Liquid Pump Sprayer Control System for Sustained Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid pump sprayers, both manual and battery-powered, fail to accurately sustain specified pump outlet pressure and resulting flow rates and spray patterns over the duration of a spraying session, requiring continuous user intervention and resulting in inefficient and varying application performance.
Innovation Solution
A battery-powered liquid pump sprayer with a control system featuring a microcomputer controller, pulse width modulation, and comparator functions that continuously adjusts the motor voltage to maintain the required pressure and flow rate, allowing users to select from defined settings, ensuring consistent spray application pressures, flow rates, and patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If battery-powered electric motor technology is used to drive the pump, then the sprayer does not require manual pumping, but the sprayer cannot accurately sustain specified pump outlet pressure and flow rate over the duration of a spraying session
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors pump outlet pressure and adjusts motor voltage accordingly to maintain the desired pressure level throughout the spraying session, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and pressure sustainment accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the motor voltage parameter based on real-time pressure conditions, allowing the sprayer to maintain consistent pressure output without manual intervention while compensating for battery voltage variations
2Extent of automation
If the battery supply voltage varies during operation, then the motor speed and pump outlet pressure vary, but user intervention is required to maintain consistent spray application
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback from pressure sensors to automatically adjust motor voltage, maintaining consistent spray application parameters despite battery voltage variations without requiring user intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of motor voltage based on real-time pressure conditions, automatically compensating for battery discharge effects and maintaining precise spray application consistency throughout operation
3Reliability
If continuous manual pumping is performed to sustain pressure, then the desired pressure can be maintained, but the operation becomes inefficient and requires continuous user attention
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically maintains pump outlet pressure by adjusting motor voltage in response to pressure sensor feedback, eliminating the need for continuous manual pumping while sustaining desired pressure levels throughout the spraying session
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous automatic pressure control throughout the spraying session, maintaining reliable pressure without interruption or user intervention, thereby improving spraying efficiency and productivity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The control system enables accurate and sustained user-selectable spray application pressures, flow rates, and patterns, improving the efficiency, accuracy, and economy of liquid application by maintaining the desired performance throughout the spraying session despite battery voltage variations.
Implementation Method 1
the pulse width modulation function continuously attenuates the varying battery supply voltage to the motor so that, for a given flow-control setting, the supply voltage to the motor is maintained at the motor demand voltage needed for that application setting
Implementation Method 2
at least one pressure sensor positioned within the hose adjacent the outlet of the liquid pump
Implementation Method 3
a battery having a nominal low limit of safe battery supply voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A battery-powered liquid pump sprayer having a control system capable of providing the user with a selectable series of defined spray application pressures, flow rates, and patterns that are accurately sustained over the duration of a spray application session. The pump sprayer has a control system for use with a battery having a voltage supply amount and a motor having a voltage demand amount that is less than the voltage supply amount. A microcontroller of the control system is coupled to the battery and the motor, and is programmed to provide a supply voltage from the battery to the motor and to ensure that the supply voltage is at least as much as the voltage demand amount