IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0693044
(2010-01-25)
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등록번호 |
US-8485792
(2013-07-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- McCourt, Mark D.
- Zhu, Haihong
- Orndorff, Michael Brace
- Roberts, Jevawn Sebastian
- Abbott, Charles Randolph
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
9 인용 특허 :
33 |
초록
▼
A method for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump utilizes an air efficiency device in order to optimize the amount of a compressed air in a pump. The air efficiency device may allow for controlling the operation of the air operated diaphragm pump by reducing the flow of compressed air sup
A method for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump utilizes an air efficiency device in order to optimize the amount of a compressed air in a pump. The air efficiency device may allow for controlling the operation of the air operated diaphragm pump by reducing the flow of compressed air supplied to the pump as the pump moves between first and second diaphragm positions. A sensor may be used to monitor velocity of the diaphragm assemblies. In turn, full position feedback is possible so that the pump self adjusts to determine the optimum, or close to optimum, turndown point of the diaphragm assemblies. As such, air savings is achieved by minimizing the amount of required compressed air.
대표청구항
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1. A method comprising the steps of: providing a pump having a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly having a first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) and a second end-of-stroke position (DP2L), a first current position(XCL) and a first turndown posi
1. A method comprising the steps of: providing a pump having a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly having a first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) and a second end-of-stroke position (DP2L), a first current position(XCL) and a first turndown position (XSL);defining a first minimum velocity (VMINL) and a first termination velocity (VTERML);providing an air inlet valve operatively connected to the first diaphragm chamber;opening the air inlet valve;filling a portion of the first diaphragm chamber with a compressed air;decreasing air flow through the air inlet valve when the first current position (XCL) meets the first turndown position (XSL);monitoring a first current velocity (VCL) of the first diaphragm assembly while it is translated toward the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L);redefining the first turndown position (XSL) if the first current velocity (VCL) at the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L) is one of:less than the first minimum velocity(VMINL); orgreater than the first termination velocity (VTERML); and,translating the first diaphragm assembly toward the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L). 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a second diaphragm assembly disposed in a second diaphragm chamber, the second diaphragm assembly having a third end-of-stroke position (DP1R), a fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R), a second current position (XCR) and a second turndown position (XSR);wherein the step of translating the first diaphragm assembly toward the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) further comprises the steps of: defining a second minimum (VMINR) and a second termination velocity (VTERMIL);opening the air inlet valve;filling a portion of the second diaphragm chamber with a compressed air;decreasing air flow through the air inlet valve when the second current position (XCR) meets the second turndown position (XSR);monitoring a second current velocity (VCR) of the second diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R);redefining the second turndown position (XSR) if the second current velocity (VCR) at the fourth diaphragm end-of-stroke position (DP2R) is one of: less than the second minimum velocity (VMINR); orgreater than the second termination velocity (VTERMIL); and,translating the second diaphragm assembly toward the third end-of-stroke position (DP1R). 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first turndown position (XSL) and the second turndown position (XSR) are electronically stored independently from each other. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first diaphragm assembly comprises: a diaphragm; anda metal plate operatively connected to the diaphragm, wherein a rod is operatively connected to the metal plate. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second diaphragm assembly comprises: a diaphragm; anda metal plate operatively connected to the diaphragm; wherein a rod is operatively interconnected between a metal plate of the first diaphragm assembly and the metal plate of the second diaphragm assembly. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the first current velocity (VCL,) of the first diaphragm assembly while it is translated toward the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L) further comprises the step of: increasing air flow through the air inlet valve if a potential pump stall event is detected. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pump stall event may occur if the first current velocity (VCL) is less than the first minimum velocity (VMINL). 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: redefining the first turndown position (XSL), such that a first redefined first turndown position (XSL1) is equal to a sum of the first turndown position (XSL) and a first constant displacement value (S1L), wherein the first redefined first turndown position (XSL1) takes effect in a next stroke when the first diaphragm assembly is translated from the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) toward the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L). 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of redefining the first turndown position (XSL) further comprises the steps of: redefining the first turndown position (XSL) such that a second redefined first turndown position (XSL2) is equal to the first turndown position (XSL) minus a second constant displacement value (S2L), if the first current velocity (VCL) is greater than the first termination velocity (VTERML); andredefining the first turndown position (XSL) such that the second redefined first turndown position (XSL2) is equal to a sum of the first turndown position (XSL) and a third constant displacement value (S3L), if the first current velocity (VCL) is less than the first minimum velocity (VMINL). 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of decreasing air flow through the air inlet valve when the first current position (XCL) meets the first turndown position (XSL) further comprises the step of: closing the air inlet valve. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first termination velocity (VTERML) is calculated using average velocities over a stroke. 12. A method for detecting an optimum turndown position of a diaphragm assembly in a pump, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pump comprising a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly comprising a first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) and a second end-of-stroke position (DP2L), a first current position (XCL) and a first turndown position (XSL); the pump further comprising a second diaphragm assembly disposed in a second diaphragm chamber, the second diaphragm assembly comprising a third end-of-stroke position (DP1R), a fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R), a second current position (XCR), and a second turndown position (XSR);defining a first minimum velocity (VMINL), a second minimum velocity (VMINR), a first termination velocity (VTERML), and a second termination velocity (VTERMIL);providing a sensor operatively connected to the first diaphragm assembly and the second diaphragm assembly;providing a first air inlet valve operatively connected to the first diaphragm chamber and the second diaphragm chamber;opening the first air inlet valve;filling a portion of the first diaphragm chamber with a compressed air;decreasing air flow through the first air inlet valve when the first current position (XCL) meets the first turndown position (XSL);monitoring a first current velocity (VCL) of the first diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the second end of-stroke position (DP2L);redefining the first turndown position (XSL) if the first current velocity (VCL) at the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L) is one of:less than the first minimum velocity(VMINL); orgreater than the first termination velocity (VTERML);translating the first diaphragm assembly towards the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L), wherein upon the first diaphragm assembly translating towards the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L), the method further comprises the steps of: increasing air flow through the first air inlet valve;filling the second diaphragm chamber with the compressed air while exhausting the compressed air from the first diaphragm chamber; anddecreasing air flow through the first air inlet valve when the second current position (XCR) meets the second turndown position (XSR);monitoring a second current velocity (VCR) of the second diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R);redefining the second turndown position (XSR) if the second current velocity (VCR) at the fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R) is one of: less than the second minimum velocity(VMINR); orgreater than the second termination velocity (VTERMIL); andtranslating the second diaphragm assembly towards the third end-of-stroke position (DP1R), wherein a first redefined first turndown position (XSL1) is closer to an optimum turn down point than the first turndown position (XSL). 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first turndown position (XSL) and the second turndown position (XSR) are electronically stored independently from each other. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein after the step of monitoring the first current velocity (VCL) of the first diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the second end-of-stroke position (DP21), the method further comprises the step of: triggering a second air inlet valve, wherein the second air inlet valve is triggered using an actuator pin. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the steps of monitoring the first current velocity (VCL) of the first diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L) and monitoring the second current velocity (VCR) of the second diaphragm assembly while it is translated to the fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R) further comprise the steps of: increasing air flow through the first air inlet valve if a potential pump stall event is detected, wherein a pump stall event is detected if one or more of: the first current velocity (VCL) is less than the first minimum velocity (VMINL); andthe second current velocity (VCR) is less than the second minimum velocity (VMINR);redefining the first turndown position (XSL), such that the first redefined first turndown position (XSL1) is equal to a sum of the first turndown position (XSL) and a first constant displacement value (S1L), wherein the redefined first turndown position (XSL1) takes effect in a next stroke when the first diaphragm assembly translates from the first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) to the second end-of-stroke position (DP2L); and,redefining the second turndown position (XSR), such that a first redefined second turndown position (XSR1) is equal to a sum of the second turndown position (XSR) and a second constant displacement value (S1R), wherein the first redefined second turndown position (XSR1) takes effect in a next stroke when the second diaphragm assembly translates from the third end-of-stroke position (DP1R) to the fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R). 16. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of: the step of redefining the first turndown position (XSL) further comprises the steps of:redefining the first turndown position (XSL) such that a second redefined first turndown position (XSL2) is equal to the first turndown position (XSL) minus a third constant displacement value (S2L), if the first current velocity (VCL) is greater than the first termination velocity (VCL); andredefining the first turndown position (XSL) such that a third redefined first turndown position (XSL3) is equal to a sum of the first turndown position (XSL) and a fourth constant displacement value (S3L), if the first current velocity (VCL) is less than the first minimum velocity (VMINL); andthe step of redefining the second turndown position (XSR) further comprises the steps of:redefining the second turndown position (XSR) such that a second redefined second turndown position (XSR2) is equal to the second turndown position (XSR) minus a fifth constant displacement value (S2R), if the second current velocity (VCR) is greater than the second termination velocity (VTERMIL); andredefining the second turndown position (XSR) such that a third redefined second turndown position (XSR3) is equal to a sum of the second turndown position (XSR) and a sixth constant displacement value (S3R), if the second current velocity (VCR) is less than the second minimum velocity (VMINR). 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of decreasing the air flow of the first air inlet valve comprises the step of: closing the first air inlet valve. 18. A method for detecting an optimum turndown position of a diaphragm assembly in a pump, comprising the steps of: providing a pump comprising a conventional mode and an optimization mode, the pump comprising a first diaphragm assembly disposed in a first diaphragm chamber, the first diaphragm assembly comprising a first end-of-stroke position (DP1L) and a second end-of-stroke position (DP2L), a first current position (XCL) and a first turndown position (XSL); the pump further comprising a second diaphragm assembly disposed in a second diaphragm chamber, the second diaphragm assembly comprising a third end-of-stroke position (DP1R), a fourth end-of-stroke position (DP2R), a second current position (XCR), and a second turndown position (XSR);providing an air efficiency device operatively coupled to the first diaphragm assembly and the second diaphragm assembly;providing an air inlet valve in communication with the first chamber and the second chamber, said air inlet valve operated by a power source; andoperating the pump in the optimization mode, the steps comprising:opening the air inlet valve until the sensor determines the first current position (XCL) meets the first turndown position (XSL) the second current position (XCR) meets the second turndown position (XSR);determining a diaphragm motion of the first diaphragm assembly or the second diaphragm assembly;evaluating operating parameters from the diaphragm motion to determine if the first diaphragm assembly or the second diaphragm assembly is moving within an accepted range; andredefining one or more of the first turndown position (XSL) and the second turndown position (XSR) such that one or more of the first turndown position (XSL) and the second turndown position (XSR) approach an optimum turndown position. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the air efficiency device comprises: a sensor, wherein the sensor is operatively coupled to the first diaphragm assembly and the second diaphragm assembly;a valve assembly, wherein the valve assembly controls the opening or closing of the air inlet valve; and,a controller, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the sensor and the valve assembly. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of: switching to the conventional mode upon failure of the power source for the air inlet valve. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein upon a redefined first turndown position (XSL1) meeting the optimum turndown position, the method further comprises calculating a redefined second turndown position (XSR) using the redefined first turndown position based at least upon pump symmetry.
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