Fluid Network Flow Control With Power-Minimizing Speed Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large fluid network systems, such as underground mine ventilation systems, face challenges in minimizing energy consumption while maintaining sufficient fluid flow, as existing methods are sensitive to infrastructure changes and require substantial engineering efforts for model recalibration.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling fluid flow in fluid network systems by determining new fluid machine speeds to minimize total power consumption, using empirical relations between speed changes and power changes, with constraints on flow rate, differential pressure, and speed, allowing for efficient power optimization and simple network identification even with infrastructure modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional network models are used to control fluid flow, then fluid flow control can be achieved, but the system becomes sensitive to infrastructure changes and requires substantial engineering effort for recalibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the complex network model parameters into simple empirical relationships between machine speeds and power consumption. By changing from detailed network resistance parameters to direct speed-power correlations, the system becomes adaptable to infrastructure changes without requiring full model recalibration, as the empirical relationships can be quickly re-established through simple measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified empirical model that copies only the essential relationships needed for control (speed-power relationships) rather than replicating the complete complex network model. This empirical copy is sufficient for control purposes and can be quickly updated when infrastructure changes, avoiding the need to recalibrate the entire detailed network model.
2Productivity
If fluid machine speeds are increased to provide sufficient fluid flow, then fluid flow requirements are met, but total power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic speed adjustment for multiple fluid machines based on real-time conditions and empirical relationships. Instead of operating at fixed speeds or simply increasing all speeds to meet flow requirements, the system dynamically optimizes individual machine speeds to achieve the required total flow while minimizing total power consumption, adapting continuously to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters (speeds) of multiple fluid machines in an optimized distribution rather than uniformly increasing all speeds. By using empirical relationships to determine optimal speed adjustments, the system achieves required flow rates while minimizing the sum of power consumptions across all machines, rather than simply scaling up all machines proportionally.
3Use of energy by moving object
If detailed network models are developed to optimize power consumption, then power minimization can be achieved, but the modeling process becomes complicated and requires repeated recalibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential relationships needed for power optimization from the complex network model, specifically the relationships between machine speeds and power consumption. By taking out these critical empirical relationships and using them directly for control, the system achieves power minimization without requiring the full complexity of detailed network modeling and recalibration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the model parameters from detailed network characteristics (resistances, node pressures, flow distributions) to simple empirical relationships between machine speeds and power consumption. This parameter transformation reduces model complexity dramatically while retaining the ability to optimize power consumption through speed control.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is presented a method of controlling fluid flow in a fluid network system by means of a plurality of fluid machines. The method comprises the steps of a) obtaining a respective current fluid flow rate associated with each fluid machine, b) obtaining a current fluid machine speed of each fluid machine, c) obtaining desired fluid flow rates in the fluid network system, d) determining a new fluid machine speed for each fluid machine based on the current fluid machine speeds and a change in the fluid machine speed required to obtain the desired fluid flow rates, wherein the change in the fluid machine speed is determined by minimizing a total fluid machine power which is a function dependent of the change in the fluid machine speed, the minimization being performed with constraints for fluid flow rate, fluid machine pressure and fluid machine speed, and e) controlling the speed of the plurality of fluid machines according to the new fluid machine speeds such that the minimum total fluid machine power in the fluid network system is attained. A computer program product and a control system are also presented herein.