Dynamic linear control methods and apparatus for variable speed pump control

• US 10,048,701 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Andrew A., Gu, James J., Scott, Graham A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/717,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: 700282, 700275, 700295, 236 78 D, 62230
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Apparatus, such as a pump controller, features a signal processor configured at least to: receive signaling containing information about a linear set point control curve based at least partly on an adaptive set point control curve related to fluid being pumped by a pump in a pumping system, and determine a control set point based at least partly on the signaling received. The signal processor may be configured to provide a control signal containing information to control the pump based on the control set point determined.

Claims

1. A pump controller for providing an adaptive pump control to reduce energy consumption and operating cost of a heating and water cooling system, comprising:

a signal processor configured at least to;

receive signaling containing information about a linear set point control curve derived from adaptive and constant set point control curves related to fluid being pumped by a pump in a pumping system, and

determine corresponding signal containing information about a control set point to control and vary adaptively the speed of the pump in the pumping system using an adaptive control algorithm that obtains the control set point from the linear set point control curve derived, based at least partly on the signaling received.

2. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to provide the corresponding signaling as a control signal containing information to control the pump based at least partly on the control set point determined.

3. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the linear set point control curve is derived from the adaptive set point control curve with respect to system flow and pressure, including being derived from by the signal processor.

4. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a pressure set point P*(t) with respect to a requested flow rate Q*(t) using the linear set point control curve based at least partly on the following equation:

P*(t)=P₀Q*(t)/Q_max+b₀,

where P₀ is a constant pressure set point,

Q*(t) is a requested flow rate

Q_max is a maximum system flow rate,

Q_max is a maximum adaptive flow rate, and

b₀ is a pressure threshold.

5. The pump controller according to claim 4, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a system flow rate as a summation of each individual zone flow rate, based as least partly on the following equation:

6. The pump controller according to claim 5, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine the system flow rate if zone temperature control parameters are used, based at least partly on the following equation:

7. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a requested flow rate Q* (t) based at least partly on the following equation:

8. The pump controller according to claim 7, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a pressure set point from the adaptive set point control curve directly based at least partly on the following equation:

P*(t)=(Q*(t)/C_v^a(t))².

9. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine the control set point based at least partly on a requested flow rate Q*(t) and derived from the adaptive set point control curve.

10. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the pump controller further comprises at least one memory including computer program code;

and the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with at least one processor, cause the pump controller at least to;

receive the signaling; and

determine the control set point based at least partly on the signaling received.

11. The pump controller according to claim 1, wherein the pump controller may include, or take the form of, a PID control, having the signal processor.

12. A method for using a pump controller for providing an adaptive pump control to reduce energy consumption and operating cost of a heating and water cooling system, comprising:

receiving in a pump controller having a signal processor signaling containing information about a linear set point control curve derived from adaptive set point and constant control curve related to fluid being pumped by a pump in a pumping system, and

determining in the pump controller corresponding signaling containing information about a control set point to control and vary adaptively the speed of the pump in the pumping system using an adaptive control algorithm that obtains the control set point from the linear set point control curve derived, based at least partly on the signaling received.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises providing with the signal processor the corresponding signaling as a control signal containing information to control the pump based at least partly on the control set point determined.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises determining with the signal processor a requested flow rate Q* based at least partly on the signaling containing information about an intersection point between the linear set point control curve and the adaptive set point control curve, including the intersection point at a maximum adaptive flow rate, Q_max.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises determining with the signal processor the linear set point control curve based at least partly on the following equation:

P*(t)=P₀Q*(t)/Q_max+b₀,

where P₀ is a constant pressure set point,

Q*(t) is a requested flow rate

Q_max is a maximum system flow rate,

Q_max is a maximum adaptive flow rate, and

b₀ is a pressure threshold.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises determining with the signal processor a system flow rate as a summation of each individual zone flow rate, based as least partly on the following equation:

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises determining with the signal processor the system flow rate if zone temperature control parameters are used, based at least partly on the following equation:

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises determining with the signal processor a requested flow rate Q*(t) based at least partly on the following equation:

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a pressure set point from the adaptive control curve directly based at least partly on the following equation:

P*(t)=(Q*(t)/C_v^a(t))².

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises determining with the processor the control set point based at least partly on the requested flow rate Q*(t) and derived from the adaptive set point control curve.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises configuring the signal processor with at least one memory including computer program code;

and causing the signal processor and at least one memory at least to;

receive the signaling; and

determine the control set point based at least partly on the signaling received.

22. A pump controller for providing an adaptive pump control to reduce energy consumption and operating cost of a heating and water cooling system, comprising:

means for receiving signaling containing information about a linear set point control curve derived from adaptive and constant set point control curves related to fluid being pumped by a pump in a pumping system, and

means for determining corresponding signaling containing information about a control set point to control and vary adaptively the speed of the pump in the pumping system using an adaptive control algorithm that obtains the control set point from the linear set point control curve derived, based at least partly on the signaling received.

23. The pump controller according to claim 22, wherein the pump controller further comprises means for providing the corresponding signaling as a control signal containing information to control the pump based at least partly on the control set point determined.

24. The pump controller for according to claim 22, wherein the means for determining determines a requested flow rate Q* based at least partly on the signaling containing information about an intersection point between the linear set point control curve and the adaptive set point control curve, including the intersection point at a maximum adaptive flow rate, Q_max.