Flow Locking System and Method

• US 20130129536A1
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Robol, Ronald B., Hruby, Daniel J., McCall, Rodney
• Granted Patent: US 10,465,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/410.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0037 Arrangement for cleaning the fluid during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0083 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0173 Means for preventing injuries
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5038 freely programmable by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/0087 Therapeutic baths with agitated or circulated water
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/00 Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/1201 Rotational speed of the axis
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0209 Rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/09 Flow through the pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2207/041 of flow
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/106 Responsive to pumped volume
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/16 Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/708 specially for liquid pumps

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a pumping system and method including a flow locking feature. A pump controller includes a user interface configured to initially receive and set a plurality of programmed flow rate settings, a maximum locked flow rate, and a minimum locked flow rate. The pump controller is also configured to disable resetting of the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate once they are initially received and set and to allow resetting of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings throughout operation of the pumping system. The pump controller is further configured to operate a pump motor in order to maintain a first flow rate set by one of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings as long as the first flow rate is between the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

Claims

1. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a pump controller in communication with the motor,

the pump controller including a user interface configured to initially receive and set a maximum locked flow rate, a minimum locked flow rate, and a plurality of programmed flow rate settings including a first programmed flow rate setting,

the pump controller configured to disable resetting of the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate once they are initially received and set through the user interface,

the pump controller configured to allow resetting of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings throughout operation of the pumping system,

the pump controller configured to operate the motor in order to maintain a first flow rate through the pumping system set by the first programmed flow rate setting as long as the first flow rate is between the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

2. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings is programmed in a scheduled mode and includes a set flow rate, a scheduled start time, and a scheduled stop time.

3. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings is programmed in a manual mode and includes a set flow rate.

4. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings is programmed in a countdown mode and includes a set flow rate and a time duration.

5. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of programmed flow rate settings includes a second programmed flow rate setting, and the user interface is configured to receive a selection of the second programmed flow rate setting and the controller is configured to operate the motor in order to maintain a second flow rate through the pumping system set by the second flow rate setting as long as the second flow rate is between the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

6. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the minimum locked flow rate is set to maintain a desired number of turnovers through the pumping system within a time period.

7. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the maximum locked flow rate is set based on one of flow rate specifications of at least one pumping system component and energy efficiency codes.

8. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the motor is a variable speed motor.

9. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a display that displays the first flow rate, the maximum locked flow rate, and the minimum locked flow rate.

10. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein the user interface is configured to initially receive and set the plurality of programmed flow rate settings, the maximum locked flow rate, and the minimum locked flow rate through inputs received by at least one navigation button on the user interface.

11. The pumping system of claim 10 wherein the pump controller is configured to inhibit resetting of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings including one of flow rates above the maximum flow rate setting and flow rates below the minimum flow rate setting.

12. The pumping system of claim 10 wherein the user interface includes a display that displays a menu of configurable parameters including the plurality of programmed flow rate settings, the maximum locked flow rate, and the minimum locked flow rate to a user, wherein the controller is configured to visually scroll through the menu based on the inputs received by the at least one navigation button.

13. The pumping system of claim 1 and further comprising an automation system in communication with the pump controller, the automation system configured to receive and set the plurality of programmed flow rate settings including a third programmed flow rate setting.

14. The pumping system of claim 13 wherein if a third flow rate set by the third programmed flow rate setting is above the maximum flow rate, the pump controller is configured to operate the motor in order to maintain the maximum flow rate through the pumping system and the third flow rate is below the minimum flow rate, the pump controller is configured to operate the motor in order to maintain the minimum flow rate through the pumping system.

15. The pumping system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of programmed flow rate settings includes a flow rate schedule that sets a flow rate at a scheduled start time and a scheduled stop time, wherein if more than one flow rate schedule overlaps, the pump controller selects the flow rate schedule including a highest flow rate and is configured to operate the motor according to the selected flow rate schedule as long as the highest flow rate is between the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

16. A method of operating a controller of a pump including a motor for use in a pumping system, the method comprising:

receiving a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate;

locking the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate as permanent parameters of the pumping system;

receiving a first programmed flow rate setting including at least a first flow rate;

receiving a second programmed flow rate setting including at least a second flow rate;

selecting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate as a selected flow rate for current pump operation; and

operating the motor to maintain the selected flow rate as long as the selected flow rate is between the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of selecting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate is based on one of a user selection, a scheduled start and stop time, and a comparison of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.

18. The method of claim 16 and further comprising selecting another one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate as the selected flow rate for current pump operation and operating the motor to maintain the selected flow rate as long as the selected flow rate is between the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate.

19. The method of claim 16 and further comprising receiving a change to the first programmed flow rate setting including at least a reprogrammed flow rate, selecting one of the reprogrammed flow rate and the second flow rate as the selected flow rate for current pump operation, and operating the motor to maintain the selected flow rate as long as the selected flow rate is between the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the first programmed flow rate setting further includes at least one of a scheduled start time, a scheduled stop time, and a duration.

21. The method of claim 16 and further comprising receiving one of an enable selection and a disable selection of a flow lock feature, locking the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate as permanent parameters of the pumping system if the enable selection is received, and ignoring the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate if the disable selection is received.

22. The method of claim 16 and further comprising displaying the minimum flow rate, the maximum flow rate, and the selected flow rate to a user.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate includes prompting a user to set the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate and at least prompting the user to activate the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate, to permanently lock the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate, to accept the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate, and to enable the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate.

24. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a pump controller in communication with the motor,

the pump controller including a user interface configured to initially receive and set a maximum locked flow rate, a minimum locked flow rate, and a plurality of programmed speed settings including a first programmed speed setting,

the pump controller configured to disable resetting of the maximum flow rate and the minimum flow rate once they are initially received and set through the user interface,

the pump controller configured to allow resetting of the plurality of programmed speed settings throughout operation of the pumping system,

the pump controller configured to operate the motor at a first speed set by the first programmed speed setting as long as operating the motor at the first speed maintains a flow rate through the pumping system that is between the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

25. The pumping system of claim 24 wherein the pump controller is configured to operate the motor at an adjusted speed if operating the motor at the first speed maintains the flow rate outside the minimum locked flow rate and the maximum locked flow rate.

26. The pumping system of claim 25 wherein if operating the motor at the first speed maintains the flow rate below the minimum locked flow rate, the pump controller is configured to set the adjusted speed so that operating the motor at the adjusted speed maintains the flow rate at the minimum locked flow rate.

27. The pumping system of claim 25 wherein if operating the motor at the first speed maintains the flow rate above the maximum locked flow rate, the pump controller is configured to set the adjusted speed so that operating the motor at the adjusted speed maintains the flow rate at the maximum locked flow rate.

28. The pumping system of claim 24 wherein the pump controller is configured to determine the flow rate based on power consumption of the motor.