APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLED LIQUID TRANSFER

• US 3,844,683 A
• Filed: 09/28/1972
• Issued: 10/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Don E. Albert
• Original Assignee: Don E. Albert
• Inventors: Albert, Don E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freeh, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sher, Richard
• Application Number:
  US05/292,901
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 417/5,7,6,8
• US Class Current: 417/6
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/28 Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/007 Installations or systems with two or more pumps or pump cylinders, wherein the flow-path through the stages can be changed, e.g. from series to parallel centrifugal pumps F04D15/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/106 Responsive to pumped volume
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0641 using a plurality of throttling means G05D7/067 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for delivering a liquid to a plurality of outlets while automatically maintaining a liquid flow rate from each outlet within a preselected range during variations in the total rate of liquid being discharged from the outlets. The flow rate of the liquid is measured and pumps of the system are controllably actuated and their operation terminated in response and relative to the discharge rate of liquid from the outlets.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a liquid from a liquid supply source to a plurality of outlets while automatically maintaining the liquid flow rate from each outlet within a preselected range during discharge of liquid from at least one of the outlets and during variations of the total rate of liquid being discharged from the outlets, comprising:

measuring the flow rate of the liquid passing to the outlets and delivering a first signal reprEsentative of and in response to said measured flow rate;

comparing said first signal to a plurality of preset actuation points and delivering an actuation signal in response to said comparison;

automatically actuating the next operable pump of a preselected pump sequence in response to said actuation signal being representative of the first signal being of a magnitude greater than the flow rate magnitude of the next actuation point, said actuation signal being transferred along the sequence of pumps to said next operable pump in response to the next pump in the sequence being other than operable;

automatically terminating operation of a particular pump and actuating a next operable pump of the preselected pump sequence in response to the operation of a safety switch associated with said particular pump; and

automatically terminating operation of each pump in response to said first signal being representative of a flow rate less than the flow rate magnitude of the actuation point of the respective operating pump, the order of said termination being in the reverse of the sequence of the pump actuation.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein all of the pumps of the system have a substantially equal capacity.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flow rate magnitude between successive actuation points is of a substantially common magnitude.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flow rate magnitude between successive actuation points is in the range of about 50 to about 100 percent of the capacity of each pump.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the preselected actuation sequence can be varied.

6. In a system for passing liquid from a liquid supply source through a plurality of outlets while varying the total rate of liquid being discharged from the outlets, said system having a plurality of pumps connected to the liquid supply source and the outlets, means for measuring the flow rate of the liquid passing to the outlets and delivering a first signal representative of and in response to said measured flow rate, and means for actuating a first pump for delivering liquid from the liquid supply source through at least one of the outlets, the improvement comprising:

first means for comparing said first signal to the plurality of preset actuation points and delivering a second signal in response to said comparison, said second signal being representative of the magnitude of said first signal relative to the magnitude of said actuation points;

second means for automatically, sequentially delivering the second signal to a next operable pump of a preselected pump sequence in response to said first signal being representative of a flow rate greater than the flow rate magnitude of the next actuation point of greater magnitude and transferring the second signal along the sequence of pumps to said next operational pump in response to the next pump in sequence being other than an operable pump and for terminating operation of each pump in response to said first signal being representative of a flow rate less than the flow rate magnitude of the actuation point of the respective last pump actuated, the order of said termination being in the reverse of the sequence of actuation; and

third means for automatically terminating operation of a particular pump and actuating a next operable pump of the preselected pump sequence in response to the operation of a safety switch associated with said particular pump.

7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first means comprises an electronic monitor switch operably connected to the flow rate-signal means.

8. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second and third means comprises a plurality of transfer relays and associated flow switches operably connected to the pumps.