Dual-Piston Pump Diagnostics for Pulsation-Free Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Positive displacement, dual, reciprocating piston pumps experience pulsations and noise due to material stoppage during piston direction changes, leading to unwanted pipeline movement.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piston pump system with two independent pumps, each equipped with linear position and pressure sensors, controlled by a controller to coordinate operations and perform diagnostic tests, ensuring continuous flow without pulsations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single piston pump is used, then the structure is simple, but pulsations and noise occur due to material stoppage during piston direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the pumping function into two independent piston pumps operating in sequence. Each pump handles a portion of the flow cycle, with one pump discharging while the other fills, and vice versa. This segmentation eliminates the complete stoppage of material flow that occurs in single-pump systems, thereby reducing pulsations and noise while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If two piston pumps operate independently without coordination, then each pump can function autonomously, but flow continuity is disrupted causing pulsations in the pipeline
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors (flow sensors, pressure sensors, position sensors) that provide real-time feedback to a controller. The controller monitors the operational status of both pumps and adjusts their operation to maintain continuous flow. This feedback mechanism allows the pumps to operate autonomously while being coordinated to prevent flow discontinuities, thus maintaining both ease of operation and flow stability.
3Productivity
If piston pumps switch roles frequently, then material transfer efficiency is maintained, but unwanted pipeline movement occurs due to pulsations
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuous material flow by having one pump discharge while the other fills, with seamless transition between roles. The controller coordinates the pumps so that there is no interruption in the discharge flow to the pipeline. This continuous action maintains high material transfer efficiency while eliminating the pulsations that would otherwise cause unwanted pipeline movement.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-piston pump includes a first pump having a first linear position sensor and a first pressure sensor, a second pump independent from the first pump, the second pump having a second linear position sensor and a second pressure sensor, a discharge pipe connected to the first pump and the second pump, a user interface, and a controller configured to coordinate operations of the first pump and the second pump based upon sensor inputs to execute, in response to input received by the controller from the user interface, at least one diagnostic test from a group of diagnostic tests that includes a poppet seat leak pressure calibration test, a poppet seat leak test, a cylinder position test, a hydraulic pump leak down test, and a hydraulic piston seal test, and display a result of the diagnostic test on the user interface.