The pump station control system and method monitors and displays a time history of the operating parameters of a pump station. Sensed operating parameters are transmitted to an operator in real time and are stored at predetermined time intervals over a predetermined period of time. A real-time cost parameter of the system is calculated that provides a measure of the cost per throughput of the material being pumped. The system can be optimized for the cost parameter by controlling system variables such as pump speed in response to the level of fluid.

Pump station control system and method

Hydraulic power supplies for aircraft which have such hydraulically operated systems as flaps, ailerons, spoilers, rudders, elevators, brakes, and retractable and steerable landing gear. Typically, the aircraft will be of the multiengine type; and there will also be a multiplicity of hydraulic power supplies and engines. This scheme can be utilized to provide operating redundancy for the hydraulically operated devices of the aircraft. Each hydraulic power supply has a solid state controller which has a number of inputs as well as control and information providing functions. Control over the functioning of each hydraulic power supply can also be exercised by flight deck crew-operated switches which are connected to inputs of the solid state controllers.

Hydraulic power supplies

An apparatus and a method for quantifying the leak flow rate of a fluid from a fluid leak site in a piping system. An ultrasonic sound detector is used to accumulate sound level data for known leak sites in known piping system elements through which a known fluid flows at known temperatures and pressures. The accumulated data provide a database to permit the determination of fluid leakage rates in actual piping systems by comparing test data obtained for the actual piping system with the data contained in the database. In one embodiment of the invention, the database includes data corresponding to standard curves representing the relationship between accumulated sound level data and accumulated leak flow rate data. Based upon the cost of the fluid, the annual costs for fluid lost as a result of leakage can be determined, as well as the annual volume of fluid lost.

Detection and quantification of fluid leaks

A method of monitoring one or more sumps in order to predict an overflow condition comprising: pumping, using at least one pump (14), liquid from the or each sump (16); monitoring the liquid level in the or each sump (16) using a level monitoring means (24) and outputting liquid level data; monitoring at least one operating condition of the or each pump (16) and outputting pump condition data; and processing the liquid level and pump condition data, using processing means, to predict whether the sump will overflow within a predetermined future period.

Sump monitoring method and apparatus

Wire-to-water efficiency (W) of a multi-pump system is monitored and accurately determined according to the formula: ##EQU1## wherein Q is flow through the system, HS is total dynamic head across the inlet and outlet headers of the system, E is energy input to the system to drive the pump, and K is a predetermined conversion factor. The resulting efficiency determination is provided to an operator so that the pump system may be monitored.

Monitor and control for a multi-pump system

A method and system are disclosed for monitoring the operating status of a materials distribution network having a distribution pipeline and a plurality of pumping stations located at spaced intervals along the pipeline for pumping material through the pipeline, wherein each station includes one or more pumps connected to the pipeline and one or more motors having shafts connected respectively to the pumps for operating the pumps. A plurality of primary input parameters at each of the pumping stations are sensed, including the shaft speed of each of the motors, the output torque of each of the motors, and the energy input to each of the motors. A plurality of values including the power produced by each of the motors, and the operating efficiency of each of the motors are calculated from the input parameters. The calculated efficiency values are displayed for operator use. The economic and financial savings or losses are calculated for management use.

Harold E. Crane

Papers

Method and system for monitoring operating efficiency of pipeline system