Pump controller system and method

• US 9,399,992 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• 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): Tran, Binh Q
• Application Number:
  US14/446,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20140334945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44.1, 417/45, 417/44.11, 417/410.1
• 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 pumping system for circulation of a fluid in a pool system, comprising:

a pump means for circulating the fluid in the pool system;

a motor means for driving the pump means; and

a pump controller means for controlling the motor means with a variable speed drive means for driving the motor means, the pump controller means including a power factor correction means for maintaining a power factor of the pumping system at a substantially constant corrected power factor value during operation of the pumping system, the pump controller means including a current sensor means for sensing a current being provided to drive the motor means during operation of the pumping system, the pump controller means including a voltage correction means for maintaining a voltage of the pumping system at a substantially constant target voltage during operation of the pumping system,

wherein the pump controller means is configured to detect a fault condition due to a variation in a load on the motor means when the current sensor means senses the current varying outside of a predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fault condition is detected if the current goes above the predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fault condition is detected if the current goes below the predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the load on the motor means is represented by the current and the voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fault condition is indicative of a foreign object obstruction in the pump means.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the current is a DC current.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage is a DC voltage.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller means is configured to shut down the variable speed drive means when the fault condition has occurred.

9. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising an indicator light emitting diode to indicate that the fault condition has occurred.

10. The system of claim 1, the pump means further comprising an output port, wherein the fault condition is a foreign object obstruction at the output port causing an overload or an underload of the motor means.

11. The system of claim 1, the pump means further comprising an input port , wherein the fault condition is a foreign object obstruction at the input port causing an overload or an underload of the motor means.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller means includes a digital signal processor and a microcontroller.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor means coupled to a heatsink means of the pump controller means, the temperature sensor means for providing an output signal corresponding to a temperature to an input of the pump controller means, wherein the pump controller means is configured to shut down the motor means when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature value.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller means includes a plurality of drives electrically connected to the motor means for providing a three-phase output to the motor means.

12. A system for detecting a foreign object obstruction to fluid circulation by a pump, the pump being coupled to a motor driven by a variable speed drive, the system comprising:

a current sensor configured to measure a current being provided to operate the motor;

a correction module configured to regulate a power factor of the system to a substantially constant power factor value and to regulate a bus voltage of the system to a target bus voltage value over an operational range of the motor; and

a controller in communication with the current sensor and the correction module, the controller configured to;

ascertain whether a fault condition has occurred due to the presence of a foreign object obstruction based on the regulated power factor value, the target bus voltage, and the current being provided to operate the motor, and

shut down the variable speed drive driving the motor when the current is measured outside of a predetermined range indicating a fault condition has occurred.

13. The system of claim 12, the system further comprising an indicator light emitting diode to indicate that the fault condition has occurred.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the variable speed drive includes a plurality of drives electrically connected to the motor for providing a three-phase output to the motor.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to a heatsink of the controller, the temperature sensor providing an output signal corresponding to a temperature of the controller to an input of the controller, wherein the controller shuts down the motor when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature value.

14. A system for controlling a motor connected to a pump, the system comprising:

a power factor correction module operating to correct a power factor of the system to a substantially corrected power factor value and including a rectifier configured to connect to a power supply;

a DC bus line output from the power factor correction module;

an inverter drive connected to the DC bus line output, the DC bus line output providing a current to the inverter drive;

a variable speed motor connected to the inverter drive; and

a controller configured to detect a fault condition based on the current and the corrected power factor value.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the controller includes a digital signal processor and a microcontroller; and

further comprising a plurality of drives electrically connected to the power factor correction module via a DC bus line for driving the motor, the plurality of drives providing a three-phase output to the motor.