RAMP-UP OPTIMIZING VACUUM SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A ramp-up optimizing vacuum system comprising:
- a blower having a gas inlet and a gas outlet,a vacuum pump with a gas inlet and a as outlet, a gas line connecting said blower outlet to said vacuum pump inlet;
a blower motor connected to said blower to rotate a rotor of said blower;
a first sensor;
a second sensor;
a motor controller connected with said blower motor, said first sensor and said second sensor; and
said motor controller operable to ramp-up said blower from a blower speed of from zero to an operating blower speed at a predetermined ramp-up rate at start-up;
wherein during a ramp-up of said blower from the blower speed of zero to the predetermined operating blower speed, said motor controller at a plurality of predetermined intervals, based on information from the first sensor, determines a measured blower speed measured blower speed, and based on information from the second sensor determines a measured current draw, and compares the measured current draw to a predetermined maximum current draw value which corresponds to the measured blower speed, andwherein the motor controller allows either(1) the continued ramp-up of said blower speed to said operating blower speed at said predetermined ramp-up rate if said measured current draw is less than said maximum current draw value for the measured blower speed, or(2) if said measured current draw exceeds said maximum current draw value for said measured blower speed, said motor controller stops said ramp-up without a signal being sent to operate said blower at a blower speed less than said measured speed, said blower allowed to operate at said measured speed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ramp-up optimizing vacuum pump system comprising a vacuum pump in fluid communication with a blower and one or more apparatus and operable to create a vacuum flow from the one or more apparatus through the outflow of the vacuum pump. The blower is positioned between the vacuum pump and one or more apparatus. The blower includes a blower motor which is controlled by a blower controller and a unit controller. The unit controller increases the blower speed at a predetermined ramp-up rate. The blower controller optimizes the ramp-up rate of the blower based on the operating conditions by monitoring the current draw of the motor and the blower speed. If at any time the current draw exceeds a predetermined maximum at a certain blower speed, the blower controller maintains the blower speed until the current draw decreases below the maximum and then continues ramp-up up at the predetermined ramp-up rate.
24 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A ramp-up optimizing vacuum system comprising:
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a blower having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a vacuum pump with a gas inlet and a as outlet, a gas line connecting said blower outlet to said vacuum pump inlet; a blower motor connected to said blower to rotate a rotor of said blower; a first sensor; a second sensor; a motor controller connected with said blower motor, said first sensor and said second sensor; and said motor controller operable to ramp-up said blower from a blower speed of from zero to an operating blower speed at a predetermined ramp-up rate at start-up; wherein during a ramp-up of said blower from the blower speed of zero to the predetermined operating blower speed, said motor controller at a plurality of predetermined intervals, based on information from the first sensor, determines a measured blower speed measured blower speed, and based on information from the second sensor determines a measured current draw, and compares the measured current draw to a predetermined maximum current draw value which corresponds to the measured blower speed, and wherein the motor controller allows either (1) the continued ramp-up of said blower speed to said operating blower speed at said predetermined ramp-up rate if said measured current draw is less than said maximum current draw value for the measured blower speed, or (2) if said measured current draw exceeds said maximum current draw value for said measured blower speed, said motor controller stops said ramp-up without a signal being sent to operate said blower at a blower speed less than said measured speed, said blower allowed to operate at said measured speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13)
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11. A method for optimizing a ramp up of a speed of a blower speed of a blower in a vacuum system from zero to an operating blower speed, the method comprising:
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supplying current to a blower motor to ramp-up of the speed of the blower to the operating blower speed at a predetermined ramp-up rate; at a first predetermined interval front a plurality of predetermined intervals, determining a measured current draw of the blower motor and determining a measured blower speed of the blower, and comparing said measured current draw with a predetermined maximum current draw value for said measured blower speed; continuing the ramp-up of said blower speed to said operating blower speed at said predetermined ramp-up rate if said measured current draw is less than said predetermined maximum current draw value for the measured blower speed, or if said measured current draw exceeds said predetermined maximum current draw value for said measured blower speed, stopping said ramp-up without as signal being sent to operate said blower at a blower speed less than said measured speed and allowing said blower to operate at said measured speed. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification