Water Booster Control System and Method

• US 20140309796A1
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Flow Technologies LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Pump Group, Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Mueller, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,670,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/04 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/08 Regulating by delivery pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/103 Responsive to speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/106 Responsive to pumped volume

Abstract

A water booster control system designed with a controller having an algorithm that determines optimum starting parameters for one or more pumps is disclosed. The water booster control system supplies water to a location at specified operating parameters. Water enters a suction manifold, travels through pipes, and into the pumps. The pumps accelerate the water to the desired pressure and/or flow rate and discharge the water through pipes and out of a discharge manifold. One or more of the components of the water booster control system are monitored during use, and data regarding the parameters is displayed locally and/or remotely. Alarms are specified relating to one or more of the operating parameters and the alarm conditions may be displayed locally and/or remotely. A user may make modifications to the system locally and/or remotely through a screen and/or through a remote device using a smart phone application.

Claims

1. A water control booster system, comprising:

a pump in communication with a drive unit;

a user interface; and

a controller in communication with the pump and the drive unit,

the controller designed to control at least one operating parameter of the pump,

wherein the controller further includes an algorithm stored thereon that is designed to determine the at least one operating parameter of the pump, and

the water booster control system is further designed to allow a user to enter at least one customizable alarm threshold through the user interface that is transmitted to the user remotely when the threshold is breached.

2. The water control booster system of claim 1, wherein the at least one operating parameter is one of a pump sequence mode, a pump rotation, a lead pump, and a lag pump.

3. The water control booster system of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is configured to carry out the steps of:

determining a set point defined by at least one of a system pressure and a system flow for which the water control booster system demands;

capturing at least one of a minimum speed and a maximum speed of the pump;

storing the at least one minimum speed and maximum speed of the pump on the controller;

initiating the one or more additional pumps at a pre-determined time/frequency rate to meet the set point; and

automatically adjusting the at least one operating parameter when the set point is not met.

4. The water control booster system of claim 3, wherein the minimum speed is the speed at which the pump produces flow and increases pressure above an incoming pressure of the water control booster system.

5. The water control booster system of claim 3, wherein the maximum speed is the speed at which the pump can operate without allowing the drive unit to experience an overcurrent.

6. The water control booster system of claim 1, wherein the at least one customizable alarm threshold includes one of an alarm indicating a discharge pressure of water exiting the water booster control system, an alarm indicating a suction pressure, an alarm indicating a status of the one or more drive units, and an alarm indicating a fault condition has been triggered by at least one of a discharge pressure, the suction pressure, and a flow rate.

7. The water control booster system of claim 1, further comprising a network in communication with the controller and a remote device, wherein the remote device is configured to receive the breached alarm threshold.

8. The water control booster system of claim 7, wherein the remote device includes at least one of a networked workstation, a laptop, a smart phone, and a handheld tablet.

9. The water control booster system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller (PLC) that includes a processor configured to facilitate operation of the water booster control system, the PLC having stored thereon a proportional integral derivative (PID) loop configured to control the at least one operating parameter of the pump.

10. The water control booster system of claim 9, wherein the PID is further configured to calculate a difference between a set process variable and a desired set point, and calculate an error value, based on the calculated difference, to adjust at least one input parameter and operational parameters to minimize the error value.

11. The water control booster system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a computer implemented user interface that includes a touch-screen display configured for the user to manipulate.

12. A method of operating pumps in a water booster control system, comprising the step of:

calculating one or more operating parameters of one or more pumps using an algorithm, wherein the algorithm utilizes a proportional integral derivative (PID) loop that determines the difference between a set process variable and a desired set point.

13. The method of operating pumps of claim 12 further comprising the step of calculating an error value that is based on the difference between the set process variable and the desired set point, wherein the error value is used to adjust at least one of input parameters and operational parameters of the water booster control system to minimize the error value.

14. The method of operating pumps of claim 13, wherein the PID loop includes a plurality of constant variables, the plurality of constant variables including at least one of a proportional value, an integral value, and a derivative value.

15. The method of operating pumps of claim 14, wherein the plurality of constant variables correspond to at least one of a present error calculation, a past error calculation, and a future error calculation.

16. A method of operating one or more pumps in a water booster system while in operation, comprising the steps of:

selecting a first pump parameter on a computer implemented user interface defined by at least one of a pump sequence mode selection, a pump rotation selection, and a lead pump selection;

receiving an alarm indicating a fault condition, wherein the alarm is transmitted to an offsite location;

reviewing the alarm and transmitting a response to the one or more pumps; and

adjusting the first pump parameter in response to the alarm.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of at least one of viewing and editing the first pump parameter on the computer implemented user interface while the one or more pumps are in operation.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein selecting the first pump parameter on the computer implemented user interface includes selecting at least one of a first lead pump and a first lag pump, wherein the first lead pump is configured to rotate during a startup cycle and rotate to the first lag pump in the pump sequence when only one pump is started during the startup cycle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first lag pump becomes a new lead pump, and the first lead pump because the first pump to be turned off and the new lead pump is the last pump on in a new start cycle, and wherein the new lead pump is the next pump in the sequence when more than one pump has been started.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the pump rotation selection defined by changing a lead pump to another pump when an hours parameter times out when selecting the first pump parameter on the computer implemented user interface includes the pump rotation selection.