PUMP ARRANGEMENT WITH SPEED CONTROL

MONTAGE DE POMPE AVEC COMMANDE DE VITESSE

English Abstract

A pump arrangement for bodies of water or containers with water, for example,
ponds, aquariums, or fountains, that are subject to biological influences,
comprising at least one water pump and a control device for its speed,
characterized by at least one temperature sensor (12) for measuring the water
temperature, whose signals are processed in the control device and used for
controlling the speed of the pump.

Claims

Claims
1. A pump arrangement for bodies of water or containers with water, for
example, ponds, aquariums, or fountains, that are subject to biological
influences, comprising at least one water pump and a control device for its
speed, characterized by at least one temperature sensor (12) for measuring the
water temperature, whose signals are processed in the control device and used
for controlling the speed of the pump.
2. The pump arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the
control comprises control electronics (11) and a data memory with a control
software.
3. The pump arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in the
data memory a temperature limit is preset, wherein the control device adjusts
the
pump to operate at maximum speed when the temperature limit is reached.
4. The pump arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that in
the data memory temperature limits for partial loads are provided at which the
control device adjusts the pump speed according to a stepped adaptation.
5. The pump arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the
control electronics (11) control a continuous adaptation of the pump speed.
6. The pump arrangement according to one of the claims 2 to 5,
characterized in that the control electronics (11) control the adaptation of
the
pump speed at least for some temperature ranges linearly based on the
temperature measured by the temperature sensor (12).
7. The pump arrangement according to one of the claims 2 to 6,
characterized in that the control electronics (11) control the pump speed at
least
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for some temperature ranges exponentially based on the temperature measured
by the temperature sensor (12).
8. The pump arrangement according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the control is integrated into the pump.
9. The pump arrangement according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the pump has a switch (14) for actuating the control
device,
which switch is accessible from the exterior of the housing (1).
10. The pump arrangement according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the temperature sensor (12) is integrated into the pump.
11. The pump arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the
temperature sensor (12) is arranged in the interior of the pump housing (1).
12. The pump arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that
the temperature sensor (12) within the pump housing (1) is arranged at a
distance as large as possible from each coil (8) of the pump motor (6).
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Description

419 CA 02590805 2007-06-07
Pump Arrangement with Speed Control
The invention concerns a pump arrangement with at least one water pump and a
control device for its speed, wherein the pump is designed for circulating
water in
bodies of water subject to biological influences, for example, ponds,
aquariums,
or fountains. Such pumps can be used for supplying filters as well as for
operating water displays or fountains and/or, in other ways, improve gas
exchange or oxygenation as well as, in winter, provide protection of the body
of
water from freezing by water circulation. Bodies of water or containers with
water
in which such pumps are used can be subject to biological influences by
changing ambient temperatures and water temperatures. Further biological
effects are, for example, the turbidity of the body of water, possible
contamination
load, changes of the oxygen contents or the like.
At higher temperatures the biological reaction rate is increased also in a
body of
water and this causes an increased oxygen consumption. It is therefore
expedient to operate such pumps at an increased speed when higher
temperatures are present so that the circulation rate of the water is
accordingly
adjusted. In conventional pumps, this control of the speed is done manually,
i.e.,
the operator of such a pump monitors the biological effects on his body of
water
and controls then the speed of the pump for adjusting the circulated water
volume accordingly. Since this requires a continuous monitoring of the body of
water and of the environmental effects, the pump is often operated for most of
the year under full load, i.e., at maximum speed; because of laziness, without
this
being necessary. This consumes an unnecessary amount of energy.
The invention has therefore the object to provide a pump arrangement that
makes possible energy savings and whose operating comfort is increased.
According to the invention this object is solved by a pump arrangement having
the features of claim 1. By using a temperature sensor and connecting it to
the
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CA 02590805 2007-06-07
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control device, the measured temperature values are directly and automatically
employed for controlling the speed of the pump. A fully automated operation of
the pump in optimal output and speed ranges is therefore possible throughout
the year without requiring manual intervention.
The pump arrangement can be designed to be especially comfortable with regard
to operation and flexible with regard to its application when the control
device
comprises control electronics and a data memory with control software. The
control software can be exchanged as needed when basic conditions of the body
of water, for example, its size, the number of fishes, the plant life, or
other
climatic or biologic conditions change significantly.
Preferably, in the data memory a temperature limit as a maximum temperature is
stored; when this temperature limit is reached or surpassed, the control
device
causes the pump to always run at maximum speed. For temperatures below the
upper temperature limit, temperature limits for partial loads can be preset at
which a stepped adaptation of the pump speed is realized. For a temperature
increase of 10 Kelvin the biological reaction rate and thus also the oxygen
consumption will double; the control is therefore designed preferably such
that,
because of this, the circulation rate, i.e., the speed, will be doubled also.
In order to ensure that at low temperatures, for example, operation in winter,
an
optimal gas exchange and the required oxygenation take place, and to also
ensure protection from freezing over, it can be expedient to again increase
the
speed and thus the circulation rate of the pump, instead of lowering it more,
when the temperature drops below a minimum temperature stored within the
data memory.
One possible energy-saving configuration of the pump could be selected such
that at water temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees Celsius a minimal water quantity
of
3,500 I/h is circulated. At temperatures between 8 degree Celsius and 20
degree
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CA 02590805 2007-06-07
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Celsius the water quantity and the rate of circulation could to be increased
continuously or in a stepwise manner. For example, an average speed can be
provided at temperatures between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius. Starting at a
temperature limit of 20 degrees Celsius, the pump should then be operated at
maximum speed for maximum circulation.
Increase of the speed of the pump at increasing water temperatures can be done
in a linear fashion. As a result of the increase of the biological reaction
rate, at
least for some temperature ranges an exponential increase is however expedient
in many cases.
The pump arrangement according to the invention is preferably utilized in
pumps
with an electronically commutated drive (EC pumps). It is especially
advantageous in this connection to integrate the control device and the
temperature sensor directly into the pump. However, it is also possible to
provide
external electronics and/or sensors that are also used in connection with
conventional asynchronous or synchronous pumps.
One embodiment of a pump with integrated control device will be explained in
the
following with the aid of one embodiment shown in the figures. It is shown in:
Fig. I a schematic cross-section of a pump according to the invention; and
Fig. 2 a section in the direction II-II of the object of Fig. 1.
The illustrated pump has a housing 1 with an intake 2 through which the water
enters the pump and a pressure connector 3 through which the water exits from
the pump. The water is conveyed by means of impeller 4 that is driven through
shaft 5 by means of an electric motor 6. The electric motor 6 has a rotor 7
that is
caused to rotate by an electromagnetic field generated by coils 8. A can 9
separates the area 1' of the housing 1 through which area water passes from
the
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electric area 1" of the housing 1 that is to be kept dry. Preferably, in the
electric
area 1" the control electronics 11 are arranged by which the speed of the
motor
and thus of the pump is controlled. In the interior of the housing, a
temperature
sensor 12 is also arranged that measures at the position of the arrow 13 the
temperature of the water that is conveyed past the sensor. The temperature
sensor 12 is connected to the control electronics 11 in a way not illustrated
in the
drawing.
Preferably, the temperature sensor 12 is arranged such that it receives as
little as
possible of the heat generated by the pump in order to be able to measure a
substantially unadulterated water temperature. An especially advantageous
position of the temperature sensor 12 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The
arrangement of the temperature sensor 12 is selected such that it is located
precisely at the transition between the area 1' of the housing through which
the
water flows and the electric area 1" of the housing. In this way, the
temperature
can be measured in the area where the water flows through while a technically
safe and dry connection to the control electronics 11 in the electric area 1"
of the
pump is possible. Advantageously, the temperature sensor 12 is received for
this purpose in the flange of the can 9. This position is optimized in that
the
temperature sensor is to be arranged at a spacing as large as possible from
any
of the coils 8 of the pump motor 6. In the case of the star arrangement of the
coils 8 as illustrated, such an advantageous position of the temperature
sensor
12 is precisely centered within a free segment between two coils (see Fig. 2).
At the topside of the housing there is a switch 14 that is accessible from the
exterior by which via a connection, not illustrated, to the control
electronics 11
the control action as a function of the water temperature, measured by the
temperature sensor 12, can be switched on or off. By means of this switch a
change between manual control and automatic operation is possible.
In addition to the temperature sensor 12, the entire pump arrangement can have
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CA 02590805 2007-06-07
additional sensors, for example, for detecting water turbidity or the actual
oxygen
contents. These signals can also be evaluated by the control electronics and
can
be incorporated into the speed control through the control software. However,
since the most important parameter is the water temperature, pump
arrangements that have only a temperature sensor are already very effective
and
save, in comparison to conventional, manually controlled pumps, a significant
amount of energy as a result of an always optimal operation. Such pump
arrangements can be operated all year long almost without any maintenance and
expenditure. Their control software can be considered essentially an annual
biological program because an automatic adaptation of the pump performance to
the seasons and the thus resulting operational necessities is achieved. In
addition, the control software can take into account also further calendar-
based
or time-of-day-dependent parameters and, in this way, the pump can be adapted
even better to the needs of the operator and of the body of water in which it
is
used.
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Representative Drawing