Priming protection

• US 8,573,952 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danfoss Power Electronics A/S (Danfoss A/S), Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Danfoss Low Power Drives, Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Stiles, Robert W. Jr., Berthelsen, Lars Hoffmann, Kjaer, Gert, Lungeanu, Florin
• Primary Examiner(s): FREAY, CHARLES GRANT
• Application Number:
  US13/220,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20120020810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 417/12, 417/44.11, 417/42, 417/43, 417/44.1, 700/282
• US Class Current: 417/12
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 1/00 Radial-flow pumps, e.g. centrifugal pumps; Helico-centrifugal pumps adapted for pumping specific fluids F04D7/00; priming or boosting F04D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0077 Safety measures F04D15/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0088 Testing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0245 responsive to a condition of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 9/02 Self-priming pumps

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a pumping system for at least one aquatic application. The pumping system includes a pump, a motor coupled to the pump, and a controller in communication with the motor. The controller determines an actual power consumption of the motor and compares the actual power consumption to a reference power consumption. The controller also determines that the pump is in an unprimed condition if the actual power consumption is less than the reference power consumption and that the pump is in a primed condition if the actual power consumption is at least equal to the reference power consumption.

Claims

1. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a controller in communication with the motor,

the controller determining an actual power consumption of the motor,

the controller comparing the actual power consumption to a reference power consumption,

the controller determining that the pump is in an unprimed condition if the actual power consumption is less than the reference power consumption,

the controller determining that the pump is in a primed condition if the actual power consumption is at least equal to the reference power consumption, and

the controller obtaining a timeout value used to limit the amount of time the pumping system can attempt to successfully prime.

2. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a controller in communication with the motor,

the controller determining an actual power consumption of the motor,

the controller determines a reference power consumption of the motor from pump curves including power versus speed for discrete flow rates,

the controller comparing the actual power consumption to the reference power consumption,

the controller determining that the pump is in an unprimed condition if the actual power consumption is less than the reference power consumption, and

the controller determining that the pump is in a primed condition if the actual power consumption is at least equal to the reference power consumption.

3. The pumping system of claim 2, wherein the controller retrieves a reference flow rate for the pump curves from a program menu through a user interface.

4. The pumping system of claim 2, wherein the controller determines a reference flow rate based upon at least one of a total size of the at least one aquatic application, a desired number of turnovers per day, and a time range that the pumping system is permitted to operate.

5. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a controller in communication with the motor,

the controller starting the motor at an initial speed and then pausing for a predetermined amount of time to permit the pumping system to stabilize,

the controller determining an actual power consumption of the motor after the controller has paused for the predetermined amount of time,

the controller comparing the actual power consumption to a reference power consumption,

the controller determining that the pump is in an unprimed condition if the actual power consumption is less than the reference power consumption, and

the controller determining that the pump is in a primed condition if the actual power consumption is at least equal to the reference power consumption.

6. The pumping system of claim 5, wherein the controller pauses for about one second.

7. A pumping system for at least one aquatic application, the pumping system comprising:

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump; and

a controller in communication with the motor,

the controller determining an actual power consumption of the motor,

the controller comparing the actual power consumption to a reference power consumption,

the controller incrementing a prime counter when the actual power consumption is less than the reference power consumption and decrementing the prime counter when the actual power consumption is greater than the reference power consumption,

the controller determining a priming status based on whether the prime counter exceeds a high threshold value in order to be considered in a first unprimed condition and increasing the speed of the motor,

if the controller determines a second unprimed condition, the controller increasing a speed of the motor to a maximum motor speed, and

if the actual power consumption exceeds a dry run power consumption threshold, the controller at least one of shutting down the pumping system, providing an indication of a dry run, and locking the pumping system.