Sensorless adaptive pump control with self-calibration apparatus for hydronic pumping system

• US 9,897,084 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Andrew A., Gu, James J., Scott, Graham A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US14/339,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus that features a signal processor or processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about an adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and a varying equivalent system characteristic curve based at least partly on an instant pump pressure and a flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter, and equivalent hydronic system characteristics associated with the instant pump pressure and the flow rate to corresponding motor power and speed reconstructed and remapped using a discrete numerical approach; and determine an adaptive pressure set point, based at least partly on the signaling received.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a signal processor or processing module configured at least to;

receive signaling containing information about an adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and a varying equivalent system characteristic curve based at least partly on an instant pump pressure and a flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter, and associated signaling containing information about an equilibrium point of pump differential pressure and system pressure formulated in a hydronic domain by utilizing pump and system characteristic curve equations so as to yield system pressure and flow at any particular load and time in a pump hydronic system,

determine equivalent hydronic system characteristics associated with the instant pump pressure and the flow rate to corresponding motor power and speed reconstructed and remapped using a discrete numerical approach; and

determine corresponding signaling containing information about an adaptive pressure set point, based at least partly on the signaling and associated received.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured to provide the corresponding signaling containing information about the adaptive pressure set point, including a system pumping flow rate and pressure.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the corresponding signaling contains information used to control a pumping hydronic system.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured to:

receive associated signaling containing information about the instant pressure and the flow rate of fluid being pumped in a pumping system; and

determine the adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and the varying equivalent system characteristic curve, based at least partly on the associated signaling received.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor or processing module comprises:

at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, and the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with at least one processor, to cause the signal processor or processing module at least to receive the signaling and determine the adaptive pressure set point.

6. A method comprising:

receiving in a signal processor or processing module signaling containing information about an adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and a varying equivalent system characteristic curve based at least partly on an instant pump pressure and a flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter, and associated signaling containing information about an equilibrium point of pump differential pressure and system pressure formulated in a hydronic domain by utilizing pump and system characteristic curve equations so as to yield system pressure and flow at any particular load and time in a pump hydronic system, and determining equivalent hydronic system characteristics associated with the instant pump pressure and the flow rate to corresponding motor power and speed reconstructed and remapped using a discrete numerical approach; and

determining in the signal processor or processing module corresponding signaling containing information about an adaptive pressure set point, based at least partly on the signaling and the associated received.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises providing from the signal processor or processing module corresponding signaling containing information about the adaptive pressure set point determined, including a system pumping flow rate and pressure.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the corresponding signaling contains information used to control the pumping hydronic system.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises configuring the signal processor or processing module to:

receive associated signaling containing information about the instant pressure and the flow rate of fluid being pumped in a pumping system; and

determine the adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and the varying equivalent system characteristic curve, based at least partly on the associated signaling received.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises configuring the signal processor or processing module with at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, and the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with at least one processor, to cause the signal processor or processing module at least to receive the signaling and determine the adaptive pressure set point.