the fluid, and the motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump. The method includes the acts of controlling the motor to operate the pump and monitoring the operation of the pump. The monitoring act includes monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump. The method further includes the act of controlling the motor to cease operation of the pump when the determination indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump and zero or more other conditions exist.
Claims17
A pumping apparatus for a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, and a return, the pumping apparatus being connectable to a power source and comprising:
- a pump comprising an inlet connectable to the drain, and an outlet connectable to the return, the pump adapted to receive the fluid from the drain and jet fluid through the return;
- a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the motor configured to operate at a first speed and at least one second speed;
- a current sensor coupled to the motor and configured to generate a first signal having a relation to a current applied to the pump motor;
- a switch connectable to the power source, coupled to the motor, and configured to control the current through the motor;
- a controller coupled to the current sensor and the switch, the controller configured to determine a voltage having a relation to the motor and generate a value to control the motor based on the first signal, the determined voltage, and a phase angle between the first signal and the determined voltage, the value having a relation to a motor power value, the controller further configured to monitor the value, determine whether the monitored value indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump, and control the motor to cease operation of the pump based on the determination indicating the undesired flow of fluid through the pump;
- and
- a first circuitry coupled to the current sensor and to the controller, the first circuitry configured to receive the first signal and produce a second signal representing an averaged value for the first signal.
A controller configured to control the operation of a pumping apparatus for a jetted-fluid system, the controller comprising:
- a memory;
- a processor connected to the memory and configured to access executable instructions stored within the memory related to the operation of the pumping apparatus;
- a current sensor connectable to the processor and operable to provide, to the processor, a signal having a relation to a current applied to a motor;
- the controller configured to
- determine a voltage having a relation to the motor,
- generate a value based on the signal, the determined voltage, and a phase angle between the signal and the determined voltage to control the motor,
- compare the value to a threshold value, and
- determine whether the value is indicative of a fault condition of the jetted-fluid system,
- wherein the fault condition is indicative of a suction-entrapment condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.