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Controlling pumps for improved energy efficiency

  • US 9,181,953 B2
  • Filed: 10/01/2009
  • Issued: 11/10/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for improving energy efficiency of a pump system, wherein the pump system comprises one or more pumps, the method comprising:

  • measuring instantaneous power consumption of the pump system;

    measuring instantaneous fluid flow rate of the pump system;

    determining an instantaneous specific energy consumption (SEC) of the pump system based on the instantaneous power consumption of the pump system and the instantaneous fluid flow rate of the pump system;

    automatically adjusting speed of the one or more pumps according to a change direction in response to said determining, wherein the change direction is increasing or decreasing;

    waiting for the pump system to stabilize after said adjusting; and

    in response to the pump system stabilizing, repeating said measuring instantaneous power consumption, said measuring instantaneous fluid flow rate, said determining, and said adjusting to seek a reduced value of the instantaneous SEC of the pump system;

    wherein said determining the instantaneous SEC of the pump system includes;

    determining whether the current instantaneous SEC of the pump system is greater than a previous instantaneous SEC of the pump system, andsetting the change direction to the opposite direction if the current instantaneous SEC of the pump system is determined to be greater than the previous instantaneous SEC of the pump system.

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