Modular system for the control of compression systems

• US 20040151593A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CompAir UK Limited
• Original Assignee: CompAir UK Limited
• Inventors: Valovirta, Lauri, Nyman, Sami, Saarinen, Vesa
• Application Number:
  US10/470,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20040151593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/5
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/05 Pressure after the pump outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers

Abstract

A modular system for the control of at least one compression system for the compression a fluid medium, said compression system comprising compressors (C1-C7) and their controllers (A1-A7) for the compression of the fluid medium, secondary treatment devices for the treatment of the medium delivered from the compressors, and piping systems (17-19, 23) for conducting the fluid medium to a place of consumption (16, 22), said control system comprising a control unit (3) containing a data processing system (34) for controlling the compression system, a user interface (35) including a display associated with it and transmission means for the transmission of control data between the control unit, the controllers and pressure sensors. The transmission means consist of data communication buses, preferably serial communication buses (30-32) and a data communication port unit (33) serving to connect the bus to the control unit (34). The controllers and pressure sensors are connected to common data communication buses.

Claims

1. Modular system for the control of at least one compression system for the compression a fluid medium, said compression system comprising compressors (C1-C7) and their controllers (A1-A7) for the compression of the fluid medium, secondary treatment devices for the treatment of the medium delivered from the compressors, and piping systems (17-19, 23) for conducting the fluid medium to a place of consumption (16, 22),

said control system comprising a control unit (3) containing a data processing system (34) for controlling the compression system, a user interface (35) including a display associated with it and transmission means for the transmission of control data between the control unit, the controllers and pressure sensors, characterized in that

the transmission means consist of at least one data communication bus, preferably a serial communication bus (30-32) and a data communication port unit (33) serving to connect the bus to the control unit (34), and that the controllers and pressure sensors are connected to a common data communication bus.

2. Control system as defined in claim 1, comprising group control for controlling different compressor groups, characterized in that each compressor (C1-C7) can be configured via the user interface (35) as any compressor type by means of one parameter to be given.

3. Control system as defined in claim 1, comprising group control for controlling different compressor groups, characterized in that

the group control can be given parameters indicating the number of compressors, and that the control concerning the compressor setups is implemented in a modular fashion such that each compressor setup (C1-C7) is an embodiment of its category, which is either commissioned or decommissioned in accordance with a parameter given.

4. Control system as defined in claim 1, to which control system it is possible to add a required number of pressure sensors (PI1-PI5) for reading the delivery pressure of the compressor and desired network pressures, characterized in that the number of pressure sensors can be configured by means of one parameter via the user interface (35).

5. Control system as defined in claim 1, comprising group control for controlling different compressor groups, characterized in that any one of the pressure sensors can be configured to indicate the delivery pressure of any one of the compressor setups, and any one or any ones of the pressure sensors can be configured to function as a control pressure for the entire system as a value given.

6. Control system as defined in claim 1, comprising group control for controlling different compressor groups, characterized in that each pressure data item contains information as to how large a volume it pertains to and what is the rate of change of the pressure.

7. Control system as defined in claim 1 for the control of two or more compression systems, characterized in that, for each compressor setup (C1-C7), any one of the pressure sensors (PI1-PI5) connected to the control system can be selected as a control pressure sensor, and any one of the compressors can be set via the user interface to be controlled according to a pressure sensor value selected in accordance with separate pressure settings.

8. Control system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure sensors are connected to a bus (30-32) via a pneumatic station controller (AS1-AS3), which reads pneumatic station-specific information, such as pressure and alarm data, from the pneumatic system.