Pump controller system and method

• US 9,371,829 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Flow Technologies LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Koehl, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lettman, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): STIMPERT, PHILIP EARL
• Application Number:
  US11/980,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20080260540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,157 Days
• Field of Search: 417/1, 417/36, 417/38, 417/44.2, 417/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0088 Testing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/02 Stopping of pumps, or operating valves, on occurrence of unwanted conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0236 Lack of liquid level being detected by analysing the parameters of the electric drive, e.g. current or power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37371 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/202 actuated by an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0852 directly responsive to abnormal temperature by using a temperature sensor in a control circuit H02H7/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating a pump having a motor, the pump connected to a water distribution system, the method comprising;

a) providing a constant pressure setpoint;

b) operating the motor in a forward direction;

c) sensing a pressure in the water distribution system;

d) determining whether the sensed pressure has increased by a first pressure increment;

e) increasing an operating frequency of the motor by a first frequency increment if the sensed pressure has not increased by the first pressure increment;

f) storing a speed of the motor as a minimum calibrated speed value when the sensed pressure has increased by the first pressure increment; and

g) setting the minimum calibrated speed value as an initial starting speed of the motor whenever the motor is initially turned on or restarted;

wherein a controller performs at least steps b), c), d), and f) when the pump is installed or a new constant pressure setpoint is provided.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising reducing the speed of the motor by a second frequency increment before storing the speed of the motor as the minimum calibrated speed value.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising sensing the pressure between the pump and a water tank.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pressure increment is about one pound per square inch and the first frequency increment is about one Hertz.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising setting at least one gain based on the minimum calibrated speed value.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising sensing the pressure in the water distribution system when the water distribution system is connected to at least one of a well pump system, a municipal water system, a pool system, a spa system, a recreational vehicle water system, a marine craft water system, a turf or irrigation system, and a pressure boost system.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising setting a gain for a proportional/integral control loop based on the minimum calibrated speed value.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising performing a regulation mode to increase the pressure in a water tank to a tank pressure setpoint.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the motor is started operating at a minimum operating speed.