Method for automatically determining operating curve of installed pump system

Abstract

Disclosed and claimed is a method for automatically determining an operating curve of an installed pump system. The installed pump system continuously records pairs of values indicative of an operating load of the pump system during operation. The first value indicates pump flow and the second value indicates pump lift. The operating curve of the installed pump system is determined from the recorded pairs of values by confirming the time at or near each of the plurality of operating points during operation of the installed pump system. Each operating point of the plurality of operating points is defined by a pump flow and a pump head provided by the installed pump system. Further, a pump system configured to implement the method is described and claimed.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for automatically determining an operating profile (operating performance, operating parameters) of an installed pump system.

[0002] Before initially installing a pump system with one or more pumps, it is typically necessary to determine the expected required pump flow and the expected required pump head. Based on these requirements, one or more pumps are selected from a plurality of available pumps to form the pump system. Typically, conservative selections are made so that the selected pump system can achieve the required flow and pump head under all anticipated conditions.

[0003] As a result, installed pump systems are often oversized because the expected pump flows and pump heads are either never needed or only required in rare circumstances. Consequently, the pump system will operate below its optimum operating point most of the time, making the pump system less efficient than a smaller pump system operating at its optimum operating point.

[0004] In other examples, the required pump head or pump flow rate may increase over time, such that the initially selected pump system may be too small to provide the required flow rate and / or head. Sometimes, a pump system may be able to provide the required pump flow rate and pump head, but only by operating the pump system outside the expected operating range of one or more pumps of the pump system. In addition to being inefficient, this increases wear on one or more pumps and shortens their lifespan.

[0005] In any case, the pump system should always be operated within the upper and lower limits of the pump flow and pump head for which it was designed. Otherwise, another pump system may be more energy-efficient and still provide the same flow and / or head with reduced wear.

[0006] In view of the foregoing, it may be seen that it is an object of the present invention to enable an operator of an installed pump system to determine how the installed pump is performing and whether a more suitable pump system is available to replace the installed pump system.

[0007] This problem is solved by a method and an installed pump system according to the respective independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the method and the pump system are subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] In a first aspect, this problem is solved by a method for automatically determining an operating curve for an installed pump system (including at least one installed pump). The installed pump system continuously records value pairs during operation that indicate an operating load of the installed pump system. The first value of each value pair indicates a pump flow rate of the installed pump system, and the second value of each value pair indicates a pump head of the installed pump system. The operating curve for the installed pump system is determined from the recorded value pairs by establishing a time at or near each of a plurality of operating points during operation. Each of the plurality of operating points is defined by a pump flow rate and a pump head provided by the installed pump system.

[0009] In other words, the present invention provides a method in which an installed pump system continuously and automatically records two values ​​that characterize the current operation of the pump system. The recorded value pairs are automatically assigned by the pump system to selected operating points, allowing the time the pump system was operating at or near each operating point to be determined. Each operating point is associated with a flow rate value and a pump head value provided by the installed pump system. Thus, the pump system allows the operator of the pump system to determine, at any point in time, the pump flow rate and pump head provided by the pump system over time. These values, and their evolution over time, can be used to assess the suitability of the pumping system for its current application.

[0010] An installed pump system can be a single pump or a booster system. A booster system comprises two or more pumps: at least one base pump and one or more booster pumps. The at least one base pump is dimensioned to provide sufficient flow and sufficient head during most of the operation. Only when a particularly high flow or a particularly high pump head is required are one or more booster pumps switched on to support the base pump. Typically, booster pumps are provided to increase the flow of the pump fluid and are therefore installed in parallel with the base pump and also in parallel with each other. Subsequently, unless specifically stated to the contrary, when referring to an installed pump system, the installed pump system may be a single pump or a combination of two or more pumps of the booster system.

[0011] According to the present method, an installed pump is operated for an extended operating period. The operating period can be, for example, one week, two weeks, four weeks, one month, two months, six months, or even just one day. While the pump is operating, value pairs indicative of the operating load of the pump system are collected. Throughout this period, the value pairs are continuously and automatically collected, either periodically or irregularly. In other words, the value pairs are collected without the need to install additional sensors that are not a permanent part of the pump system, nor does it require that anyone be commissioned to inspect the pump system to obtain the value pairs indicative of the operating load.

[0012] The first value of each value pair indicates the pump flow rate provided by the pump system, and the second value of each value pair indicates the pump head provided by the installed pump system. For example, the pump system can record the rotational speed of the corresponding pump impeller for each pump in the system, for example in revolutions per minute (rpm). The combination of the recorded values ​​will thus form a first value indicating the pump flow rate. As a second value, the pump system can record the combined power uptake of each pump motor at a given time. Alternatively, the actual pump head measured using a pressure sensor at the pump inlet and a pressure sensor at the pump outlet can be used as the second value.

[0013] Based on a plurality of value pairs, an operating curve of the installed pump is automatically created. The operating curve comprises a plurality of operating points, wherein each operating point represents a combination of pump flow and pump head provided by the installed pump system. The operating curve shows how long the installed pump operated at or near each operating point during operation. In other words, the collected value pairs are sorted into bins (storage areas) of limited width, i.e. each bin can have a central pump head and a central pump flow and a specific width around these central values. Thus, when creating the operating curve, similar value pairs are grouped together, which advantageously reduces the number of value pairs that must be managed. In addition, for each operating point, it is confirmed how long the installed pump system operated at or near the corresponding combination of pump head and pump flow.

[0014] In the case of periodic collection of operating points, it is sufficient to simply count the number of times the installed pump system has been operated at or near a certain operating point (i.e., within a certain interval). The time the installed pump system has been operating at each operating point can be simply calculated by multiplying the number of times the pump has been operated at the operating point by the time interval for collecting the operating points. Alternatively, the time the installed pump system has been operating at the corresponding operating point can be determined based on the timestamp recorded for each value pair.

[0015] Thus, the method according to the present invention advantageously enables a pump system to continuously confirm and record its operating load based on pump flow and pump head, without requiring any manual intervention or requiring an operator to initiate a manual check of the pump system. Based on the recorded value pairs, an operating curve is automatically generated again without requiring any human interaction. The operating curve allows the operator of the pump system to easily confirm at which operating point the pump has been operating for how long. This allows the operator to continuously monitor whether the daily operation of the pump meets the expected requirements without having to perform time-consuming and resource-intensive manual checks of the pump. Furthermore, as will be discussed in more detail with respect to further detailed embodiments, the operating curve can be used for further detailed analysis and recommendations for replacing an installed pump with a more favorable solution.

[0016] Preferably, the operating curve includes power usage (power utilization) of the installed pump system during operation. The power usage of the installed pump system during operation can be determined based on value pairs recorded by the installed pump system. Alternatively, the power usage can be determined by the installed pump system by measuring the actual power consumption of the installed pump system. Further optionally, the power usage can be estimated based on other continuously measured operating parameters of the pump system.

[0017] For example, the power usage of an installed pump system during operation can be calculated based on the entire operating curve. To do this, a virtual representation of the installed pump system can be used to calculate the power consumption or power usage of the installed pumps at each operating point. For example, the virtual representation can be a digital model of the actual pump, also known as a digital twin. The power usage or power consumption of the installed pumps is then calculated by determining the power required by one or more pumps at each operating point based on the virtual representation and then multiplying the power usage at a certain operating point by the time the installed pump system has been operating at that operating point.

[0018] Alternatively, the power consumption of an installed pump system during operation can be determined by measuring the actual power consumption of one or more installed pumps. Measuring actual power consumption is more accurate because it avoids errors caused by differences between the actual pump and its digital twin. These differences can be systematic, for example, due to the modeling of the pump, or due to, for example, wear, causing the power consumption of the pump to vary over time at the same operating point.

[0019] Alternatively, one operating parameter of one or more pumps of an installed pump system may be measured (e.g., the voltage driving the pump motor over time) and a second operating parameter may be estimated (e.g., the current drawn by the pump motor), and the actual power consumption of the pump system (i.e., the product of voltage, current, and time) may then be calculated based on the combination of the measured and estimated operating parameters.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the installed pump system includes a single installed pump. A plurality of value pairs, first and second values, indicating the operating load of the installed pump system are recorded by the single installed pump. In other words, in a preferred embodiment, the pump system consists of a single pump. The first and second values ​​forming the basis of the operating curve are recorded directly by the pump. For example, the pump may include two pressure sensors to determine the pump head and measure the impeller speed to determine the pump flow rate. The measured values ​​can be recorded directly and processed by the pump electronics to generate an operating curve, i.e., an operating curve indicating how long the pump, and thus the pump system, operates at or near the operating point determined marginally.

[0021] In an optional preferred embodiment, the installed pump system includes two or more installed pumps. A numerical value pair indicating the operating load of the installed pump system is recorded by combining corresponding first and second numerical values ​​recorded by each of the two or more installed pumps of the installed pump system. In this embodiment, the pump system is formed by a combination of multiple pumps. Each pump is provided with a device for recording a first numerical value indicating the pump flow rate and a second numerical value indicating the pump head. The numerical values ​​recorded by the individual pumps are combined at a processing entity of the pump system, which determines a combined first numerical value and a combined second numerical value, the combined first numerical value and the combined second numerical value representing the combined pump flow rate and the combined pump head provided by the entire pump system. Based on these combined first and second numerical values, an operating curve for the pump is determined. The combined numerical value for the entire pump system obtained by combining the first and second numerical values ​​of the two or more pumps can be performed, for example, by a dedicated electronic unit for the entire pump system or by the electronic unit of one of the two or more pumps.

[0022] Preferably, the operating curve includes the power usage of the installed pump system during operation. The power usage of the installed pump system during operation is determined by combining the power usage of the installed pumps during operation of the installed pump system. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the operating curve reflects the total power consumed by all pumps of the pump system during operation as reflected in the operating curve. The total power usage can be obtained by summing all the power consumption of the individual pumps. As previously mentioned, the power consumption of each pump or the entire pump system can be determined in different ways.

[0023] Preferably, the first value or the second value of each value pair of the installed pump system is determined by the installed pump system based on the operating speed or impeller speed of at least one installed pump. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, one of the first value and the second value of each pump of the one or more pumps is determined by the impeller speed, that is, the number of times the pump impeller of the pump rotates per minute. As discussed above, the pump flow rate can be derived from the impeller speed. In this embodiment, the second value indicating the pump head can be determined by measuring the pressure difference between the inlet of the corresponding pump and the outlet of the corresponding pump. Alternatively, the value characterizing the pump head is determined by the impeller speed. The impeller speed is a parameter that is widely available in pumps and is recorded by the pump electronics. It is also proportional to the pump head. In this alternative embodiment, the first value indicating the pump flow rate can be measured, for example, using a flow sensor.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the operating curve is automatically determined by the installed pump system. Thus, all method steps from the pump parameter set, deriving the first and second values ​​from the pump parameter set, combining the values ​​for one or more pumps, and determining the time each pump system was operating at or near an operating point are performed without any operator input from the pump system itself. This advantageously allows the pump operator to directly obtain the pump's operating curve, which is particularly desirable if no data connection is available in the installed pump system.

[0025] It is further preferred that the installed pump system transmits the operating curve of the installed pump system to an external processing system for further processing. For example, the transmission can be performed using a wired or wireless data connection. The external data processing system can be, for example, a handheld device directly connected to the installed pump system for downloading the operating curve, for example via a short-range wireless connection (such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection) or via a wired connection (for example using a USB cable). In another embodiment, the data processing system is a remote server or even just a remote processing service running in a cloud computing environment. In this case, the operating curve can be transmitted to the remote processing system using the Internet, wherein access to the Internet can be provided using, for example, a cellular network. It should be noted that the above are only exemplary ways of transmitting the operating curve to the external processing system, and those skilled in the art are aware of many other ways of transmitting the operating curve.

[0026] Optionally, the installed pump system may transmit continuously recorded value pairs indicative of the operating load of the installed pump system to an external processing system for determining an operating curve and for further processing. In other words, in a preferred embodiment, the operating curve has been generated by the external processing system. The transmission of the value pairs can be achieved in the manner already discussed. It is contemplated that the installed pump system may use pre-processing to reduce the amount of data transmitted. For example, the recorded value pairs may be interval processed before transmission, data compression may be performed, and the data does not have to be transmitted continuously, but may be transmitted at regular or irregular intervals. However, this does not exclude that in any case the operating curve is automatically generated without any necessary intervention by the user or operator. Examples of further processing of the operating curve will be discussed as part of subsequent exemplary embodiments.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the installed pump system automatically provides a report to the operator of the installed pump system, the report including a portion of the operating curve and, preferably, the results of further processing of the operating curve. The report is provided in a human-readable format and may include details such as the power consumption of the installed pump system during operation. Furthermore, the report includes one or more results of further processing described in subsequent embodiments. Automatically providing reports and further information about the operating curve allows the operator to continuously assess the operation and load of the pump system and to be informed of the performance of the pump system, particularly in the event of changing operating conditions, without having to manually initiate checks of the pump system.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the operating curve includes the power usage of the installed pump system during operation. Further processing of the operating curve includes selecting at least one pump system from a pump system group (a set of pump systems) to replace the installed pump system. Each pump system in the pump system group includes at least one pump. Selecting at least one pump system from the pump system group includes: for each pump system in the pump system group, confirming whether the corresponding pump system is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve. In addition, for each pump system in the pump system group that is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, determining the expected power usage of the corresponding pump system during operation based on the operating curve. The power usage of the installed pump system is compared with the expected power usage of each pump system in the pump system group that is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve. A pump system is selected from the pump system group that is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve and has a lower expected power usage during operation than the installed pump system.

[0029] In order to select a pump system that can be used to replace the installed pump system, the first step is to determine the power consumption of each pump system in the group of pump systems under the assumption that the corresponding pump system will provide the same pump flow and the same pump head as reflected in the operating curve of the installed pump system.

[0030] There are various approaches for estimating the power consumption of pump systems in a group of pump systems. Preferably, digital twins of the pumps in the pump system are used to estimate their power consumption. Even more preferably, the digital twin is used to confirm the power consumption of both the potential replacement pump system and the installed pump system. In other words, to compare the power consumption of the installed pump system with that of the other pump systems, the power consumption of the installed pump system is estimated using the digital twin of the pump system. If both estimates are based on the digital twin, the risk of systematic errors affecting the comparison of the installed pump system with the potential replacement pump system is reduced, as systematic errors should affect both pump systems in the same way and, therefore, cancel each other out in a direct comparison of power consumption.

[0031] However, before determining the expected power usage of a potential replacement pump system, the method verifies whether the pump system is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve. To this end, the method can, for example, verify whether each pair of values ​​for pump flow and pump head collected during operation can be achieved by the corresponding pump system in the group of pump systems.

[0032] Detailed examples of methods for verifying whether the pump system is capable of operating at all operating points of the operating curve are the subject of subsequent exemplary embodiments. For example, additional constraints may be applied to ensure that the pump system always operates well within its operating limits.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, a pump system in the group of pump systems is considered capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve if operation of the pump system at any operating point of the operating curve does not cause excessive wear or damage to one or more pumps of the corresponding pump system.

[0034] For example, this can be achieved by relaxing some requirements so that the pump system can be considered capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, even if the pump system must operate at a limited number of operating points and / or for a limited time beyond its normal operating limits. For example, it is acceptable for the pump system to have a limited operating time at an operating point where the power consumption of one or more pumps of the pump system exceeds the maximum power consumption specified for the corresponding pump system by 20%. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, if the required power consumption does not exceed 20% of the maximum allowed power consumption, and, for example, the flow rate only needs to be provided for one hour at a time, then the pump system can be considered capable of providing a flow rate exceeding the specified maximum flow rate. In other examples, using virtual characterization, by simulating the impact of running the pump system at a corresponding operating point for a given time, it can be determined whether the pump system will incur additional wear or even potential damage if it is run at that operating point for a specific time. Therefore, it can be determined whether operation at a given operating point will result in excessive wear or damage to the pump system.

[0035] For those pump systems in the group of pump systems that are capable of operating at all operating points in the operating curve, their expected power usage during operation is determined. Preferably, a digital twin is used to determine the expected power usage of each pump system.

[0036] It should be noted that the above steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order discussed above. For example, the power usage of an installed pump system can be determined while the pump system is operating. Alternatively, the power usage of an installed pump system can be determined after the expected power usage of one or more pump systems in the group of pump systems has been determined, and before determining whether the next pump system in the group of pump systems is suitable for operation at all operating points.

[0037] Once the power usage of the installed pump systems and the expected power usage of a pump system capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve have been determined, they are compared. A pump system is then selected that requires less power to operate during operation than the installed pump system. The selected pump system can, for example, be used to replace the installed pump system or at least be further investigated as a potential replacement for the installed pump system. Obviously, if no pump system in the group of pump systems requires less power when operating under the same operating curve, this can also be reported to the operator of the installed pump system.

[0038] Thus, the present method advantageously provides a means of confirming the suitability of a pump system already installed at a location based on its actual operational performance. By comparing the power consumption of the installed pump system with the expected power consumption of an alternative pump system, a recommendation can be made to replace the existing pump system with one that has at least a lower power consumption while still being able to achieve the desired pump head and flow rate during operation.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, for each pump system in the group of pump systems, determining whether the corresponding pump system is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve may also include further constraints that must be met before the pump system is deemed capable of operating at each operating point. Preferably, it is determined whether the pump system is capable of providing the maximum pump flow and minimum pump flow included in the operating curve. Additionally or alternatively, it is preferably determined whether the pump system is capable of providing the minimum pump head and maximum pump head included in the operating curve. Additionally or alternatively, it is preferably determined whether the maximum power consumption of the pump system is sufficient to provide the pump flow and pump head at each operating point in the operating curve. Additionally or alternatively, it is preferably determined whether the maximum allowable torque of the pump is sufficient to provide the pump flow and pump head at each operating point in the operating curve. Additionally or alternatively, it is preferably determined whether, for each operating point in the operating curve, the required net positive suction head is sufficiently lower than the available net positive suction head. Furthermore, it can be determined that, for each operating point in the operating curve, the pump system will not experience excessive wear and / or damage if it is operated at that operating point.

[0040] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, a pump system suitable for replacing an existing pump system is verified to be operating within its operating limits throughout the operating curve. The method can apply various constraints, such as minimum and maximum pump flow rates, minimum and maximum pump heads, a maximum power consumption that must not be exceeded to provide a given pump flow and pump head, or a maximum allowable torque for the pump, while ensuring that the required net positive suction head is sufficiently lower than the available net positive suction head. Verifying that some or even all of these constraints are met ensures that the potential replacement pump system will not experience excessive wear, which would occur if the pump system were operated beyond its operating limits.

[0041] It should be noted that at least some of the aforementioned constraints may not be strictly applied. For example, the present method may allow the maximum allowable torque of one or more pumps of the pump system to be exceeded, for example, by 10% permanently, by 20% for a limited time, and / or similarly allow the maximum power consumption to be exceeded, for example, by up to 15%, or even up to 20%. Furthermore, if the maximum pump flow rate that can be provided by increasing the motor speed of one or more pumps of the pump system is within, for example, 110% of the maximum allowable pump flow rate, then the pump system may be deemed to be capable of providing the maximum required pump flow rate.

[0042] Furthermore, virtual characterization can be used to assess whether one or more pumps of a pumping system would be damaged if operated at a certain operating point, or whether the pumping system would be susceptible to excessive wear if operated at a certain operating point. Thus, rather than defining absolute limits on operating points, the actual wear and potential damage to one or more pumps of the pumping system can be considered.

[0043] Therefore, providing variable limits or allowing certain limits to be exceeded at certain points in time is intended to ensure that if a pump system is forced to temporarily operate outside its normal operating limits, the pump system is not excluded from consideration, as long as such exceeding of the operating limits is temporary and does not result in excessive wear on one or more pumps in the pump system. It may be acceptable to increase the wear on the pump system due to exceeding the operating limits of the pump system, but at the same time significantly reduce power consumption. In particular, this situation may arise if the operating curve contains limited peaks (i.e., operating points where the pump flow or pump head is extremely high for a very short period of time).

[0044] In another preferred embodiment, a pump system is selected from the group of pump systems capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, the pump system having an expected power usage during operation that is lower than that of the installed pump systems, the pump system satisfying at least one of the following conditions: the pump system is expected to require the least power during operation based on the operating curves of all pump systems in the group of pump systems capable of operating at all operating points of the operating curve; operating the pump system during the operation period minimizes CO2 emissions of all pump systems in the group of pump systems capable of operating at all operating points of the operating curve based on the operating curves; and the pump system is expected to have the longest remaining life after operation for the operation period based on the operating curves of all pump systems in the group of pump systems capable of operating at all operating points of the operating curves. Furthermore, the lifecycle CO2 footprint of the pump system may also be considered.

[0045] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, a further condition is provided for selecting the pump that can operate at all operating points and has the lowest power consumption. For example, this may mean selecting the pump that requires the least power, selecting the pump system that emits the least CO2, or selecting the pump system that exhibits the least wear and tear, thereby allowing the longest operation time under the corresponding operating curve. Obviously, it is also possible to select the pump system that achieves the best results under two or more or a combination of these conditions. For example, among the three best pump systems in terms of power consumption, the pump system with the longest remaining operating life may be selected.

[0046] In another exemplary preferred embodiment, the method further comprises determining an operating margin for each pump system capable of operating at all operating points with low power consumption, wherein the operating margin comprises at least one value indicating by how much the maximum flow rate of the operating curve can be increased before the pump system reaches its limits and / or at least one value indicating by how much the maximum head of the operating curve can be increased before the pump system reaches its limits. Thus, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, the method is used to determine whether the pump system can still operate in the event of a future increase in demand and by how much this future demand may increase.

[0047] In another aspect, the problem of the present invention is solved by an installed pump system comprising at least one installed pump and at least one treatment system.The installed pump system is configured to automatically perform a method according to any of the preceding embodiments.

[0048] Preferably, each installed pump of the at least one installed pump comprises at least one first sensing device for sensing a first value indicative of a pump flow rate of the respective installed pump, and / or at least one second sensing device for sensing a second value indicative of a pump head of the respective installed pump.

[0049] It is further preferred that the installed pump system comprises a transmitter for transmitting an operating curve of the installed pump system to an external processing system for further processing or for transmitting continuously recorded value pairs indicative of an operating load of the installed pump system to an external processing system.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the installed pump system comprises means for providing a report to an operator of the installed pump system, the report comprising at least a portion of the operating curve and preferably comprising the results of further processing of the operating curve. Such means may be, for example, a screen or a printer, or a means for transferring a digital file with the report to the operator's (mobile) computer.

[0051] The advantages of the preferred embodiments of the installed pump system correspond to the advantages of the method performed on the corresponding pump system.

[0052] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] Figure 1 is a first exemplary embodiment showing an installed pump system suitable for automatically determining an operating curve,

[0054] Figure 2 is a second exemplary embodiment showing an installed pump system suitable for automatically determining an operating curve,

[0055] Figure 3 is a third exemplary embodiment showing an installed pump system adapted for automatic determination of an operating curve, and

[0056] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method for automatically determining an operating curve for an installed pump system.

[0057] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an installed pump system 1 comprising a single installed pump 2 is shown. Figure 1 An external data processing system 3 is also shown. Figure 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the installed pump 2 is a centrifugal pump comprising a pump housing 4 in which one or more impellers (not shown) are arranged. The installed pump 2 also comprises a motor housing 5 which encloses a motor that drives the one or more impellers arranged in the pump housing 4. Furthermore, as indicated by the dashed line, an electronic unit 6 is provided for communication with the external data processing system 3. This communication may be, for example, wireless data communication via a cellular network.

[0058] The installed pump 2 and the installed pump system 1 include, among other things, the following three sensors: an inlet pressure sensor 7a, which measures the pressure of the pump fluid at the inlet of the installed pump 2; an outlet pressure sensor 7b, which measures the pressure of the pump fluid at the outlet of the installed pump 2; and an RPM sensor 8, which measures the rotational speed of the impeller. Sensors 7a, 7b, 8 can be physical sensors 7a, 7b, 8 that directly measure the pressure of the pump fluid provided by the pump 2 and the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the drive shaft of the impeller. Instead of relying on physical sensors, virtual or derived sensors can also be used. For example, the power consumption of the pump 2 and the set speed of the impeller can be used to virtually deduce the pump's flow rate and head.

[0059] In any case, all measured values ​​are reported to the electronics unit 6. At the electronics unit 6, value pairs are continuously recorded for the installed pump 2 over an operating period of, for example, one month, six months, or one year. In this embodiment, the electronics unit 6 determines flow and head values ​​based on the values ​​reported by sensors 7a, 7b, and 8. The pump head is determined by the difference between the inlet and outlet pressures reported by pressure sensors 7a and 7b, and the flow rate is determined by the RPM value reported by RPM sensor 8. The value pairs are collected continuously and automatically without requiring any operator input.

[0060] Electronics unit 6 collects and processes the value pairs to reduce the amount of memory required to store the value pairs in pump system 1. To this end, the value pairs can be interval-processed, i.e., identical or similar value pairs can be combined. Specifically, if the value pairs are collected at regular intervals, interval processing of the value pairs essentially amounts to counting the number of times a particular combination of a first value pair and a second value pair is observed. Furthermore, electronics unit 6 generates an operating curve for the pump system by determining how long the pump system 1 operates at or near each operating point.

[0061] For further processing, the operating curves are transmitted at regular or irregular time intervals to an external data processing system 3. The external data processing system 3 can be, for example, a commercially available personal computer, a server, or a cloud-based distributed data processing system.

[0062] Then, reference will be made to Figure 4 describe Figure 1 The operation of the exemplary embodiment of the system 1 is shown. However, reference will be made to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first two additional exemplary embodiments of the installed pump system 1 are described.

[0063] Figure 2 A second exemplary embodiment of an installed pump system 1 is shown. The pump system 1 comprises an installed pump 2 having a structure similar to that of Figure 1The structure of the pump 2 of the first exemplary embodiment shown is similar. The pump 2 comprises a pump housing 4 in which an impeller (not shown) is arranged. The impeller is driven by an electric motor (not shown) which is arranged in a motor housing 5 attached to the pump housing 4. Furthermore, the installed pump 2 comprises an electronic unit 6 attached to the motor housing 5. The installed pump 2 comprises at least three sensors 7a, 7b, 8, which are Figure 2 Shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 are an inlet pressure sensor 7 a that measures the pressure of the pump fluid at the inlet of the pump 2 , an outlet pressure sensor 7 b that measures the pressure of the pump fluid at the outlet of the pump 2 , and an RPM sensor 8 that senses the speed of the pump 2 .

[0064] The pressure and velocity sensed by the sensors 7a, 7b, 8 are reported to the electronic unit 6 which processes the sensed values ​​to obtain a pair of values ​​indicative of the pump head and the pump flow provided by the installed pump system.

[0065] The subsequent steps of the method for generating an operating curve and further processing of the operating curve, e.g. selecting a pump from a group of pumps to replace the installed pump system, are performed by the electronic unit 6 of the installed pump 2. In other words, operation is performed "on the edge" and the pump system 1 continuously collects data without operator input. Any additional further processing of the data can also be performed automatically by the installed pump system 1 at predetermined time intervals (e.g. once a month). The installed pump system 1 (more precisely, the electronic unit 6) can prepare a report for the operator of the pump system 1, e.g. once a month, indicating whether the current pump system 1 is the best choice or whether another pump system from the group of pump systems can be operated with the same operating curve as the installed pump system 1, but with lower overall costs, lower energy consumption and / or other additional advantages. The report can be displayed to the operator of the pump system 1 by means of a display 6a provided directly on the pump 2. Subsequently, reference will be made to Figure 4 The method is explained in more detail.

[0066] Figure 3 A third exemplary embodiment of an installed pump system 9 is shown, comprising two pumps 10 and 11. The first pump 10 of the boost pump system 9 can also be referred to as a base pump 10. The second pump 11 of the boost pump system 9 can also be referred to as a boost pump 11. Both pumps 10 and 11 are centrifugal pumps comprising a pump housing 4 in which an impeller (not shown) is arranged. The impeller is driven by a motor (not shown) arranged in a motor housing 5.

[0067] Furthermore, as previously mentioned, each pump 10, 11 includes an electronic unit 6 and three sensors 7a, 7b, 8. The values ​​sensed by the sensors 7a, 7b, 8 of the two pumps 10, 11 are reported to the corresponding electronic unit 6. It should be noted that, given the configuration of the boosting system, fewer sensors may be used. For example, if the pumps 10, 11 of the boosting pump system 9 are Figure 3 As shown, the booster pump system 9 is used in parallel. Since the pressures provided by the pumps 10, 11 of the booster pump system 9 are the same, only one of the pumps 10, 11 needs to be provided with a pressure sensor 7a, 7b. In the case where the pumps 10, 11 of the booster pump system 9 are used in series (not shown), since the flow rates of the pumps 10, 11 are the same, a single RPM sensor may be sufficient.

[0068] The electronic unit 6 of the base pump 10 collects the reported values, derives a first value and a second value indicative of the pump head and the pump flow of the pump system 9, and prepares an operating curve having a plurality of operating points for the pump system 9. Each operating point comprises a pump flow and a pump head of the booster system 9 corresponding to the combined flow and combined head provided by the first pump 10 and the second pump 11, and the time at which the installed pump system 9 was operated at or near the corresponding operating point.

[0069] In order for the electronic unit 6 to be able to combine the values ​​reported by the two pumps 10, 11, it is necessary to know how the two pumps 10, 11 are combined to form the pressure boosting system 9. Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment, the two pumps 10 and 11 are arranged in parallel. Therefore, the booster pump 11 primarily serves to increase the flow rate provided by the booster system 9. In an alternative embodiment, the two pumps 10 and 11 may be arranged in series. In this case, the booster pump 11 primarily serves to increase the head provided by the booster system 9.

[0070] The electronic unit 6 finally forwards the operating curve to the external data processing system 3, which processes the data in Figure 3 In an exemplary embodiment, the cloud is provided.

[0071] Now, refer to Figure 4 Exemplary embodiments of a method for generating an operating curve and further for selecting at least one pump system from a group of pump systems to replace an installed pump system 1, 9 are explained. Figure 1 、 2 and 3 for each of the three pump systems 1, 9. However, for some method steps, additional details will be provided for specific embodiments.

[0072] In a first step 14, the installed pump system 1, 9 collects a plurality of value pairs during operation. Each value pair comprises at least two values. One value indicates the pump flow rate and the other value indicates the pump head. Figures 1 to 3 The exemplary embodiment shown describes how value pairs can be collected by the respective installed pump systems 1, 9. The value pairs are collected by the electronics unit 6 of the installed pump 2, in the case of the booster system 9 by the electronics unit 6 of the first pump 10 and the second pump 11. Optionally, the pump systems 1, 9 can additionally include an electronics unit for processing the value pairs.

[0073] In a second step 15, the operating curve of the installed pump system 1, 9 is determined based on the collected value pairs. Figure 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the operating curve can be determined by the electronics unit 6 or the data processing system 3. The advantage of preparing the operating curve locally, i.e., by the electronics unit 6 as part of the installed pump system 1, 9, is that the operating curve only needs to be transferred to the data processing system 3 for further processing. Similarly, initial results can be provided to the operator directly at the pump system 1, 9.

[0074] exist Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the operating curve is preferably prepared by the electronic unit 6 of one of the two pumps 10, 11, so that no additional local processing unit is required. To this end, one of the pumps 10, 11 reports the recorded value pairs to the other pump 10, 11, and the other pump 10, 11 prepares the operating curve for the booster pump system 9, which is considered to be the operating curve of the installed pump system 9.

[0075] The operating curve is generated by performing interval processing on the recorded value pairs. For this purpose, a plurality of value pairs are selected as the center values ​​of the intervals of the operating curve. The value pairs selected as operating points are not necessarily value pairs previously collected by the installed pump system 1, 9.

[0076] Each pair of values ​​collected by the installed pump 2 is then assigned to the interval of the nearest central operating point. For each interval, the time during which the installed pump system 1, 9 was operated within the corresponding interval is assigned, so that the operating curve ultimately provides a distribution of operating points and the time during which the installed pump system 1, 9 was operated at each operating point.

[0077] In a third step 16, the power consumption of the installed pump system 1, 9 during operation is calculated based on the operating curve of the installed pump system 1, 9. Figure 4In the exemplary embodiment of the method shown, the power consumption is calculated based on a virtual representation of the installed pump system 1, 9. This representation is obtained, for example, by creating a digital model of the pump system 1, 9 and simulating the behavior of one or more installed pumps 2, 10, 11. This allows the necessary power to be supplied to the pump system 1, 9 to be determined for a given combination of pump head and pump flow. The total power consumption of the installed pump system 1, 9 serves as a metric for determining, based on operating curves, whether the pump system 1, 9 is operating efficiently and whether another pump system from the group of pump systems is operating more efficiently during operation. Alternatively, the power consumption of the installed pump system 1, 9 can be determined by measuring the actual power consumption of the installed pump system 1, 9.

[0078] In a fourth step 17, for each pump system in the pump system group, it is determined whether the corresponding pump system can operate at each operating point of the operating curve. Confirming whether the pump system can operate at each operating point may include multiple checks.

[0079] For example, for each pump system in a set of available pumps, it is checked whether the pump system is able to provide the minimum and maximum flow rates that are part of the operating curve. Furthermore, it is checked whether the pump system is able to provide the minimum (and especially the maximum) pump head that appears in the operating curve. Furthermore, for each operating point in the operating curve, the method verifies that the selected pump system is able to provide the corresponding combination of pump flow and pump head based on the maximum permissible power consumption of the pump system. If the power required for operation at a certain operating point (i.e., a given combination of pump flow and pump head) exceeds the maximum power consumption specified for the pump system, the pump system can be considered inoperable at all operating points.

[0080] Similarly, for each operating point, determine whether the maximum torque of the pump motor is sufficient to provide the pump flow and pump head at those operating points. Finally, if all other checks have been passed, check whether the required net positive suction head, determined based on the operating curves for all operating points during the operating period, is sufficiently lower than the available net positive suction head of the pump system. For example, the required net positive suction head must be 10% or more lower than the available net positive suction head. It may be necessary to install additional sensors on the installed pump system to measure the net positive suction head.

[0081] If a pump system does not meet all the criteria for determining whether it can operate at every operating point, it can be verified whether it can operate at all operating points if the pump system only exceeds certain limits specified in its specifications for a limited period of time. For example, if one or more pump motors provide a maximum torque that is 10% higher than the maximum permitted torque to achieve all operating points, but only provides this maximum torque for a very short period of time, then such a pump system can be included in the pump system capable of operating at all operating points. This approach is particularly desirable if the frequency of certain operating points requiring particularly high flow rates and / or high pump heads decreases. Another example of this is when selecting a pump to replace an installed pump system, where the system can account for wear or damage to the pump system caused by operating outside specified limits.

[0082] In a fifth step 18, for each pump system in the set of pump systems that can operate at each operating point of the operating curve (including those pump systems that can operate at each operating point of the operating curve when the pump system is allowed to exceed certain operating limits for a limited time, as well as potential boosting systems), the expected power usage of the corresponding pump system is determined. The expected power usage of potential replacement pump systems (hereinafter always including potential boosting systems) is determined using the digital twin of the pump system. The digital twin is used to calculate the power required for the pump system to operate at each operating point in the operating curve at that operating point. The required power is multiplied by the time the installed pump system has been operating at each operating point, and the power required to operate at all operating points is accumulated to obtain the total power consumption.

[0083] Finally, in a sixth step 19, a pump system having an expected power usage lower than that of the installed pump systems 1, 9 is selected as a potential replacement pump system from the group of pump systems capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve.

[0084] If there is only one pump system that requires less power than all other potential replacement pump systems, then the choice is simple. However, in any other case, when selecting pumps as potential replacement pump systems, Figure 4 It is preferred and implemented in exemplary embodiments of the methods described in

[0045] that additional restrictions be employed.

[0085] For example, the method may simply select the pump system that requires the least power to operate over the entire operating curve. Alternatively, the method may select the pump system with the smallest CO2 footprint among all pump systems that require less power to operate than the installed pump systems.

[0086] Furthermore, because the digital twin is used to determine the expected power consumption of potential replacement pump systems, it is also possible to estimate the remaining life of potential replacement pump systems for replacing the installed pump systems 1, 9. This allows the selection of the pump system with the longest remaining life, i.e., the pump system with the least wear and tear among all potential replacement pump systems.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the method can also balance the aforementioned requirements when selecting a replacement pump system. For example, the method can provide a selection of pump systems and indicate which pump requires the least total power, emits the least CO2 over its entire service life, including the production phase, and has the longest remaining life after operation. Furthermore, it can include which replacement pump system is the most cost-effective solution in terms of the cost of replacing the installed pump system 1, 9, the cost of maintaining the selected pump system during another operation, and the cost of having to replace the pump system 1, 9 after a certain period of time (i.e., how long the pump system can be operated given the corresponding operating curve).

[0088] Thus, exemplary embodiments of the systems 1, 9 and methods for determining an operating curve for a pump system 1, 9 and selecting at least one pump system from a group of pump systems to replace an installed pump system 1, 9 advantageously provide the operator of the installed pump system 1, 9 with a choice among available pump systems to replace the existing pump system 1, 9 with an improved pump system. This replacement is performed in accordance with the actual operating conditions of the pump system, as it relies on measured operating points that take into account at least the flow rate and head that the pump system is required to provide during operation. In addition to solely considering the power required by the pump during operation, additional considerations may also be taken into account (e.g., wear of the replacement pump system when operating over the entire operating curve, CO2 emissions of the pump system, and the remaining life of the pump system).

[0089] If a virtual representation or digital twin of the installed pump system is available, the wear and CO2 emissions of the installed pump system during operation can also be taken into account so that these factors can also be included in the comparison with the selected pump system. In addition, if the pump system is selected to be able to operate at all operating points in the operating curve (the operating points are partially exceeded at their specific operating limits in order to be able to operate at all operating points), it is particularly important to consider the wear of the pump system (i.e. the remaining life of the pump system) when operating along the entire operating curve, because operation outside the operating curve generally increases the wear of the pump system.

[0090] The method may be automatically executed periodically or irregularly (e.g., once a month). The results of the method may be provided to the operator of the pump system in the form of a report detailing potential replacement options, including potential advantages of these replacement options over the installed pump system 1, 9.

[0091] 1: Pump system

[0092] 2: Pump installed

[0093] 3: External data processing system 4: Pump housing

[0094] 5: Motor housing

[0095] 6: Electronic unit

[0096] 6a: Display

[0097] 7: Flow sensor

[0098] 8: rpm sensor

[0099] 9: Pump system

[0100] 10: First pump, basic pump 11: Second pump, booster pump 12: Pressure outlet of the first pump 13: Suction port of the second pump 14: First Step

[0101] 15: Step 2

[0102] 16: Step 3

[0103] 17: Step 4

[0104] 18: Step 5 19: Step 6

Claims

1. A method for automatically determining an operating curve of an installed pump system (1, 9) comprising at least one installed pump (2, 10, 11), in, The installed pump system (1, 9) continuously records pairs of values ​​indicating an operating load of the installed pump system (1, 9) during operation; wherein the first value of each pair of values ​​indicates a pump flow rate of the installed pump system (1, 9), the second value of each pair of values ​​indicates a pump head of the installed pump system (1, 9), and The operating curve of the installed pump system (1, 9) is determined based on the recorded value pairs by confirming the time that the installed pump system (1, 9) operates at or near each of a plurality of operating points during the operation; wherein each of the plurality of operating points is defined by the pump flow and pump head provided by the installed pump system (1, 9).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The operating curve comprises the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) during the operation, and wherein the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) during the operation is determined from the pair of values ​​recorded by the installed pump system (1, 9), or wherein the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) during the operation is determined by the installed pump system (1, 9) by measuring the actual power consumption of the installed pump system (1, 9), or wherein the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) during the operation is estimated by the installed pump system (1, 9) based on measured operating parameters of the installed pump system (1, 9).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The installed pump system (1) comprises a single installed pump (2), wherein the first value and the second value of a plurality of said value pairs indicative of an operating load of the installed pump system (1) are recorded by the single installed pump (2), or wherein the installed pump system (9) comprises two or more installed pumps (10, 11), wherein the value pair indicative of the operating load of the installed pump system (1, 9) is recorded by combining respective first values ​​and second values ​​recorded by each of the two or more installed pumps (10, 11) of the installed pump system (9).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The operating curve comprises power usage of the installed pump system (9) during the operation, and wherein the power usage of the installed pump system (9) during the operation is determined by combining the power usage of the installed pumps (10, 11) of the installed pump system (9) during the operation.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The first value or the second value of each value pair of the installed pump system (1, 9) is determined by the installed pump system (1, 9) as a function of the operating speed of the at least one installed pump (2, 10, 11).

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The operating curve is automatically determined by the installed pump system (1, 9).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The installed pump system (1, 9) transmits the operating curve of the installed pump system (1, 9) to an external data processing system (3) for further processing.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The installed pump system (1, 9) transmits the continuously recorded value pairs indicating the operating load of the installed pump system (1, 9) to an external data processing system (3) for determining the operating curve and for further processing.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein The installed pump system (1, 9) automatically provides a report to an operator of the installed pump system, the report comprising a portion of the operating curve and preferably comprising results of further processing of the operating curve.

10. The method according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein The operating curve comprises the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) during the operation, and wherein further processing of the operating curve comprises selecting at least one pump system from a group of pump systems to replace the installed pump system (1, 9), wherein each pump system in the group of pump systems comprises at least one pump, and wherein selecting at least one pump system from the group of pump systems comprises: For each pump system in the pump system group, confirm whether the corresponding pump system is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve; For each pump system in the group of pump systems capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, determining an expected power usage of the corresponding pump system during the operation based on the operating curve, comparing the power usage of the installed pump system (1, 9) with the expected power usage of each pump system (1, 9) in the group of pump systems (1, 9) capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, A pump system (1, 9) is selected from the group of pump systems (1, 9) capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve, the pump system (1, 9) having an expected power usage during the operation period lower than that of the installed pump system (1, 9).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: For each pump system of the group of pump systems comprising more than one pump, the method determines an expected combined power usage of the pumps of the respective pump system during the operation based on the operating curve.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: Determining, for each pump system in the pump system group, whether the corresponding pump system is capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve comprises at least one of the following: determining whether the pump system is capable of providing a maximum pump flow rate and a minimum pump flow rate included in the operating curve; determining whether the pump system is capable of providing a minimum pump head and a maximum pump head contained in the operating curve; determining whether a maximum power consumption or a power limit of the pump system is sufficient to provide a pump flow rate and a pump head at each operating point in the operating curve; determining whether the maximum allowable torque of the pump motor is sufficient to provide the pump flow and pump head at each operating point in the operating curve; as well as A determination is made as to whether, for each operating point in the operating curve, the required net positive suction head is sufficiently lower than the available net positive suction head.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: A pump system in the group of pump systems is considered capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve if operation of the pump system at any operating point of the operating curve does not result in excessive wear or damage to the pump system.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein Selecting a pump system from the group of pump systems capable of operating at each operating point of the operating curve that has an expected power usage during the operation period that is lower than that of the installed pump system is subject to at least one of the following conditions: based on the operating curves of all pump systems in the group of pump systems capable of operating at all operating points of the operating curves, the pump systems are expected to require a minimum power during the operation; operating the pump systems during the operation period based on the operating curves so that CO2 emissions of all pump systems in the group of pump systems that are operable at all operating points of the operating curves are minimized; as well as According to the operating curves of all pump systems of the group of pump systems which are operable at all operating points of the operating curves, the pump system is expected to have the longest remaining life after running the operating period.

15. An installed pump system (1, 9) comprising at least one installed pump (2, 10, 11), wherein The installed pump system (1, 9) is configured for automatically performing a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. An installed pump system according to claim 15, wherein Each installed pump (2, 10, 11) of the at least one installed pump (2, 10, 11) comprises: at least one first sensing device (8) for sensing the first value indicative of the pump flow of the corresponding installed pump (2, 10, 11); and / or at least one second sensing device (7a, 7b) for sensing the second value indicative of the pump head of the corresponding installed pump (2, 10, 11).

17. An installed pump system according to claim 15 or 16, wherein The installed pump system (1, 9) comprises a transmitter for transmitting an operating curve of the installed pump system (1, 9) to an external processing system for further processing, or for transmitting continuously recorded value pairs indicative of the operating load of the installed pump system (1, 9) to an external data processing system (3).

18. An installed pump according to any one of claims 15, 16 and 17, wherein The installed pump system (1, 9) comprises means for providing a report to an operator of the installed pump system (1, 9), the report comprising at least a portion of the operating curve and preferably comprising results of further processing of the operating curve.

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