Fluid flow monitor and control system

• US 7,720,574 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compressor Products International LLC (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Coltec Industrial Products LLC (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roys, Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US11/003,932
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 700281-284, 702/34, 702/36, 702/45, 702/50, 702/51, 702/55, 702/100, 702/183, 702/185, 702/188, 738/611.2, 732/61, 137/269, 137/553, 137/554, 137/565.01, 137/565.11
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means

Abstract

A fluid flow monitoring, evaluation, and control system providing accurate dispensing of fluids in low volume, high pressure systems. The system includes one or more fluid flow sensors mounted on positive displacement dispensing valves and a processor that receives cycle signals from the fluid flow sensors to determine fluid flow information. If the fluid flow is not within specified limits, a signal is sent to a pump control device to adjust the pump to return the fluid flow to desired level. A dispensing valve can include a display to show cycle time or other fluid flow measurement. The system can include dispensing valves having single inputs and single outputs for measuring fluid dispensed at a point of use, which measurement can be compared to measurements taken at a divider block earlier in the hydraulic path to verify that fluid sent into the path was actually dispensed.

Claims

1. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure to dispense less than 80 pints per day of lubricant at a pressure of greater than 500 psi, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the fluid flow sensor producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles; and

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to adjust the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within a predetermined range, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow.

2. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure to dispense lubricant to lubricate a natural gas compressor, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the fluid flow sensor producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles; and

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to adjust the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within a predetermined range, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow.

9. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 2 in which communications link connects the fluid dispensing system to a computer network including a computer programmed to receive signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles, to determine fluid flow rates based upon the signals, and make fluid flow information available on a global computer network.

3. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the one or more fluid flow sensors including one or more positive displacement pumps that dispenses a fixed quantity of fluid each cycle and producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles; and

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to adjust the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within a predetermined range, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow.

4. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi, the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves including a dispensing valve having multiple outlets for dividing incoming fluid between multiple paths;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the fluid flow sensor producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles; and

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to adjust the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within a predetermined range, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow.

5. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the pump, the pump adjustment device, the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, and the one or more fluid flow sensors are located at an equipment site and further comprising a communications link connecting the fluid dispensing system at the equipment site to a computer network.

6. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 5 in which the communications link connects the fluid dispensing system to a computer network including a server computer programmed to make fluid flow information available on a global computer network.

7. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 5 in which the processor is located remotely from the equipment site and communicates with the fluid flow system at the equipment site through the communications link.

8. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the pump, the pump adjustment device, the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, the one or more fluid flow sensors, and the processor are located at an equipment site.

10. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the processor is programmed to receive fluid flow information in the form of signals corresponding to individual cycles of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to derive fluid flow rate information from the cycle signals or in which the processor is programmed to receive fluid flow rate information derived from multiple signals corresponding to cycles of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves.

11. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which at least one of the dispensing valves includes three pistons operated by the pressure of the fluid being dispensed.

12. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which at least one of the dispensing valves includes internal pistons displaced by the fluid and in which the sensor detects the motion of the pistons by detecting a change in position of a magnet moving in coordination with the pistons.

13. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the processor is programmed to send without operator intervention a signal to the pump adjustment device.

14. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the processor is programmed to send without operator intervention a signal to the pump adjustment device automatically.

15. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 4 in which the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves dispense lubricant to lubricate a machine.

16. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the fluid flow sensor producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles; and

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to increase the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is below a specified value, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow and preventing damage to equipment from a lack of lubrication.

17. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 in which the pump adjustment device comprises an electromechanical device.

18. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 in which the pump adjustment device is externally attached to the pump, thereby allowing the pump adjustment device to be retrofitted to an existing pump.

19. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 in which the pump adjustment device is an integral part of the pump.

20. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 further comprising a network interface by which the processor transmits a notification over a computer network if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within the predetermined range.

21. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 in which the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves includes a dispensing valve having a single inlet and a single outlet.

22. The low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system of claim 16 in which the processor is programmed to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to decrease the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is above a specified value, thereby eliminating wasted lubricant.

23. A low volume, high pressure fluid dispensing system comprising:

a pump for pumping a low volume of fluid at a high pressure;

a pump adjustment device for adjusting the fluid flow from the pump;

one or more fluid flow dispensing valves operated by the system fluid pressure, wherein the low volume of the fluid dispensing system is less than 80 pints per day of lubricant, and wherein the high pressure of the fluid dispensing system is greater than 500 psi;

one or more fluid flow sensors, each associated with one of the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, for measuring the fluid flow through the corresponding dispensing valve, the fluid flow sensor producing signals corresponding to fluid flow dispensing valve cycles;

a processor programmed to receive fluid flow information corresponding to fluid flow through the one or more fluid flow dispensing valves, to convert the cycle signals to measured fluid flow information, and to send a signal to the pump adjustment device to adjust the fluid flow from the pump if the fluid flow through the dispensing valve is not within a predetermined range, thereby allowing the fluid flow to be adjusted to prevent inadequate or excessive fluid flow; and

a communications link for sending fluid flow information to a computer and posting the information on the Internet.