Positive displacement pump with pressure compensating calibration

• US 10,036,378 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc. (Ingersoll Rand, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Seith, Warren Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansen, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US13/780,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20140241905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,979 Days
• Field of Search: 222 23, 222 30, 222 36, 222 38, 222 52, 222 55, 222 56, 222 71
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0081 systems, control, safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/026 each plate-like pumping flexible member working in its own pumping chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0736 with two or more pumping chambers in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/12 by varying the length of stroke of the working members

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments of positive displacement pumps utilizing pressure compensating calibration, as well as related systems and methods, are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a method of operating a positive displacement pump includes sensing, with a pressure sensor disposed at a fluid outlet of the positive displacement pump, a back pressure at the fluid outlet, transmitting a pressure signal associated with the sensed back pressure from the pressure sensor to a controller of the positive displacement pump, and identifying, on the controller, a volume of fluid pumped by the positive displacement pump using the pressure signal.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a target volume of a fluid from a diaphragm pump assembly the method comprising:

sensing whether a shaft coupled to a diaphragm of the diaphragm pump assembly has reached an end-of-stroke position using a stroke sensor to generate a stroke signal;

identifying, on a controller of the diaphragm pump assembly, whether the shaft is at the end-of-stroke position using the stroke signal generated by the stroke sensor;

sensing a back pressure at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump assembly using a pressure sensor disposed at the fluid outlet;

determining, on the controller, whether a total volume of fluid pumped has reached the target volume;

actuating a solenoid valve, in response to identifying that the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position and that the total volume of fluid pumped by the diaphragm pump assembly has not yet reached the target volume, to cause a motive fluid to be supplied to the diaphragm such that the shaft moves from the end-of-stroke position; and

concluding movement of the shaft in response to the controller determining that the total volume of pumped fluid has reached the target volume.

2. A method of dispensing a target volume of a fluid from a diaphragm pump assembly the method comprising:

calibrating the diaphragm pump assembly prior to dispensing the target volume of fluid from the diaphragm pump assembly by the method comprising;

stroking the diaphragm pump assembly at a plurality of back pressures;

measuring, for each of the plurality of back pressures, a volume of the fluid pumped during the stroke of the diaphragm pump assembly; and

building a plurality of entries in a lookup table, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries is composed of the measurement of the volume of the fluid pumped during a stroke associated with one of the plurality of back pressures;

operating the diaphragm pump assembly after building the lookup table to dispense the target volume of fluid according to the steps of;

sensing whether a shaft coupled to a diaphragm of the diaphragm pump assembly has reached an end-of-stroke position using a stroke sensor to generate a stroke signal;

identifying, on a controller of the diaphragm pump assembly, whether the shaft is at the end-of-stroke position using the stroke signal generated by the stroke sensor;

sensing a back pressure at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump assembly using a pressure sensor disposed at the fluid outlet;

determining, on the controller, whether a total volume of fluid pumped has reached the target volume;

actuating a solenoid valve, in response to identifying that the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position and that the total volume of fluid pumped by the diaphragm pump assembly has not yet reached the target volume, to cause a motive fluid to be supplied to the diaphragm such that the shaft moves from the end-of-stroke position; and

concluding movement of the shaft in response to the controller determining that the total volume of pumped fluid has reached the target volume.