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US 9,433,734 B2Granted
Fluid flow measurement and control
AssigneeIvenix, Inc.
InventorsJesse E. Ambrosina, Benjamin G. Powers, Ali Shajii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with another embodiment, a controller in a fluid delivery system initiates drawing fluid into a chamber of a diaphragm pump. During a delivery phase of pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient, the controller applies pressure to the chamber. At multiple different times during the delivery phase, the controller temporarily discontinues application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient.
Claims27
A method comprising:
- drawing fluid into a chamber of a diaphragm pump;
- during a delivery phase, applying pressure to the chamber, the applied pressure pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient;
- and
- at multiple different times during the delivery phase, temporarily discontinuing application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient,
- the method further comprising:
- calculating an amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase;
- and
- calculating a flow rate of delivering the fluid in the chamber to the target recipient based on the calculated amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- drawing fluid into a chamber of a diaphragm pump;
- during a delivery phase, applying pressure to the chamber, the applied pressure pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient;
- and
- at multiple different times during the delivery phase, temporarily discontinuing application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient;
- wherein discontinuing application of the pressure to the chamber includes controlling magnitudes of pressure in the chamber and a gas reservoir tank to be dissimilar, a volume of the reservoir tank being of a known magnitude, a volume of the chamber being of an unknown magnitude, the method further comprising:
- opening a valve between the reservoir tank and the chamber to substantially equalize a pressure of gas in the reservoir tank and the chamber;
- estimating a temperature of gas in the reservoir tank and a temperature of gas in the chamber based on a measured pressure in the reservoir tank and measured pressure of the chamber;
- and
- calculating how much of the fluid remains in the chamber based at least in part on measured pressures of the gases and the estimated temperatures of the gases in the reservoir tank and the chamber.
6 more elements
A fluid delivery system comprising:
- a diaphragm pump;
- and
- a controller in controllable communication with the diaphragm pump, the controller operable to:
- draw fluid into a chamber of the diaphragm pump;
- during a delivery phase, apply pressure to the chamber, the applied pressure pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient;
- and
- at multiple different times during the delivery phase, temporarily discontinue application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient;
- calculate an amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase;
- and
- calculate a flow rate of delivering the fluid in the chamber to the target recipient based on the calculated amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase.
7 more elements
Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:
- drawing fluid into a chamber of a diaphragm pump;
- during a delivery phase, applying pressure to the chamber, the applied pressure pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient;
- and
- at multiple different times during the delivery phase, temporarily discontinuing application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient;
- calculating an amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase;
- and
- calculating a flow rate of delivering the fluid in the chamber to the target recipient based on the calculated amount of fluid in the chamber at the multiple different times during the delivery phase.
4 more elements
A fluid delivery system comprising:
- a diaphragm pump including a chamber;
- a gas reservoir tank;
- a valve disposed between the chamber and the gas reservoir tank and
- a controller in controllable communication with the diaphragm pump, the controller operable to:
- draw fluid into the chamber of the diaphragm pump;
- during a delivery phase, apply pressure to the chamber, the applied pressure pumping the fluid in the chamber to a target recipient;
- and
- at multiple different times during the delivery phase, temporarily discontinue application of the pressure to the chamber to calculate how much of the fluid in the chamber has been pumped to the target recipient;
- wherein the controller is further operable to:
- control magnitudes of pressure in the chamber and the gas reservoir tank to be dissimilar, a volume of the gas reservoir tank being of a known magnitude, a volume of the chamber being of an unknown magnitude;
- open the valve between the gas reservoir tank and the chamber to substantially equalize a pressure of gas in the gas reservoir tank and the chamber;
- estimate a temperature of gas in the gas reservoir tank and a temperature of gas in the chamber based on a measured pressure in the gas reservoir tank and measured pressure of the chamber;
- and
- calculate how much of the fluid remains in the chamber based at least in part on measured pressures of the gases and the estimated temperatures of the gases in the gas reservoir tank and the chamber.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.