Method for configuring a pump, pump for being configured by implementing such a method and system comprising such a pump

Abstract

The method (101) comprises: - (101) reading an identifier of a first pump, - (102) searching said identifier in a table matching identifiers of pumps with respective pump type codes, - (104) retrieving from the table a pump type code corresponding to said identifier, - (106) inputting said pump type code into a second pump, A plurality of pump performance curves is stored in the second pump. The method (101) further comprises: (108) selecting, among the plurality of pump performance curves, at least one set of pump performance curves corresponding to said pump type code.

Description

METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A PUMP, PUMP FOR BEING CONFIGURED BY IMPLEMENTING SUCH A METHOD AND SYSTEM COMPRISING SUCH A PUMPFIELD

[0001] The present disclosure is directed to a method for configuring a pump. The present disclosure is further directed to a pump designed to be configured by implementing such a method. The present disclosure is also directed to a system comprising such a pump.

[0002] The present disclosure is in the field of pumps and methods for configuring such pumps, in particular circulation pumps for hydraulic installations, installations for heating or circulating hot water.BACKGROUND

[0003] Usually, in order to replace a first pump in a hydraulic installation by a second pump to be connected to the hydraulic installation, a service person must first carry out a configuration method comprising analyzing the first pump to retrieve its working parameters and then configuring the second pump based on the working parameters retrieved from the first pump. As the hydraulic installations come in many different configurations, there can be many possible sets of working parameters, which complicates the configuration method.

[0004] Some known replacing pumps (second pumps) can be provided with a given number of pump curves, from which a user can choose. However, it happens often that these pump curves only approximate the actual working parameters of the first pump that is to be replaced. This also complicates the configuration method, and it might decrease the efficiency or even the service life of the hydraulic installation. Further, the manufacturer or dealer of pumps must make a large number of pumps with various characteristics available for the users to be able to configure the second pump correctly.

[0005] A huge number of pump curves would be required to allow a replacing pump to mimic the many possible working parameters of all existing first pumps. However, providing a pump with such a huge number of pump curves would require a costly memory for the second pump to store a very large batch of data. Further, it might be long and complicated for the service person to configure the second pump and find the suitable pump curves among a huge number of pump curves. This might require a costly and cumbersome user interface for helping the user navigate all the pump curves.

[0006] There is thus a need to provide a simplified configuration method and a more versatile replacing pump, while maintaining a reasonable cost, serviceability and / or footprint of the pump.SUMMARY

[0007] It is thus a first object of the present invention to provide a versatile method for configuring a pump that can be operated easily and that allows for the replacement of many existing pumps, yet at reasonable cost, serviceability and / or footprint of the pump. According to this object, it is provided a method for configuring a pump, preferably a circulation pump, the method comprising:- reading an identifier of a first pump,- searching said identifier in a table matching identifiers of pumps with respective pump type codes,- retrieving from the table a pump type code corresponding to said identifier,- inputting said pump type code into a second pump, wherein a plurality of pump performance curves is stored in the second pump, and wherein the method further comprises:- selecting, among the plurality of pump performance curves, at least one set of pump performance curves corresponding to said pump type code.

[0008] Thus, the analysis of the first pump can be made easily, and the plurality of pump performance curves stored in the second pump enables to mimic a large number of first pumps. Preferably, the first pump may be a pump to be replaced and the second pump may be a replacement pump. The first or second pump may be a pump driving a mixing loop, a boiler pump or a stand-alone circulator pump positioned outside a boiler or other appliance for circulating water in a heating system.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the method may further comprise: configuring the second pump to work according to said set of pump performance curves.

[0010] Thus, once the second pump is configured, it can work like the first pump, for example in a hydraulic installation.

[0011] According to an embodiment, said plurality of pump performance curves may include data comprising:- values of motor rotation speeds of a motor of the second pump,- a predefined maximum value for the motor rotation speeds,- a predefined minimum value for the motor rotation speeds,- values of hydraulic heads of the second pump, and- values of motor power limits, each value of motor rotation speed being inferior to a respective value of motor power limit at a given value of hydraulic head, wherein said selecting of at least one set of pump performance curves may comprise associating said values of hydraulic heads with said values of motor rotation speeds.

[0012] Thus, such values can define many pump performance curves for controlling the second pump. The motor rotation speeds are preferably given in rpm.

[0013] In some implementations, the predefined minimum and maximum values for the motor rotation speeds may differ from the boundaries applicable in the global configuration of the pump for other modes of operation.

[0014] According to an alternative to the previous embodiment, said plurality of pump performance curves may include i) a mathematical model, ii) values of motor rotation speeds of a motor of the second pump, and iii) values of motor power limits, and said selecting of at least one set of pump performance curves may comprise applying the mathematical model to values of motor rotation speeds of a motor of the pump so as to calculate values of hydraulic heads of the pump, each value of motor rotation speed being inferior to a respective value of motor power limit at a given value of hydraulic head.

[0015] Thus, applying such a mathematical model allows generating a very large number of pump performance curves to be defined based on a limited number of predefined values or working parameters, which in turn requires only a memory of small capacity. Besides, such a mathematical model enables further the implementation of reduced speed curves with associated power limit.

[0016] In some implementations, the mathematical model may be composed of mathematical expressions or equations that model suitable values of motor rotation speeds and the power limits. For example, the mathematical model may incorporate at least one hydraulic affinity law.

[0017] According to an embodiment, said set of pump performance curves may comprise three or more pump performance curves, and said values of motor rotation speeds may be associated with said values of hydraulic heads such that said three or more pump performance curves are substantially equally spaced, more preferably equally spaced, in a diagram representing points of said three or more pump performance curves, for example in a head-flowrate diagram, at a motor rotation speed close to or equal to zero.

[0018] Thus, such equally spaced pump performance curves can help the userforesee the behavior of the pump when switching among the three or more pump performance curves.

[0019] Optionally, said diagram may give the hydraulic head over the motor rotation speed (rpm-H), which is akin to the head-flowrate diagram (Q-H). Besides, a motor rotation speed equal to zero corresponds to a closed valve downstream the pump, which can serve as a convenient reference in the diagram. The diagram may be a graph or a scatter plot.

[0020] Alternatively to the previous embodiment, said values of motor rotation speeds may be associated with said values of hydraulic heads such that said three or more pump performance curves are spaced, in said representing diagram, in a way that will result in increasing or decreasing spaces between said three or more pump performance curves in the representing diagram at a motor rotation speed close to or equal to zero.

[0021] Such increasing or decreasing spaces can offer the user a kind of logarithmic behavior of the pump when switching among the three or more pump performance curves.

[0022] According to an embodiment, said set of pump performance curves may comprise a number of pump performance curves ranging from one to nine, preferably from two to five, more preferably equal to three.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the selecting of at least one set of pump performance curves may be performed by actuating a user interface, the user interface being preferably arranged on the second pump, the user interface including a single button, for example a touch button or a touchless button or a tactile button, the button being preferably configured for shuffling within numbers displayed on the user interface by an increment of one for each shuffling.

[0024] Thus, the user interface can be compact and simple to manipulate.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the method may further comprise: displaying said pump type code on a display, the display being configured to display two or three symbols, preferably two, the symbols being for example digits or hexadecimal symbols, the display being preferably arranged on the second pump.

[0026] Thus, such displaying on a display can be simple while helping the user navigate the various pump performance curves.

[0027] In some implementations, the display may be configured to display two symbols, and the plurality of pump performance curves may have dozens of pump performance curve sets or hundreds of pump performance curve sets.

[0028] Thus, the quantity of data to be stored in the second pump can be fixed, for example to a relatively small number. The second pump may comprise a memory of small capacity.

[0029] In some implementations, each of the pump performance curve sets may include a finite number, for example three, of pump performance curves.

[0030] In some implementations, the pump performance curve sets may be defined, e.g. calculated, one at a time as the user requests a certain performance from the pump. Alternatively, all the pump performance curve sets may be defined, e.g. calculated, at once when first configuring the second pump for service.

[0031] According to an embodiment, the reading may be performed with a readout device, the readout device being preferably a handheld readout device, for example a smartphone or a tablet, and the readout device may include a software application configured: for operating the searching of the identifier in the table, for operating the retrieving from the table a pump type code, and / or- for operating the inputting of the pump type code into the second pump, the readout device and the second pump having respective communication ports suitable for sharing data.

[0032] Thus, a user can quickly read the identifier of the first pump by means of the readout device.

[0033] Alternatively to a handheld readout device, the readout device may be a stationary readout device, for example a fixed RFID reader or a stationary computer.

[0034] Alternatively to using a readout device, a user may visually search the identifier in a table on paper, a web page following a URL linking to a database. The user may then retrieve the pump type code.

[0035] In some implementations, the identifier may be an optically readable identifier. For example, the identifier may be selected from the group consisting of: a barcode, a QR- code, a product identification number, a serial number, and a product commercial name. Some of these identifiers may be read visually. Alternatively to an optically readable identifier, the identifier may be a tag readable by electromagnetic waves, in particular radio waves, for example a RFID tag.

[0036] It is a second object of the present invention to provide a pump, preferably a circulation pump, comprising a display, the pump being designed to be configured by implementing a method according to any one of the preceding claims, a plurality of pump performance curves being stored in the pump.

[0037] Thus, such a pump can be more versatile than the known ones for replacing a first pump, while maintaining a reasonable cost, serviceability and / or footprint of the pump.

[0038] Preferably, said pump comprises the features of the second pump implemented in the first object. Said pump may advantageously comprise any, some or all of the features of the afore-described second pump. The pump may comprise a user interface, which may include or adjoin the display.

[0039] It is a third object of the present invention to provide a system comprising said pump and a readout device, preferably a handheld readout device.

[0040] Thus, such a system can help a user to quickly and easily replace a pump by implementing a method according to the first object.

[0041] In the present disclosure, the words "comprise", "include", "have" and their derivatives are to be interpreted inclusively ratherthan exclusively. The term "and / or" used in the context of "X and / or Y" should be interpreted as "X," or "Y," or "X and Y". The adverb "substantially" may be interpreted as including a range of plus or minus 10% with respect to a given value.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Further features, details and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter, in particular in relation to the appended figures, which illustrate some of the afore-described objects, embodiments and implementations thereof, and in which:FIG. 1 is a schematic flowchart of a method according to the present invention for configuring a pump according to the invention;FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a system according to the present invention comprising a replacement pump configured using the method of FIG. 1, according to the present invention;FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram representing pump performance curves (hydraulic head over rotation speed) for the replacement pump of FIG. 2;FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram similar to FIG. 3 and representing further pump performance curves (hydraulic head over rotation speed) for the pump of FIG. 2.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates a method 101 for configuring, based on a first pump 1, a second pump 21. FIG. 2 illustrates a system 201 according to the present invention and comprising the pump 21. The method 101 may be performed in order to replace the first pump 1, for example a faulty pump, in a hydraulic installation by the second pump 21 to be connected to the hydraulic installation. In this example the first pump 1 and second pump 21 may be pumps driving a loop mixing liquids.

[0044] The first pump 1 and the second pump 21 may comprise respective impellers (not shown) for moving liquid. As shown in FIG. 2 the first pump 1 and the second pump 21 may be equipped respectively with a first motor 2 and a second motor 22 for driving the respective impeller. The first pump 1 and / or the second pump 21 may comprise a first pump controller 4 and / or a second pump controller 24 designed for controlling respectively the first motor 2 or the second motor 22. However, a pump to be replaced (first pump) that is old may happen be devoid of pump controller.

[0045] The second pump 21 may further comprise a not shown pump housing for accommodating various components, in particular an impeller. The pump motor 22 may be arranged inside or outside the pump housing. Pump controller 24, memory and sensors may be arranged inside or outside the pump housing. The pump controller 24 may be configured to feedback-control the rotation speed of the pump motor 22, hence the outgoing flow rate of the second pump 21.

[0046] When put into service, the second pump 21 may be configured in accordance with the method 101 depicted hereinafter in relation to FIG. 1. The method 101 is preferably performed for configuring the second pump 21 such that the second pump 21 canreproduce or mimic the working behavior of the first pump 1. The method 101 can readily be performed on site near the first pump 1.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1 the method 101 comprises:- 102) reading an identifier 3 of the first pump 1,- 104) searching the identifier 3 in a table matching identifiers of various pumps with respective pump type codes,- 106) retrieving from the table a pump type code corresponding to said identifier 3,- 108) inputting the pump type code into the second pump 2.The identifier 3 may be located in or on the first pump 1. The pump type codes may be contained in the table, which may be stored in a suitable memory space.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2 the identifier 3 may include an optically readable identifier, for example a QR-code. The reading 102 of identifier 3 may be operated using a handheld readout device, for example a smartphone 51 having a camera. The smartphone 51 is part of the system 201. The smartphone 51 may include a software application which is configured:- for operating the searching 104 of the identifier 3 in the table,- for operating the retrieving 106 of a pump type code from the table, and- for operating the inputting 108 of the pump type code into the second pump 21To allow the inputting of the pump type code, the smartphone 51 and the second pump 21 may have respective communication ports that are suitable for sharing data.

[0049] A plurality of pump performance curves, as illustrated in FIGs. 3-4 is stored in the second pump 21. This storing of pump performance curves may be carried out at a factory or a dealer shop before the method 101 is to be performed.

[0050] The method 101 further comprises:110) selecting, among the plurality of pump performance curves, at least one set of pump performance curves corresponding to said pump type code. The method 101 thus allows to quickly analyze the first pump 1, and then select a set of pump performance curve. The method 101 can enable the second, replacement pump 21 to mimic the behavior a large number of first pumps 1 that might have to be replaced.

[0051] The method 101 may further comprise:112) configuring the second pump 21 to work according to said set of pump performance curves. Once the second pump is configured, it can work like the first pump in the hydraulic installation.

[0052] The plurality of pump performance curves may include data comprising:- values of motor rotation speeds of the motor 22 of the second pump 21,- a predefined maximum value for the motor rotation speeds,- a predefined minimum value for the motor rotation speeds,- values of hydraulic heads of the second pump 21, and- values of motor power limits, each value of motor rotation speed being inferior to a respective value of motor power limit at a given value of hydraulic head.

[0053] The selecting 110 of a set of pump performance curves may comprise:114) associating the values of hydraulic heads with the values of motor rotation speeds.Such values can define many pump performance curves for controlling the second pump 21.

[0054] FIGs. 3-4 is a scatterplot graph illustrating respectively a set 300 of high pump performance curves (FIG.3) and a set 310 of low pump performance curves (FIG.4). Both sets 300 and 310 may be selected for configuring the second pump 21 via the aforementioned selecting operation 110.

[0055] For each one of sets 300 and 310, FIGs. 3-4 plot the hydraulic head over the flowrate supplied by the second pump 21. The hydraulic head H is given in meters [m] and the flowrate Q is given in cubic meters per hour [m3 / h]. The motor rotation speed of first motor 2 or second motor 22 may be given in revolutions per minute [rpm]. The flowrate may be viewed as proportional to the motor rotation speed of the second motor 22. In the example of FIGs. 3-4 the hydraulic head H may range from 0 to 9 m, while the flowrate Q may range from 0 to 4 m3 / h.

[0056] The present invention, in particular the method 101, is not limited to small circulation pumps, as it may also be applied for configuring larger pumps, which can be more powerful or supply a higher head and / or faster rotation speeds than the second pump 21.

[0057] The set 300 may comprise three high pump performance curves 301, 302, 303 (in thick black lines), and the set 310 may comprise three low pump performance curves 311, 312, 313 (in thick black lines). The flowrates may be associated with the hydraulic heads such that the high pump performance curves 301, 302, 303 are equally spaced at flowrate equal to zero, hence viewed along the vertical axis in FIG. 3. Likewise, the flowrates may be associated with the hydraulic heads such that the low pump performance curves 311, 312, 313 are equally spaced at flowrate equal to zero, hence viewed along the vertical axis in FIG. 4. A flowrate equal to zero corresponds to a closed valve head.

[0058] The values of motor power limits that may be included in the plurality of pump performance curves can contribute to shaping the high pump performance curves 301, 302, 303, in particular on the right side of FIG. 3. By contrast, the low pump performance curves 311, 312, 313 may be chosen to not reach the motor power limits, but instead to provide a head that is relatively constant or as constant as possible across all flowrates.

[0059] In FIGs. 3-4 further possible pump performance curves are represented by series of plots 304 and 314 respectively.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 2, selecting of the set of pump performance curves may be performed by actuating a user interface 26. The user interface 26 may preferably be arranged on the second pump 21. The user interface 26 may include a single button 28, which enhances the compactness of the user interface 26. The button 28 may be configured for shuffling within numbers displayed on a display 29 of the user interface 26 by an increment of one for each shuffling.

[0061] The method 101 may further comprise:116) displaying the pump type code on the display 29, for example on two digits "12". The display 29 may be arranged on the second pump 21.After the set 300 or 310 has been selected, usually automatically, among the plurality of performance curves corresponding to the pump type code matching identifier 3 of first pump 1, and after the pump performance curves 301, 302, 303 or 311, 312, 313 have been generated or calculated, the user can choose a curve, say curve 302, among the pump performance curves 301, 302, 303 or 311, 312, 313 respectively.

[0062] In other words, one specific pump type code can "activate" of the pump performance curves 301, 302 and 303, among which the user may then choose via a suitable pump interface, e.g. a single button. A different pump type code (e.g. another replacement case) could activate different pump performance curves, for example the curves 311, 312 and 313, among which the user may choose via the pump interface.

[0063] The display 29 may be configured to display two symbols, "12" in the example of FIG. 2, and the plurality of pump performance curves may have dozens of pump performance curve sets or hundreds of pump performance curve sets In the example of FIGs. 1-4, the pump performance curve sets may be all defined, e.g. calculated, at once when first configuring the second pump 21 for service.

[0064] As detailed before, the second pump 21 comprises the display 29 and is designed to be configured by implementing the method 101, a plurality of pump performance curves being stored in the second pump 21. The second pump 21 can thus be versatile, while having a reasonable cost, serviceability and / or footprint.

[0065] The invention defined in the appended claims is not limited to the afore-described objects, aspects, embodiments and implementations, most or all of which may be combined. Thus the invention is susceptible of various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use.

Claims

Claims1. A method (101) for configuring a pump (21), preferably a circulation pump, the method (101) comprising:(102) reading an identifier (3) of a first pump (1),(104) searching said identifier (3) in a table matching identifiers of pumps with respective pump type codes,(106) retrieving from the table a pump type code corresponding to said identifier (3),(108) inputting said pump type code into a second pump (21), wherein a plurality of pump performance curves is stored in the second pump (21), and wherein the method (101) further comprises:(110) selecting, among the plurality of pump performance curves, at least one set (300, 310) of pump performance curves corresponding to said pump type code.

2. Method (101) according to claim 1, further comprising:(112) configuring the second pump (21) to work according to said set of pump performance curves.

3. Method (101) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said plurality of pump performance curves includes data comprising: values of motor rotation speeds of a motor (22) of the second pump (21), a predefined maximum value for the motor rotation speeds, a predefined minimum value for the motor rotation speeds, values of hydraulic heads of the second pump (21), and values of motor power limits, each value of motor rotation speed being inferior to a respective value of motor power limit at a given value of hydraulic head, wherein said selecting of at least one set (300; 310) of pump performance curves comprises associating said values of hydraulic heads with said values of motor rotation speeds.

4. Method (101) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said plurality of pump performance curves includes i) a mathematical model, ii) values of motor rotation speeds of a motor of the second pump (21), and iii) values of motor power limits, and wherein said selecting (110) of at least one set (300; 310) of pump performance curves comprises applying the mathematical model to values of motor rotation speeds of a motor of the pump so as to calculate values of hydraulic heads of the pump, each value of motor rotation speed being inferior to a respective value of motor power limit at a given value of hydraulic head.

5. Method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said set of pump performance curves comprises three or more pump performance curves (301, 302, 303; 311, 312, 313), and wherein said values of motor rotation speeds are associated with said values of hydraulic heads such that said three or more pump performance curves (301, 302, 303; 311, 312, 313) are substantially equally spaced, more preferably equally spaced, in a diagram representing points of said three or more pump performance curves (301, 302, 303; 311, 312, 313), for example in a head-flowrate diagram, at a motor rotation speed close to or equal to zero.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said set (300; 310) of pump performance curves comprises a number of pump performance curves ranging from one to nine, preferably from two to five, more preferably equal to three.

7. Method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said selecting of at least one set (300;310) of pump performance curves is performed by actuating a user interface (26), the user interface (26) being preferably arranged on the second pump (21), the user interface (26) including a single button (28), for example a touch button or a touchless button or a tactile button, the single button (28) being preferably configured for shuffling within numbers displayed on the user interface (26) by an increment of one for each shuffling.

8. Method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: displaying (116) said pump type code on a display (29), the display (29) being configured to display two or three symbols, preferably two, the symbols being forexample digits or hexadecimal symbols, the display (29) being preferably arranged on the second pump (21).

9. Method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reading (102) is performed with a readout device (51), the readout device (51) being preferably a handheld readout device, forexample a smartphone or a tablet, and wherein the readout device (51) includes a software application configured: for operating the searching (104) of the identifier in the table, for operating the retrieving (106) from the table a pump type code, and / or for operating the inputting (108) of the pump type code into the second pump, the readout device (51) and the second pump (21) having respective communication ports suitable for sharing data.

10. A pump (21), preferably a circulation pump, comprising a display (29), the pump (21) being designed to be configured by implementing a method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, a plurality of pump performance curves being stored in the pump (21).

11. A system (201) comprising a pump (21) according to claim 10 and a readout device (51), preferably a handheld readout device.

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