Pumping system with two way communication

• US 10,240,606 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danfoss Power Electronics A/S (Danfoss A/S)
• Original Assignee: Danfoss Drives A/S (Danfoss A/S), Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Stiles, Jr., Robert W., Berthelsen, Lars Hoffmann, Robol, Ronald B., Yahnker, Christopher R., Hruby, Daniel J., Murphy, Kevin, Brown, Edward, MacCallum, David, Dunn, Dennis, Clack, Kenneth, Runarsson, Einar Kjartan, Morando, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Lettman, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US14/511,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20150030463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1245 Recirculating pumps for swimming pool water
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1281 Devices for distributing chemical products in the water of swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/129 Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools solar collectors using pools F24S10/17, F24S10/10; by solar radiation F24S20/02
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/148 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/103 Responsive to speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0077 Safety measures F04D15/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling

Abstract

A pumping system for moving water of a swimming pool includes a water pump, a variable speed motor, and an arrangement for controlling the variable speed motor. The pumping system further includes an auxiliary device operably connected to the arrangement for controlling, which is capable of receiving a parameter from the auxiliary device. The arrangement for controlling is capable of independently controlling the variable speed motor without receipt of a parameter from the auxiliary device. In addition or alternatively, the arrangement for controlling is operable to selectively alter operation of the motor based upon the parameter.

Claims

1. A variable speed pumping system, the system comprising:

a variable speed motor;

a controller including a variable speed drive electrically coupled to the variable speed motor, the variable speed drive supplying an electric power to drive the variable speed motor at a variable speed within a range of operation, the controller configured to selectively receive an external input indicative of a desired operational state of the variable speed pumping system that establishes a desired water movement and operating the variable speed drive to drive the variable speed motor in accordance with the external input at a speed and for a time period to achieve the desired water movement established by the desired operational state;

a water pump coupled to and driven by the variable speed motor, the water pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet capable of being in fluid communication with an inlet line directing water from a fluid circuit, including a pool and a filter arrangement, to the water pump, and the outlet capable of being in fluid communication with an outlet line directing water from the water pump to the fluid circuit;

a fluid property sensor in fluid communication with the water in the fluid circuit and in communication with the controller, the fluid property sensor sensing a fluid parameter including at least one of a flow rate of the water and a flow pressure of the water;

a communication panel, the communication panel in communication with the controller and the filter arrangement to facilitate communication of a filter signal between the filter arrangement and the controller;

a pool cleaner in fluid communication with the water in the fluid circuit and in communication with the communication panel, the communication panel in communication with the controller and the pool cleaner to facilitate communication of a pool cleaner signal between the pool cleaner and the controller; and

a heater in fluid communication with the water in the fluid circuit and in communication with the communication panel, the communication panel in communication with the controller and the heater to facilitate communication of a heater signal between the heater and the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to alter operation of the variable speed motor based on a first combination of the fluid parameter sensed by the fluid property sensor and the filter signal received from the communication panel, thereby overriding at least one of the speed and the time period of the desired operational state indicated by the external input and altering at least one of the speed and the time period to account for water movement associated with the first combination as part of the desired water movement;

wherein the controller is configured to operate autonomously according to a second combination of the fluid parameter sensed by the fluid property sensor and the external input when the filter signal has not been received from the communication panel to achieve the desired water movement;

wherein the desired operational state is to operate the pool cleaner by setting the speed to a pool cleaner seed and the time period to a pool cleaner period; and

wherein the controller is configured to override the desired operational state when the filter signal indicates that the filter arrangement has become clogged and to operate the heater in combination with the pool cleaner at a heater speed that is greater than the pool cleaner speed.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to delay operating the pool cleaner.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a relay in communication with the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum in communication with the controller.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lighting device in communication with the controller.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a valve in communication with the controller.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch in communication with the controller.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automation system in communication with the controller.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second motor in communication with the controller.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless device in communication with the controller.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote keypad in communication with the controller.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a timer in communication with the controller.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary device; and

a means for providing two-way communication between the controller and the auxiliary device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid property sensor is configured to directly sense the at least one of the flow rate and the flow pressure.

15. A variable speed pumping system, the system comprising:

a variable speed motor;

a controller including a variable speed drive electrically coupled to the variable speed motor, the variable speed drive supplying an electric power to drive the variable speed motor at a variable speed within a range of operation, the controller configured to selectively receive an external input indicative of a desired operational state of the variable speed pumping system that establishes a desired water movement and operating the variable speed drive to drive the variable speed motor in accordance with the external input at a speed and for a time period to achieve the desired water movement established by the desired operational state;

a water pump coupled to and driven by the variable speed motor, the water pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet capable of being in fluid communication with an inlet line directing water from a fluid circuit, including a pool and a filter arrangement, to the water pump, and the outlet capable of being in fluid communication with an outlet line directing water from the water pump to the fluid circuit;

a sensor in communication with the variable speed motor and in communication with the controller, the sensor sensing a parameter including at least one of an input current to the variable speed motor;

a pool cleaner in fluid communication with the water in the fluid circuit, and in communication with the controller to facilitate communication of a pool cleaner signal between the pool cleaner and the controller; and

a heater in fluid communication with the water in the fluid circuit, and in communication with the controller to facilitate communication of a heater signal between the heater and the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to alter operation of the variable speed motor based on a first combination of the parameter sensed by the sensor and a filter signal indicating that the filter arrangement has become clogged, thereby overriding at least one of the speed and the time period of the desired operational state indicated by the external input and altering at least one of the speed and the time period to account for water movement associated with the first combination as part of the desired water movement;

wherein the controller is configured to operate autonomously according to a second combination of the parameter sensed by the sensor and the external input when the filter signal has not been received to achieve the desired water movement;

wherein the desired operational state is to operate the pool cleaner by setting the speed to a pool cleaner speed and the time period to a pool cleaner period; and

wherein the controller is configured to override the desired operational state when the filter signal indicates that the filter arrangement has become clogged and to operate the heater in combination with the pool cleaner at a heater speed that is greater than the pool cleaner speed.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to delay operating the pool cleaner.