Description

The present invention generally relates to a pumping system for pressurising a fluid. The present invention more particularly relates to a pumping system that is adapted to provide pressure and flow that varies according to predefined requirements.

Control of pumps in pumping system can be carried out in several ways and it is possible to use various regulation regimes. Often control of the delivered pump pressure and flow is based on detected or estimated pressure values within the pumping system. It is, by way of example, possible to use a frequency converter to control or regu- late the speed of a pump in order to operate the pump according to different pump curves. Hereby the provided pressure can be adjusted to meet the actual requirements so that energy can be saved.

In some applications, the pumping system needs to deliver different pressure and flow as function of time. Some applications require low pressure and flow values during a first type of conditions while higher pressure and flow values are required during a second type of conditions. It is known that pressure and flow values can be controlled by using different types of predefined pump curves, however; in some applications it may be an advantage to control the pressure and flow values according to other pa- rameter than the one that are used in the prior art pump systems.

It is an object for the present invention to specify a pumping system that is adapted to provide pressure and flow values that vary in a manner so that the pumping system can be used to carry out tasks that can not be carried out by using the prior art pump systems. It is further an object of the present invention to specify a pumping system that can carry out irrigation of field or farmland having a complex geometry.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. It will be recognized that the fore- going description is not intended to list all of the features and advantages of the invention. Various embodiments of the inventions will satisfy various combinations of the objects of the invention and some embodiments of the invention will provide fewer than all of the listed features and satisfy fewer than all the listed objectives. The objectives can be achieved by a pumping system having the features defined in claim 1 and a method as defined in claim 8. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependant sub claims and explained in the following description and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The pumping system according to the invention comprises a pump having an electrical drive motor and a control unit configured to control the speed of the electrical drive motor. The control unit has an interface for receiving position information data and/or to processing position information data on the basis of received data. The control unit is adapted to control the pump on the basis of the received or processed position information data.

Hereby it is achieved that the pumping system can provide pressure and flow that var- ies as function of position so that the pumping system can be used in various applications.

Position information data may be any kind of position data. The position information data may be data about the position of the pump or the position of another device (a mechanical irrigation device by way of example). Position information data may be three dimension position data defined in any suitable coordinate system. Accordingly, the position information data may be given in a spherical coordinate system for instance. Geographic coordinates or cylindrical coordinates may also be used. It is possible to use one dimensional, two dimensional or three dimensional position informa- tion data.

The position information data may be of any suitable form, by way of example, the position information data may be defined by using the Global Positioning System (GPS), or another suitable system. The position information data may be data from a map or from a sensor that is adapted to provide position information data.

By the term "control" is meant that the control unit is adapted to adjust or control the pump in accordance with at least one predefined criteria depending on the received or processed position information data. The regulation of the pump may be done by using the control unit that preferable is equipped with a frequency converter that is capable of changing the speed of the pump and hereby changing the flow and/or pressure generated by the pump.

Advantageously, the control unit is configured to control the delivered pressure and/or flow of the pump on the basis of the received or processed position information data. The delivered pressure and the flow of the pump are essential parameters that can be controlled in a pumping system according to the present invention. Hereby, it is pos- sibly to deliver a predefined (e.g. a uniformly distributed) quantity of fluid to a specified surface.

Regulation of the pressure and flow may be carried out by using predefined control and/or regulation regimes. These regulation regimes may involve algorithms that are configured to optimise different sets of criteria's. Specific flow and/or pressure may be maintained for a period, however; the flow and/or pressure may also be changed as function of time according to predefined rules based on position information data.

Advantageously, the control unit is configured to control the pump pressure and/or the flow on the basis of wind information data and/or weather forecast data and/or soil data.

Hereby the pump pressure and/or the flow can be controlled in a very sophisticated manner taking wind information data and/or weather forecast data and/or soil data into account.

It may be beneficial that position data information is provided by at least one sensor adapted to communicate directly or indirectly with the control unit of the pump. It is possible to use one sensor or several sensors to provide position information data. The position information data may be given in any suitable form either directly to the control unit of the pump or to an intermediate member of any suitable type. The position information data may be used in combination with other types of provided or received data (weather forecast data by way of example). Thus, it is possible to apply position data information that is being updated constantly. The position data information may be transformed into any suitable data form or be received directly by the control unit of the pump system.

The sensor(s) may be integrated in the pump. However, it is also possible to arrange the sensor(s) elsewhere (e.g. at a pipe being in fluid communication with the pump). As long as the sensor is able to communicate with the control unit of the pumping system

It is possible to have a pumping system where the control unit is configured to control the pump pressure and/or the flow on the basis of any suitable type of data so that, influence of various conditions can be taken into account during the regulation of the pressure and/or flow of the pump. In applications that are influenced by several condi- tions or parameters it may be an advantage to control the pressure and flow of the pump according to these conditions or parameters.

It may be an advantage that the control unit is configured to control the pump pressure and/or the flow on the basis of external information data. This type of information data may be provided from outside the piping system (e.g. provided from the Internet). The information data may be any type of data and may be available in any suitable form. The control unit of the pumping system may be configured to carry out processing(s) on the basis of these information data and hereby provide data that can be used to optimise the process that is carried out by using the pump system. Process- ing may be any suitable type of processing that may include various calculation methods, determination methods or optimisations methods. Hereby, it may be possible to increase the value of the received data information.

It may be an advantage that the pumping system is adapted to dose or to deliver a pre- defined quantity of fluid within a predefined time period. Hereby it is possible to use the pumping system to tasks in which a very accurate quantity of fluid is required. By way of example it is possible to use such pumping system to deliver a predefined quantity of water to a given portion of a field or to a specific area in a green house since some areas may require more water than other areas. It is also possible to control the duration of the dosing task/delivery task by varying the speed of delivery (this may be done by regulating/controlling the flow rate since the delivered quantity is given by the flow rate times the dosing time).

Advantageously, the pumping system comprises means for changing the position and/or orientation of the nozzle or the position and/or orientation of the pump. Hereby the pumping system can change the direction of the fluid that is pressurised by the pumping system. The pumping system can release the fluid in any desired direction by changing the position and/or orientation of the nozzle or the pump.

It is possible to change the pressure as function of the position and/or the orientation of the pump and/or the time and hereby adapt the pumping system to deliver a predefined amount of fluid depending on several parameters (e.g. the time and the position of the pump).

It may be an advantage that the pumping system comprises a pump having a nozzle at the pumping system that comprises means (e.g. an actuator) for changing the position and/or orientation of the nozzle of the pump. The actuator for changing the position and/or orientation of the nozzle of pump may be any suitable kind of actuator. By way of example, it is possible to use pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical actuators capable of adjusting the position and/or orientation of the pump. It is possible to use a control regime where sensor signals or other received or otherwise processed information is used to determine the most advantageous position and/or orientation of the pump.

It may be advantageous if at least one pressure sensor and/or temperature sensor and or flow sensor is provided in the pumping system and that this at least one sensor is configured to communicate with the control unit. Sensor signals received by the control unit may be used to control the pump together with the received or processed po- sition information data. Hereby it will be possible to carry out a very accurate and specific regulation of the pump. The method according to the present invention is a method for controlling a pumping system comprising a pump having an electrical drive motor and a control unit configured to control the speed of the motor. The pump receives processes position information data and/or provides position information data on the basis of received data and the control unit controls the pump on the basis of the received position information data or the processed position information data.

The control unit may control the pump by changing the pressure and/or flow generated by the pump according to a preset criteria and position information data. The method makes it possible to provide pressure and flow values that vary in a manner so that the pumping system can be used to carry out tasks that can not be carried out by using prior art methods.

Advantageously the control unit control the delivered pressure and flow of the pump on the basis of position information data.

It may be beneficial that the position data information is provided by at least one sensor adapted to communicate directly or indirectly with the control unit of the pump. Accordingly, highly accurate position data information can be provided.

It may be beneficial that the control unit is configured to control the pump pressure and/or the flow on the basis of wind information data and/or weather forecast data so that these types of data can be taken into account when regulating the pump pressure and/or the flow.

It may be an advantage that the pumping system is adapted to dose a predefined quantity of fluid within a predefined time period so that the dosing tasks can be carried out.

Advantageously, the position and/or orientation of the pump or the nozzle is con- trolled on the basis of position information data. Hereby it is possible to take position information data into account when the position and/or orientation of the pump or the nozzle is controlled. It may be an advantage to apply a pump having a nozzle and that the position and/or orientation of the nozzle of the pump can be controlled on the basis of position information data. Hereby an optimum position and/or orientation of the pump can be achieved by using the position information data.

It may be beneficial that data from at least one pressure sensor and/or temperature sensor and/or flow sensor communicates with the control unit and that the data from the at least one pressure sensor and/or temperature sensor and/or flow sensor is used to control the pump pressure and/or flow. Hereby it is achieved that the control unit can control the pump on position information data as well as additional sensor data. This combination of data makes it possible to carry out a very complex regulation of the pump.

It may be an advantage that the control unit of the pumping system receives position information data that is a voltage or current signal or based on data communication. The received signals may be sampled by any suitable sampling rate and the signals may be filtered or processed by any suitable methods.

It may be beneficial that the control unit is configured to receive position information data and use these data to calculate a value between 0 - 100% indicating the percentage of the maximum required performance of pump.

It may be an advantage that the control unit is configured to control the speed from zero a maximum required speed and to decrease the speed hereafter, preferable in a pre-programmed interval so that the speed never reaches a fixed value. It may be an advantage that this cyclic pattern is repeated until another pattern is required.

It may be beneficial that the pump is configured to compensate for the dynamic performance of the system so that the pump is adapted to overcome pressure loss in pipes, a predefined minimum pressure, pressure loss due to non-return valves, and other pump specific dynamic issues. Advantageously, the pumping system comprises a pressure sensor in a closed loop control adapted to stabilize dynamic performance the pump system.

It may be an advantage that the pumping system comprises means (such as a protec- tion device) for protecting the system against low inlet pressure, high temperature, high flow or any other type of overload.

Advantageously, the pumping system comprises means (such as an alert module) for providing a warning and/or an alarm. A warning and/or an alarm may be sent to any external device.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments which can be modified in many ways. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a pumps system according to the invention and

Fig. 2 shows another pumping system according to the invention. Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.

Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, elements of a pumping system 1 according to in- vention is illustrated in Fig. 1. The pumping system 1 comprises a pump 2 having an electrical drive motor 4. A control unit 6 is connected to the motor 4 of the pump 2. The pump 2 comprises a fluid inlet 12 and a fluid outlet 11 that is connected to a hose 16. It would be possible to connect the fluid outlet 11 to a pipe (not shown) instead of the hose 16.

A first sensor 10 is provided near the distal end 15 of the hose 16. The first sensor 10 is configured to determinate the position of the distal end 15 of the pipe 16 and to send position information data 8 to the control unit 6. The pumping system 1 also com- prises a second sensor 14 arranged at the fluid outlet 11 of the pump 2. The second sensor 14 is configured to measure the flow Q and the pressure H of the fluid and to send flow and pressure data to the control unit 6 of the pumping system 1. It is possible to have a pumping system 1 that is configured to receive data 8 from sensors ar- ranged outside the piping system 1. By way of example a moisture sensor (not shown) may be arranged in a field and be configured to send data 8 to the control unit 6 of the piping system 1. The control unit 6 may use the received data 8 directly to process the data 8 in any suitable way. By way of example, it is possible to combine several types of data and to use a predefined regulation regime to control the speed of the pump 2 and hereby the delivered flow and/or pressure.

In principle it is possible to use any type of pump. Moreover, it would be possible to have a pumping system comprising several pumps 2 and one or more control units 6. The pumping system 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 may be used as irrigation pumping system for a garden or a green house or a field, by way of example. The first sensor 10 may be configured to determine the position of the distal end 15 of the hose 16 and couple the position with predefined information of the required irrigation requirements in all parts of the garden or green house. Thus, the pumping system 1 is capable of deliver- ing a predefined quantity of water to each of the areas in the garden or green house or field.

In an area with little or no need for water the control unit 6 will control the pump 2 so that only a small quantity or no water is delivered. This may be achieved by reducing the speed of the electrical drive motor 4 and eventually stopping the electrical drive motor 4 when the predefined quantity of water has been delivered to the respective areas.

In an area that is associated with a larger water requirement the control unit 6 will control the pump 2 so that a larger quantity of water is delivered. This may be done by increasing the speed of the electrical drive motor 4 and stopping the electrical drive motor 4 when the predefined quantity of water has been delivered to the areas. The speed of the electrical drive motor 4 may be regulated or controlled by using a frequency converter. Such frequency converter may be connected to the control unit 6 or be a part or the control unit 6. Fig. 2 illustrates a pumping system constituting an irrigation system 18. The irrigation system 18 comprises a pump 2 arranged inside a protective metal pipe 24 (thus the pump is not visible in Fig. 2). The pump 2 is electrically connected to a control unit 6 that also is connected to a motor 22 arranged in a manner so that it is configured to change the orientation of a nozzle 26 that is provided at an end gun 20 arranged at the distal end of the irrigation system 18. A position sensor 10 is arranged close to the nozzle 26. This position sensor 10 is capable of determining the position and/or orientation of the nozzle 26 (e.g. the angle of the water leaving the nozzle 26 measured relative to a vertical or one or more other directions). The control unit 6 is adapted to regulate and to control the speed of an electrical drive motor (not shown) of the pump 2 and hereby starting, stopping or changing the pressure and flow of the pump 2 is required. The control unit 6 is also adapted to control the orientation of the nozzle 26. The orientation of the nozzle 26 may be measured relative to vertical and relative to a horizontal direction (e.g. north).

In use the sensor 10 determines the position and the orientation of the nozzle 26 and position information data is sent to the control unit 6. The control unit 6 may comprise a memory that stores information about the geometry of the field that is irrigated so that the distance from the nozzle 26 to the periphery of the field is a known quantity for each position and each orientation of the nozzle 26. The control unit 6 may calculate the required pressure that the pump 2 has to deliver in order to reach the outer most part of the field. Moreover, the delivered quantity of water may be dosed by controlling the flow amount and the time period within a range that ensures that the required quantity of water is leaving the nozzle 26. It is possible to take information about the soil into account when a field is being irrigated. This may be done by dividing the field into zones each having specific water requirements depending on the soil type of the zone. When the nozzle 26 is operated within a given position the sensor 10 determines the position and sends position information data to the control unit 6. The control unit 6 can now use the received position information data to determinate the field zone characteristics including, but not limited to the position of the zone, the soil type of the zone, and the quantity of water that is needed in this zone. The control unit 6 may also use additional wind information data and/or weather forecast data. The orientation of the nozzle 26 may be changed in order to compensate to the direction of the wind in case of windy conditions. Moreover, in hot weather or within a dry period, the irrigation system 18 may automatically increase the water requirements based upon signals from the control unit.

When the pressure of the pump 2 is increased, the nozzle 26 is able to irrigate zone in a longer distance from the nozzle 26. It is also possible to alter the orientation of the nozzle 26 and hereby change the range of reach of the water jet leaving the nozzle 26. It may be an advantage the vertical position of the nozzle 26 is determined by the sen- sor 10 so that the vertical position of the nozzle 26 can be taken into account when controlling the pump 2.

List of reference numerals

1 - Pump system

2 - Pump

4 - Motor

6 - Control unit

8 - Position information data

10 - Sensor

11 - Fluid outlet

12 - Fluid inlet

14 - Sensor

15 - Distal end

16 - Hose

18 - Irrigation system

20 - End gun

22 - Motor

24 - Protective pipe

26 _ Nozzle