Flow control
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a primary pumping means having a suction input and a discharge output;
a valve means;
means for connecting said discharge output to said valve means;
means for establishing a first signal which is a function of the pressure at said suction input, said first signal having a first range and a second range, where at least a part of the first range of said first signal is outside the second range of said first signal and at least a part of the second range of said first signal is outside the first range of said first signal;
means for varying the throughput of said primary pumping means in response to the first range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input within an acceptable range;
means for restricting the discharge through said valve means in response to the second range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input within an acceptable range, the first range and the second range of said first signal being selected in such a manner that said valve means will be generally fully open when said first signal is in the first range; and
means adapted to supply said first signal to said means for varying and to said means for restricting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Control of a pumping station is accomplished in such a manner so as to maximize the energy efficiency of the pumping station by utilizing a variable drive pump to maintain the pipeline suction pressure seen at the input to the pumping station at an acceptable level. If the pipeline suction pressure decreases below a level which can be controlled by the variable drive pump, then a control valve located at the output of the pumping station is closed to the extent necessary to maintain the pipeline suction pressure at an acceptable level. If the pipeline suction pressure is greater than can be controlled by the variable drive pump then additional pumps are brought online to prevent overloading of the variable drive pump.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a primary pumping means having a suction input and a discharge output; a valve means; means for connecting said discharge output to said valve means; means for establishing a first signal which is a function of the pressure at said suction input, said first signal having a first range and a second range, where at least a part of the first range of said first signal is outside the second range of said first signal and at least a part of the second range of said first signal is outside the first range of said first signal; means for varying the throughput of said primary pumping means in response to the first range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input within an acceptable range; means for restricting the discharge through said valve means in response to the second range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input within an acceptable range, the first range and the second range of said first signal being selected in such a manner that said valve means will be generally fully open when said first signal is in the first range; and means adapted to supply said first signal to said means for varying and to said means for restricting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus comprising:
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a primary pumping means having a suction input and a discharge output; a valve means; means for connecting said discharge output to said valve means; means for establishing a first signal which is a function of the pressure at said suction input, said first signal having a first range and a second range, where at least a part of the first range of said first signal is outside the second range of said first signal and at least a part of the second range of said first signal is outside the first range of said first signal; means for varying the throughput of said primary pumping means in response to the first range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said sunction input within an acceptable range; means for restricting the discharge through said valve means in response to the second range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input within an acceptable range, the first range and the second range of said first signal being selected in such a manner that said valve means will be generally fully open when said first signal is in the first range; means adapted to supply said first signal to said means for varying and to said means for restricting at least one secondary pumping means; means for establishing a second signal which is a function of the load on said primary pumping means, said second signal having a first range and a second range, the first range of said second signal corresponding to the first range of said first signal, the second range of said second signal corresponding to the second range of said first signal, where at least a part of the first range of said second signal is outside the second range of said second signal and at least a part of said second range of the second signal is outside said first range of said second signal; means for supplying said second signal to said means adapted to supply said first signal to said means for varying and said means for restricting, said means adapted to supply said first signal to said means for varying and said means for restricting being adapted to select said second signal to be supplied to said means for varying and said means for restricting, in place of the first range of said first signal, if the load on said primary pumping means approaches the maximum allowable load for said primary pumping means, the first range of said second signal being adapted to hold the throughput of said primary pumping means constant or at a reduced level to prevent overloading of said primary pumping means, and the second range of said signal being adapted to close said valve means, at least partially, to restrict the throughput of said primary pumping means to prevent overloading of said primary pumping means; and means for placing said at least one secondary pumping means online when said second signal is being supplied to said means for varying and said means for restricting to reduce the throughput requirements of said primary pumping means by reducing the pressure at said suction input so that said primary pumping means and said valve means are returned to the control of said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for increasing the energy efficiency of a pumping station comprising the steps of:
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establishing a first signal which is a function of the pressure at the suction input of said pumping station, said first signal having a first range and a second range, where at least a part of the first range of said first signal is outside the second range of said first signal and at least a part of the second range of said first signal is outside the first range of said first signal; varying the throughput of said pumping station in response to said first range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input of said pumping station at an acceptable level; restricting the throughput of said pumping station in response to the second range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input of said pumping station at an acceptable level, the first range and the second range of said first signal being selected in such a manner that the throughput of said pumping station will not be restricted when said first signal is in said first range. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for increasing the energy efficiency of a pumping station comprising the steps of:
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establishing a first signal which is a function of the pressure at the suction input of said pumping station, said first signal having a first range and a second range, where at least a part of the first range of said first signal is outside the second range of said first signal and at least a part of the second range of said first signal is outside the first range of said first signal; varying the throughput of said pumping station in response to said first range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input of said pumping station at an acceptable level; restricting the throughput of said pumping station in response to the second range of said first signal to maintain the pressure at said suction input of said pumping station at an acceptable level, the first range and the second range of said first signal being selected in such a manner that the throughput of said pumping station will not be restricted when said first signal is in said first range; establishing a second signal which is a function of the load on a primary pumping means in said pumping station, said second signal having a first range and a second range, the first range of said second signal corresponding to the first range of said first signal, the second range of said second signal corresponding to the second range of said first signal, where at least a part of the first range of said second signal is outside the second range of said second signal and at least a part of said second range of said second signal is outside the first range of said second signal; varying the throughput of said primary pumping means in response to the first range of said second signal, in place of the first range of said first signal, if the load on said primary pumping means approaches the maximum allowable load for said primary pumping means, the first range of said second signal being adapted to hold the throughput of said primary pumping means constant or at a reduced level to prevent overloading of said primary pumping means, the second range of said second signal being adapted to at least partially restrict the throughput through said pumping station to prevent overloading of said primary pumping means; and placing at least one secondary pumping means in said pumping station online when aid second signal has been selected in place of said first signal, to reduce the throughput requirements of said primary pumping means by reducing the pressure at said suction input so that control is returned to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification