An embodiment includes a method of monitoring a fluid pump that includes receiving time domain measurement data indicating vibrations occurring in a fluid pump, and filtering the measurement data to remove measurement data components having frequencies below a threshold frequency, the removed measurement data components associated with cyclical motions of the fluid pump. The method also includes dividing the filtered measurement data into a plurality of subsets, each subset corresponding to a pump cycle, and estimating a peak count for each subset, the peak count being a number of peaks having an amplitude that exceeds a selected amplitude threshold, the amplitude threshold associated with impacts between internal components of the pump. The method further includes comparing the peak count with an expected peak count, and determining whether the pump is in a condition selected from at least one of a wear condition and a failure condition based on the comparison.

An embodiment includes a method of monitoring a fluid pump that includes receiving time domain measurement data indicating vibrations occurring in a fluid pump, and filtering the measurement data to remove measurement data components having frequencies below a threshold frequency, the removed measurement data components associated with cyclical motions of the fluid pump. The method also includes dividing the filtered measurement data into a plurality of subsets, each subset corresponding to a pump cycle, and estimating a peak count for each subset, the peak count being a number of peaks having an amplitude that exceeds a selected amplitude threshold, the amplitude threshold associated with impacts between internal components of the pump. The method further includes comparing the peak count with an expected peak count, and determining whether the pump is in a condition selected from at least one of a wear condition and a failure condition based on the comparison.

The lubricant level within a reservoir is difficult to monitor, leading to the reservoir being refilled more often than necessary to ensure that the reservoir always contains lubricant. A lubricant level sensing system is connected to and monitors various aspects of the pump assembly that draws lubricant from the reservoir. The pump assembly displaces a known volume of lubricant with each pump stroke. A lubricant-level estimator calculates an estimated lubricant level remaining in the reservoir based on a stroke-count value as sensed from the pump assembly and on a reference value stored in a memory. The estimated lubricant level provides the lubricant remaining and the rate of usage such that maintenance can be scheduled ahead of time to prevent the reservoir running dry.

Methods and apparatus pertaining to positive displacement pumps, and further to hydraulic actuation systems. In some embodiments the pumps are gear pumps with bi-directional operation. In some embodiments the actuation system includes a motor-driven, reversible operation gear pump providing fluid under pressure to a rod and cylinder.

Methods and apparatus pertaining to positive displacement pumps, and further to hydraulic actuation systems. In some embodiments the pumps are gear pumps with bi-directional operation. In some embodiments the actuation system includes a motor-driven, reversible operation gear pump providing fluid under pressure to a rod and cylinder.

An industrial fluid circulation system and method has at least one fluid circulation circuit in an industrial process, such as an HVAC system. The at least one fluid circulation circuit includes a plurality of pumps, at least two of the pumps connected in parallel to circulate a fluid through the at least one fluid circulation circuit. A separate motor drives each pump and a speed control is used to vary the speed of each motor to thereby vary the pumping capacity of each parallel connected pump. A load detector is provided to sense operating loads on the system, and each operating pump runs at one of: a predetermined equal reduced speed, a predetermined almost equal reduced speed, and a predetermined similar reduced speed, relative to a maximum speed to thereby optimize pump motor power usage in accordance with system operating loads.

An industrial fluid circulation system and method has at least one fluid circulation circuit in an industrial process, such as an HVAC system. The at least one fluid circulation circuit includes a plurality of pumps, at least two of the pumps connected in parallel to circulate a fluid through the at least one fluid circulation circuit. A separate motor drives each pump and a speed control is used to vary the speed of each motor to thereby vary the pumping capacity of each parallel connected pump. A load detector is provided to sense operating loads on the system, and each operating pump runs at one of: a predetermined equal reduced speed, a predetermined almost equal reduced speed, and a predetermined similar reduced speed, relative to a maximum speed to thereby optimize pump motor power usage in accordance with system operating loads.

A fuel flow control assembly for an aircraft engine. The assembly includes a gear arrangement having a shaft. Also included is a bearing structure operatively coupled to each shaft. Further included is a pressure pad disposed adjacent the bearing structure, the pressure pad having a radially extending port for receiving a fuel flow. Yet further included is a flow metering device in flow communication with the port of the pressure pad to restrict the fuel flow at a low pressure operating condition and open the port to increase the fuel flow at a high pressure operating condition.

A fuel flow control assembly for an aircraft engine. The assembly includes a gear arrangement having a shaft. Also included is a bearing structure operatively coupled to each shaft. Further included is a pressure pad disposed adjacent the bearing structure, the pressure pad having a radially extending port for receiving a fuel flow. Yet further included is a flow metering device in flow communication with the port of the pressure pad to restrict the fuel flow at a low pressure operating condition and open the port to increase the fuel flow at a high pressure operating condition.

A jetting dispensing system includes a dispenser body with a fluid chamber and a valve element, and a progressive cavity pump for feeding fluid into the fluid chamber. The progressive cavity pump propagates a plurality of separated cavities of fluid along an elongate length thereof to generate and maintain an incoming fluid pressure at a fluid inlet and the fluid chamber of the dispenser body. Accordingly, the droplets that are generated from operating the valve element in jetting dispensing cycles may define a volume of fluid, regardless of variations in fluid viscosity and variations in operational speed of the jetting dispensing system. Furthermore, the velocity profile of fluid exiting the dispenser body may be more constant to avoid causing changes in fluid velocity that can damage fluid particles and/or cause rotational tumbling or blossoming of the droplet while in flight towards the substrate.