US 9,790,971 B2Granted

Pump control method

AssigneeGrundfos Holding A/S

InventorsNiels Mogensen, Carsten Skovmose Kallesøe

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Abstract

The invention relates to a pump control method for the control of the operation of a pump system with at least two pump assemblies (2) which are arranged parallel or in series to one another. The method includes determining a specific total power ES of the complete pump system which defines a total power in relation to a hydraulic total load of the complete pump system, determining a specific individual power EP,n of each pump assembly (2) which defines an individual power in relation to the individual hydraulic load of the respective pump assembly (2), computing an individual load factor Egain,n for each pump assembly (2) according to the equation E gain , n = E S E P , n and adapting the individual hydraulic load (Qn; Hn) of the pump assemblies (2) in dependence on a desired hydraulic load (QD; HD) as well as on the individual load factor Egain,n of the respective pump assembly (2).

Claims18

Dependent claims

A pump control method for the control of the operation of a complete pump system with at least two pump assemblies, which pump assemblies are arranged in parallel or in series to one another, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a specific total power ES of the complete pump system which defines a total power in relation to a hydraulic total load of the complete pump system;
determining a specific individual power EP,n of each of the pump assemblies which defines an individual power in relation to an individual hydraulic load of the respective pump assembly;
and
computing an individual load factor for each pump assembly according to the equation
E
gain
,
n
=
E
S
E
P
,
n
;
and
adapting the individual hydraulic load of the pump assemblies in dependence on a desired hydraulic load as well as on the computed individual load factor Egain,n of the respective pump assembly, wherein:
the step of adapting the individual hydraulic load of the pump assemblies is effected in dependence of a desired individual load of the respective pump assembly;
the desired individual hydraulic load is determined by division of a desired hydraulic total load by the number of active pump assemblies;
the pump assemblies comprise at least a first pump assembly and a second pump assembly;
the individual hydraulic load of the first pump assembly is different from at least the individual hydraulic load of the second pump assembly;
the specific individual power of the first pump assembly is different from at least the specific individual power of the second pump assembly;
the individual load factor for each pump assembly corresponds to an efficiency of a respective pump assembly compared to a total efficiency of the complete pump system;
the first pump assembly has an efficiency that is different from at least an efficiency of said second pump assembly;
the first pump assembly generates a greater part of the total hydraulic load than at least the second pump assembly;
the first pump assembly operates at a greater efficiency than the second pump assembly.

24 more elements

A pump system comprising:

at least two pump assemblies which are arranged in parallel or in series;
a system control configured to:
set a desired hydraulic total load for the complete pump system;
determine a specific total power ES for the complete pump system;
determine a specific individual power EP,n of individual pump assemblies, which defines an individual power relative to an individual hydraulic load of the respective pump assemblies;
compute an individual load factor Egain,n for the respective pump assemblies according to the following equation
E
gain
,
n
=
E
S
E
P
,
n
;
and
adapt a desired individual hydraulic load of the respective pump assemblies in dependence on the desired hydraulic load and on the load factor Egain,n, wherein the pump assemblies are settable as to speed and comprise drive motors controlled with a closed control loop, the individual hydraulic load of one of the at least two pump assemblies being different from at least the individual hydraulic load of another one of the at least two pump assemblies, the specific individual power of one of the at least two pump assemblies being different from at least the specific individual power of another one of the at least two pump assemblies, the individual load factor for each of the at least two pump assemblies corresponding to an efficiency of a respective pump assembly compared to a total efficiency of the complete pump system, one of the at least two pump assemblies having an operating efficiency that is greater than at least an operating efficiency of another one of the at least two pump assemblies, wherein the one of the at least two pump assemblies with the greater operating efficiency generates a greater part of the total hydraulic load than at least another one of the at least two pump assemblies.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/719,874Filed 22 May 2015
Priority: EP 1416956823 May 2014
Published: US 2015/0337876 A126 Nov 2015
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F15B 21/00
Common features of fluid actuator systems
F04D 13/12
Pumping installations or systems: combinations of two or more pumps
F04D 15/0066
Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or systems: by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
F04D 15/0281
Stopping of pumps, or operating valves, on occurrence of unwanted conditions: responsive to a condition not otherwise provided for