Pump and method for facilitating maintenance and adjusting operation of said pump

• US 6,829,542 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Warren Rupp, Inc. (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Warren Rupp, Inc. (RELX PLC)
• Inventors: Niemczura, Raymond J. Sr., Roseberry, David E., Hennessey, Michael D., Reynolds, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, TUNG S
• Application Number:
  US09/584,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 702/34, 702/113, 702/184, 738/64, 738/63, 738/61, 738/630.3, 738/614.2, 731/68, 175/73, 175/19, 175/48, 175/45, 342/83, 600/595, 436/139, 307/118, 700/108, 700/65, 700/282, 701/33, 714/47, 241/36, 340/680, 318/85, 367/69, 356/477
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0081 systems, control, safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/009 leakage control; pump systems with two flexible members; between the actuating element and the pumped fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations

Abstract

A method of facilitating the maintenance of a pump and for facilitating changes in the operation of a pump is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a pump including wear parts, a processor and a memory; sensing at least one operating condition of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump; generating pump operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition; storing the generated operational data in the memory of the processor; storing parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump in the memory; storing at least one predetermined level of operational information; and operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part or modifying the operation of the pump. An improved pump with numerous sensors for sensing operational data relative to the wear and tear of various parts of the pump and the operating parameters of the pump which are linked to a processor mounted at the pump and which, in turn, is linked to a main computer is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating maintenance of a pump comprising the following steps:

providing a pump including wear parts, a processor and memory;

sensing at least one longitudinal wave generating operating behavior of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump;

generating operational data reflective of the sensed operating behavior;

storing the generated operational data in the memory;

storing parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump in the memory;

storing at least one predetermined level of operational information;

operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following step:

repeating the step of

sensing one longitudinal wave generating operating condition of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump,

generating operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition,

storing the operational data in the memory, and thereafter updating the stored operational data in dependent response to the sensing of the at least one operating condition.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following steps:

retrieving parts identification data for the at least one selected part from the memory, and

outputting information identifying the at least one part whose replacement or repair is desired.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a pumping element and the structural operational behavior of the sensing step is a physical integrity of the pumping element of the pump.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following step:

providing at least one sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a pumping element and the structural operational behavior of the sensing step is a temperature of the pumping element of the pump.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the pump comprises a check valve and the operational condition of the sensing step is a reverse fluid flow through the check valve.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the pumping element is a diaphragm.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the pumping element is a diaphragm.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising the following step:

operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of modifying the operation of pump.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is an output flow rate of the pump.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is a cycle rate of the pump.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is an acceleration of a cycle rate of the pump.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump is an air operated diaphragm pump comprising an air chamber and the operational condition of the sensing step is a back pressure in the air chamber.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump comprises at least one pumping chamber and the operational condition of the sensing step is filling rate of the pumping chamber.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is a suction pressure of the pump.

17. A method of modifying an operation of a pump comprising the following steps:

providing a pump, a processor and memory;

sensing at least one acoustical signal generating operating condition of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump with an acoustical signature sensor;

generating operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition;

storing the generated operational data in the memory;

storing at least one predetermined level of operational information;

operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of modifying the operation of pump.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the following step:

repeating the steps of

sensing at least one operating condition of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump;

generating operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition,

storing the operational data in the memory, and thereafter

updating the stored operational data in dependent response to the sensing of the at least one operating condition.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the pumping element is a diaphragm.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is an output flow rate of the pump.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is an acceleration of a cycle rate of the pump.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the pump comprises a pumping element and the operational condition of the sensing step is a temperature of the pumping element of the pump.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the pump is an air operated diaphragm pump comprising an air chamber and the operational condition of the sensing step is a back pressure in the air chamber.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the pump comprises at least one pumping chamber and the operational condition of the sensing step is a filling rate of the pumping chamber.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is a suction pressure of the pump.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein the pump comprises wear parts and the method further comprises the following steps:

storing parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump in the memory; and

operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein the operational condition of the sensing step is a cycle rate of the pump.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one wear part is a pumping element and the operational condition of the sensing step is a physical integrity of the pumping element.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the pumping element is a diaphragm.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one wear part is a check valve and the operational condition of the sensing step is a reverse fluid flow through the check valve.

31. A pump comprising:

at least one wear part, a processor and memory, at least one acoustical sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of the pump, and a display,

the acoustical sensor communicating operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition to the processor, the processor storing the operational data in the memory and updating the stored operational data upon receipt of new operational data from the sensor,

the memory also comprising parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump and at least one predetermined level of operational information,

the processing comparing the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information to the display as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part.

32. The pump of claim 31 wherein the processor is in communication with a stand alone computer.

33. The pump of claim 31 wherein the computer is a hand held computer.

34. The pump of claim 31 wherein the processor of the pump is linked to at least one other processor of another pump.

35. The pump of claim 31 wherein the wear part is a pumping element.

36. The pump of claim 31 wherein the wear part is a check valve and comprises a sensor that senses a reverse fluid flow through the check valve.

37. The pump of claim 31 wherein the processor further compares the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputs information as to the desirability of modifying the operation of pump.

38. The pump of claim 35 wherein the pumping element is a diaphragm.

39. A pump comprising:

at least one wear part, a processor and memory, at least one sensor for sensing at least one acoustical signal generating operating condition of the pump, and a display,

the sensor communicating operational data reflective of the sensed operating condition to the processor, the processor storing the operational data in the memory and updating the stored operational data upon receipt of new operational data from the sensor,

the memory also comprising parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump and at least one predetermined level of operational information,

the processor comparing the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information to the display as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part modifying the operation of the pump.

40. The pump of claim 39 wherein the processor compares the stored predetermined level to the stored operational data and in dependent response thereto outputting information to the display as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part.

41. A method of facilitating maintenance of a pump comprising the following steps:

providing a pump including wear parts, a processor and memory;

sensing at least one acoustic signature signal of the pump indicative of the operation of the pump;

storing the sensed signature signal in the memory;

storing parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump in the memory;

storing at least one predetermined signature signal;

operating the processor to compare the stored predetermined signature signal to the stored sensed signature signal and in dependent response thereto outputting information as to the desirability of replacing or repairing at least one selected wear part.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the signature signal is a vibratory signal.

43. A pump comprising:

at least one wear part, a processor and memory, at least one sensor for sensing at least one acoustical signature signal of the pump, and a display,

the sensor communicating the sensed signature signal to the processor, the processor storing the signature signal in the memory and updating the stored signature signal upon receipt of a new signature signal from the sensor,

the memory also comprising parts identification data identifying wear parts of the pump at least one predetermined signature signal,

the processor comparing the stored predetermined signature signal to the stored signature signal and in dependent response thereto outputting information to the display as to the desirability of replacing and repairing at least one selected wear part.

44. The pump of claim 43 wherein the signature signal is a vibratory signal.