Controller for a motor and a method of controlling the motor
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a possible entrapment event in a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, a return, and a pumping apparatus coupled to the drain and the return, the pumping apparatus comprisinga pump comprising an inlet coupled to the drain and an outlet coupled to the return, anda motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the method comprising:
- during a normal operation state,powering the motor,pumping the fluid with the pumping apparatus during the powering of the motor, the pumping act comprising suctioning the fluid from the vessel through the drain and jetting the pumped fluid into the vessel through the return,monitoring the drain for the possible entrapment event, the monitoring act comprisingmonitoring an input power of the motor, including sensing a voltage of the motor, sensing a current of the motor, determining a power factor of the motor, and calculating the input power to the motor based on the voltage, the current, and the power factor, andmonitoring the calculated input power for an indication of a possible entrapment event, andinitiating a fault state when the calculated input power is indicative of the possible entrapment event; and
during the fault state,powering down the motor, andceasing the pumping of the fluid after powering down the motor.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of controlling a motor operating a pumping apparatus of a fluid-pumping application. The pumping apparatus includes a pump having an inlet to receive a fluid and an outlet to exhaust the fluid, and the motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump. The method includes the acts of controlling the motor to operate the pump and monitoring the operation of the pump. The monitoring act includes monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump. The method further includes the act of controlling the motor to cease operation of the pump when the determination indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump and zero or more other conditions exist.
217 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a possible entrapment event in a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, a return, and a pumping apparatus coupled to the drain and the return, the pumping apparatus comprising
a pump comprising an inlet coupled to the drain and an outlet coupled to the return, and a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the method comprising: during a normal operation state, powering the motor, pumping the fluid with the pumping apparatus during the powering of the motor, the pumping act comprising suctioning the fluid from the vessel through the drain and jetting the pumped fluid into the vessel through the return, monitoring the drain for the possible entrapment event, the monitoring act comprising monitoring an input power of the motor, including sensing a voltage of the motor, sensing a current of the motor, determining a power factor of the motor, and calculating the input power to the motor based on the voltage, the current, and the power factor, and monitoring the calculated input power for an indication of a possible entrapment event, and initiating a fault state when the calculated input power is indicative of the possible entrapment event; and during the fault state, powering down the motor, and ceasing the pumping of the fluid after powering down the motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting a possible entrapment event in a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, a return, and a pumping apparatus coupled to the drain and the return, the pumping apparatus comprising
a pump comprising an inlet coupled to the drain and an outlet coupled to the return, a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the method comprising: during a first state, initiating operation of the motor, priming the pump after the initiating act, monitoring the operation of the pump, the monitoring act comprising monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates the pump can be monitored for the possible entrapment event; ceasing the first state and entering a normal operation state based on the monitored power indicating the pump can be monitored for the possible entrapment event; and during the normal operation state, pumping the fluid with the pumping apparatus during the powering of the motor, the pumping act comprising suctioning the fluid from the vessel through the drain and jetting the pumped fluid through the return and monitoring the drain for the possible entrapment event, the monitoring act comprising monitoring the power of the motor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of detecting a possible entrapment event in a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, a return, and a pumping apparatus coupled to the drain and the return, the pumping apparatus comprising
a pump comprising an inlet coupled to the drain and an outlet coupled to the return, and a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the method comprising: -
pumping the fluid with the pumping apparatus, the pumping act comprising suctioning the fluid from the vessel through the drain and jetting the pumped fluid into the vessel through the return; during the pumping act, sensing a voltage of the motor, sensing a current of the motor, determining a power factor of the motor, and determining an input power based on the voltage, the current, and the power factor; determining whether a monitored input power indicates the possible entrapment event; and powering down the motor based on the determining whether the monitored input power indicates the possible entrapment event. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of detecting a possible entrapment event in a jetted-fluid system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid, a drain, a return, and a pumping apparatus coupled to the drain and the return, the pumping apparatus comprising
a pump comprising an inlet coupled to the drain and an outlet coupled to the return, a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, the method comprising: -
initiating operation of the motor, priming the pump after the initiating act, monitoring the operation of the pump during the priming of the pump, the monitoring act comprising monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates the system can be monitored for the possible entrapment event; entering a possible entrapment monitoring state based on the determining act; and monitoring the system for the possible entrapment event after entering the possible entrapment monitoring state, the monitoring act comprising monitoring the power of the motor; wherein the acts of monitoring the power comprise sensing a voltage applied to the motor, sensing a current through the motor, determining a power factor for the motor, and determining an input power based on the voltage, the current, and the power factor. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification