APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CALIBRATING A LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM

• US 20140109644A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carbone, Henry L. II, Mehus, Richard J., Tauer, Kevin C., Skirda, Anatoly, Tokhtuev, Eugene, Christensen, William M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,618,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/0092 for metering by volume
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/10 Geared or lobed impeller meters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system providing for calibration and/or control of a liquid dispensing system is disclosed. The hand-held calibration auditing tool includes a flow meter (36-37) with inlets adapted for quick connection to one or more liquid inputs and/or liquid outputs of a liquid dispensing system (10). A sensor (94-95) having a data output of liquid flow information for a liquid input to the dispensing system (10) is operably connected to a controller (12) to receive the liquid flow information for the liquid input. The controller (12) provides a dilution rate and other liquid flow information for a liquid product input to a dispenser. The tool may include any number of flow meters, and may also include a flow meter connected to an outlet of a dispenser (22) for providing flow information.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating, auditing and controlling a liquid dispensing system, comprising:

taking a device having at least one flow meter operably connected to a controller;

removably connecting an inlet of the flow meter in-line with a liquid output of the dispensing system;

operating the dispensing system; and

acquiring liquid flow information for the liquid output.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising removably connecting an inlet of another flow meter in-line with a liquid inlet of the dispensing system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the device comprises a first, a second, and a third flow meter and comprises:

a. connecting an inlet of the first flow meter to a liquid product input;

b. connecting an inlet of the second flow meter to a liquid diluent input; and

c. connecting an inlet of the third flow meter to a liquid output of the dispensing system.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising connecting an inlet of a fourth flow meter to a second liquid product inlet.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising acquiring liquid flow information from the first, second, third, and fourth flow meters.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising comparing the flow information of the third flow meter at the outlet to the flow information of the first, second, and third flow meters.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the flow of the first product input, second product input, or liquid diluent information based upon the flow information of the third flow meter at the outlet.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of calibrating the liquid dispensing system based upon the measured liquid flow information.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving liquid flow information from the device in real-time.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting inlets of a plurality of flow meters in-line with a plurality of liquid product inputs.

11. A liquid dispensing system, comprising:

a dispenser having at least one liquid input connected in fluid communication to a liquid product and another liquid input connected in fluid communication to a liquid diluent, and a liquid output for dispensing a use solution to a end-use application;

a flow meter connected in fluid communication to each liquid input, the flow meter having an input sensor with a data output of liquid flow information for each liquid input to the dispensing system;

an output flow meter connected in fluid communication to the output of dispenser, the output flow meter having an output sensor with a data output of liquid flow information for the use solution; and

a controller operably connected to the data output of the input and output sensors to receive the liquid flow information and to display said flow information.

12. The dispensing system of claim 11 wherein the controller comprises a data store for storing liquid flow information for each liquid input and output.

13. The dispensing system of claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises a data link configured to connect the controller to a PC to download the flow information.

14. The dispensing system of claim 11 wherein the end-use application comprises at least one of:

a. an on-site formulator;

b. a laundry system;

c. a warewashing system.

15. The dispensing system of claim 11 wherein each flow meter further comprises pulse dampening means.

16. The dispensing system of claim 11 wherein each flow meter includes means for dampening in-line pressure pulses.

17. A portable system for calibrating and auditing a liquid dispenser, comprising:

a plurality of flow meters comprising;

a. a quick-connector adapted for connecting the inlet of each flow meter in-line to a liquid input or output of the dispenser;

b. each flow meter having a sensor with a data output of liquid flow information for each liquid input or output; and

a controller operably connected to each data output by a data link to receive the liquid flow information for each liquid input or output and to display information related to said liquid flow information for each liquid input or output.

18. The portable system of claim 17 wherein the controller comprises a handheld controller having a readout to display at least the liquid flow information.

19. The portable system of claim 17 wherein the controller comprises a data store for storing at least the liquid flow information and dilution ratio.

20. The portable system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of flow meters comprises a pair of input flow meters and a single output flow meter.