Anti-entrapment and anti-dead head function

• US 9,551,344 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• 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 Drives A/S (Danfoss A/S), Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Stiles, Robert W. Jr., Berthelsen, Lars Hoffmann, Westermann-Rasmussen, Peter, Kjaer, Gert, Lungeanu, Florin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamo, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/097,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20140093394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• 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 15/0254 the condition being speed or load
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/335 Output power or torque

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a pumping system for at least one aquatic application. The pumping system includes a pump, a motor coupled to the pump, an interface associated with the pump designed to receive input instructions from a user, and a controller in communication with the motor. The controller determines a blockage condition based on a power consumption value of the motor, and further includes an auto-restart function that is designed to allow the pump to automatically restart after detection of the blockage.

Claims

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

a pump;

a motor coupled to the pump;

an interface associated with the pump designed to receive input instructions from a user; and

a controller in communication with the motor,

the controller designed to detect and respond to a blockage condition, which is at least one of an entrapment condition or a deadhead condition, based on a power consumption value of the motor, and further including an auto-restart function that is designed to allow the pump to automatically restart after detection of the blockage condition, the controller undertaking a fast detection method in response to the entrapment condition and the controller undertaking a slow detection method in response to the deadhead condition, the fast detection method designed to alert the controller upon a first occurrence of a blockage event and the slow detection method designed to alert the controller upon a plurality of blockage events.

2. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the power consumption value of the motor is determined using a previous power consumption value at a first time period and a current power consumption value determined at a second time period.

3. The pumping system of claim 2, wherein the previous power consumption value is compared to the current power consumption value to determine a difference value.

4. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the controller repeatedly monitors the power consumption value to determine the blockage condition.

5. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the blockage condition is an entrapment condition.

6. The pumping system of claim 5, wherein the entrapment condition is caused by a blockage associated with a suction side of the pump.

7. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the blockage condition is a deadhead condition, which is associated with an obstruction in plumbing disposed downstream of the pump.

8. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the slow detection method is designed to alert the system upon a number of cumulative occurrences indicating the deadhead condition.

9. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the entrapment condition is determined by comparing a current power consumption value of the motor to a previously determined power consumption value.

10. The pumping system of claim 1, wherein the deadhead condition is determined by comparing a deadhead baseline value with a current deadhead value.

11. 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 a blockage condition based on a comparison of a current power consumption value of the motor to either a baseline value of power consumption of the motor or a previous power consumption value of the motor,

the controller performing a condition cheek to determine whether a speed of the motor has recently changed, and

the controller shutting down the pumping system based on the comparison of the current power consumption value only after determining that the speed change did not occur during a transition or stabilization stage of the speed change,

the controller further calculating a power gradient baseline value based on the change in speed and corresponding oscillations in power consumption of the motor if the speed has recently changed.

12. The pumping system of claim 11, wherein a difference value is determined based on the comparison of the current power consumption value of the motor to the previous power consumption value of the motor.

13. The pumping system of claim 12, wherein the pumping system is shut down by the controller substantially immediately if the difference value indicates a decrease in power consumption of the motor.

14. The pumping system of claim 11, wherein ihe power gradient baseline value includes a trigger level capable of preventing erroneous triggering of an entrapment condition during speed change transition and setting times, while permitting the entrapment condition in the event of a severe power gradient change.

15. The pumping system of claim 11, wherein the controller further calculates a second power gradient baseline value based on a percentage of the current power consumption value of the motor if the speed has not recently changed.

16. The pumping system of claim 15, wherein an entrapment condition is triggered if a present change in power consumption of the motor exceeds the percentage of the current power consumption value of the motor.

17. The pumping system of claim 11, wherein the controller automatically restarts the pump using an auto-restart mechanism after the controller determines that the speed change did not occur during the transition or stabilization stage of the speed change.

18. The pumping system of claim 11, further including a user interface disposed adjacent the motor.

19. The pumping system of claim 12, wherein the controller compares the difference value to the power gradient baseline value.