Method and system for optimizing operation of a pump

• US 8,727,744 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Inventors: Magoon, Paul J., Ramirez, Raul A., Braggin, Jennifer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): STIMPERT, PHILIP EARL
• Application Number:
  US12/714,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20110211976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 417/53, 417/313, 210/85, 210/91, 210/141, 210/416.1, 210/739, 210/767, 222/91, 700/273, 700/282
• US Class Current: 417/313
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/52 Filter identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/243 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/22 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/109 Testing of membrane fouling or clogging, e.g. amount or affinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/06 Combinations of two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/20 Filtering

Abstract

The disclosure describes systems and methods relating generally to filtration. Even more particularly, embodiments described herein relate to optimizing operating routines of a pump based on filter information and process fluid information. The filter information can be stored on an electronically readable tag on the filter.

Claims

1. A pump comprising:

one or more motors to draw fluid into an inlet of the pump and dispense a process fluid from an outlet of the pump;

a removable filter disposed in a fluid flow path between the pump inlet and the pump outlet;

a pump controller configured to;

receive filter information about a removable filter configuration;

receive process fluid information;

access a library of operating routines for different filters and fluids stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory, wherein the library of operating routines comprises a set of different operating routines, each of the set of different operating routines comprising a corresponding series of segments specifying valve and motor timings for moving the process fluid in the pump, each of the different operating routines associated with a different combination of filter configuration and fluid parameter;

select an operating routine from the library of operating routines based on the filter information and the process fluid information prior to beginning a cycle incorporating the corresponding series of segments of the selected operating routine;

operate the pump according to the selected operating routine.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the removable filter has an electronic tag storing the filter information and the pump further comprises an electronic tag reader positioned and configured to read the filter information from the electronic tag.

3. The pump of claim 2, wherein the electronic tag reader comprises an RFID reader.

4. The pump of claim 2, wherein the filter information comprises a part number.

5. The pump of claim 2, wherein the filter information comprises information specific to the removable filter.

6. The pump of claim 1, wherein the selected operating routine comprises a priming routine for the removable filter.

7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the pump controller is further configured to:

monitor operational data of the pump during the priming routine;

correlate the operational data to the filter information; and

adjust operation of the pump from the selected operating routine based on information specific to the removable filter included in the filter information and the operational data.

8. The pump of claim 1, wherein the selected operating routine comprises a filtration routine for the removable filter.

9. The pump of claim 8, wherein the pump controller is further configured to:

monitor operational data of the pump during the filtration routine;

correlate the operational data to the filter information; and

adjust operation of the pump from the selected operating routine based on information specific to the removable filter which is included in the filter information and the operational data.

10. The pump of claim 1, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises a different number of segments than the first operating routine; and

the controller is further configured to;

determine that the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter from the process fluid information;

if the removable filter configuration is the first filter configuration, select the first operating routine and operate the pump according to the first operating routine;

if the removable filter configuration is the second filter configuration, select the second operating routine and operate the pump according to the second operating routine.

11. The pump of claim 10, wherein the first operating routine defines a first dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to a wafer and the second operating routine defines a second dispense cycle different from the first dispense cycle, the second dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to the wafer.

12. The pump of claim 1, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises at least one different type of segment than the first operating routine; and

the controller is further configured to;

determine that the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter from the process fluid information;

if the removable filter configuration is the first filter configuration, select the first operating routine and operate the pump according to the first operating routine; and

if the removable filter configuration is the second filter configuration, select the second operating routine and operate the pump according to the second operating routine.

13. A pump system comprising:

a pump comprising;

one or more motors to draw fluid into an inlet of the pump and dispense fluid from an outlet of the pump;

a removable filter in a fluid flow path between the pump inlet and the pump outlet, the removable filter having an electronic tag storing filter information about removable filter configuration;

an electronic tag reader positioned and configured to read the filter information about the removable filter from the electronic tag;

a pump controller coupled to the electronic tag reader, the pump controller configured to;

receive the filter information about the removable filter configuration from the electronic tag reader;

communicate the filter information about the removable filter configuration over a communications link; and

control operation of the pump to dispense the fluid according to a selected operating routine;

a pump management system configured to;

receive the filter information about the removable filter from the pump;

access a library of operating routines for different filters and fluids stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the library of operating routines comprises a set of different operating routines, each of the set of different operating routines comprising a corresponding series of segments specifying valve and motor timings for moving the fluid in the pump, each of the different operating routines associated with a different combination of filter configuration and fluid parameter;

select an operating routine from the library of operating routines based on the filter information and process fluid information prior to beginning a cycle incorporating the corresponding series of segments of the selected operating routine; and

communicate the selected operating routine to the pump controller.

14. The pump system of claim 13, wherein the electronic tag reader comprises an RFID reader.

15. The pump system of claim 13, wherein the filter information comprises a part number.

16. The pump system of claim 13, wherein the filter information comprises information specific to the removable filter.

17. The pump system of claim 13, wherein the selected operating routine comprises a priming routine for the removable filter.

18. The pump system of claim 17, wherein the pump controller is further configured to:

monitor operational data of the pump during the priming routine;

correlate the operational data to the filter information; and

adjust the priming routine from the selected operating routine based on information specific to the removable filter which is included in the filter information and the operational data.

19. The pump system of claim 13, wherein the operating routine comprises a filtration routine for the removable filter.

20. The pump system of claim 19, wherein the pump controller is further configured to:

monitor operational data of the pump during the filtration routine;

correlate the operational data to the filter information; and

adjust operation of the pump from the selected operating routine based on information specific to the removable filter which is included in the filter information and the operational data.

21. The pump system of claim 13, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises a different number of segments than the first operating routine; and

the pump management system is further configured to;

determine that the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter from the process fluid information;

if the filter configuration of the removable filter is the first filter configuration, select the first operating routine as the selected operating routine;

if the filter configuration of the removable filter is the second filter configuration, select the second operating routine as the selected operating routine.

22. The pump system of claim 21, wherein the first operating routine defines a first dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to a wafer and the second operating routine defines a second dispense cycle different from the first dispense cycle, the second dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to the wafer.

23. The pump system of claim 13, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises at least one different type of segment than the first operating routine; and

the pump management system is further configured to;

determine that the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter from the process fluid information;

if the removable filter configuration is the first filter configuration, select the first operating routine as the selected operating routine; and

if the removable filter configuration is the second filter configuration, select the second operating routine as the selected operating routine.

24. A method for controlling operation of a pump comprising:

connecting a removable filter to the pump via a quick change mechanism, wherein the removable filter has an electronic tag storing filter information about the removable filter;

receiving the filter information for the removable filter from the electronic tag using an electronic tag reader;

accessing a library of operating routines for different filters and fluids stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the library of operating routines comprises a set of different operating routines, each of the set of different operating routines comprising a corresponding series of segments specifying valve and motor timings for moving the fluid in the pump, each of the different operating routines associated with a different combination of filter configuration and fluid parameter;

selecting an operating routine from the library of operating routines based on the filter information and a process fluid parameter; and

operating the pump according to the selected operating routine.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selected operating routine comprises an optimal priming routine for the removable filter.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the selected operating routine comprises an optimal filtration routine for the removable filter.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises a different number of segments than the first operating routine; and

the method further comprises;

determining if the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter from process fluid information;

if a removable filter configuration of the removable filter is the first filter configuration, selecting the first operating routine as the selected operating routine;

if the removable filter configuration of the removable filter is the second filter configuration, selecting the second operating routine as the selected operating routine.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first operating routine defines a first dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to a wafer and the second operating routine defines a second dispense cycle different from the first dispense cycle, the second dispense cycle comprising segments to fill the pump, filter the process fluid, vent the filter and dispense the process fluid to the wafer.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the library of operating routines comprises a first operating routine associated with a first filter configuration and a first process fluid parameter and a second operating routine associated with a second filter configuration and the first process fluid parameter, wherein the second operating routine comprises at least one different type of segment than the first operating routine; and

the method further comprises;

determining if the process fluid is associated with the first process fluid parameter;

if a removable filter configuration of the removable filter is the first filter configuration, selecting the first operating routine as the selected operating routine;

if the removable filter configuration of the removable filter is the second filter configuration, selecting the second operating routine as the selected operating routine.