The performance of a solenoid drive liquid pump can be very dependent on the magnitude and stability of an input voltage, with non-ideal input power resulting in loss of efficiency and potential damage to the pump. Pulse width of drive signals provided to the pump, which cause solenoids to alternately energize to move liquid through the pump, may be adjusted in duration in order to compensate for non-ideal input voltage. A drive control module of the pump gathers voltage information, determines an improved pulse width based upon that voltage information, and then provides drive signals based upon the improved pulse width. Operating in this manner, a pump can operate at or near peak efficiency despite both significant variances in input voltage and non-sinusoidal input voltage, and without customized components or adapters.

A reciprocating pump includes: a housing with a fluid channel that includes a pump chamber; a reciprocated member that is disposed in the housing to form the pump chamber, and reciprocable for suction and discharge of fluid; an actuator configured to reciprocate the reciprocated member; and a pressure gauge with a pressure receiving portion, configured to detect pressure of the fluid in the fluid channel via the pressure receiving portion. The housing includes an inner wall facing the fluid channel, and a flexible, membranous portion placed continuously next to the inner wall to face the fluid channel. The pressure gauge is attached to the housing such that the membranous portion is sandwiched between the pressure receiving portion and the fluid channel.

A monitoring system may include a position sensor, a strain gauge, and a computing device for determining the condition of a valve in a chamber of a pump using strain measurements. The strain gauge may determine strain in the chamber. The position sensor may determine the position of a crankshaft coupled to a plunger in the chamber. The computing device may receive signals generated by the strain gauge and the position sensor related to the strain in the chamber and the position of the crankshaft, respectively, and may process the signals to determine delays in the actuation of the valves.

A liquid feeding apparatus includes: a plurality of plunger pumps fluidly connected in series or in parallel between a suction flow path and a discharge flow path; and a control unit configured to control an operation of the plunger pump. The control unit includes a compensation flow rate calculation unit configured to calculate a positive compensation flow rate which changes with time in synchronization with the period with respect to a set flow rate. The compensation flow rate is a flow rate which compensates for a loss of the flow rate caused by cooling and contraction in a discharge stroke after the fluid in the plunger pump is compressed and heated in a pre-compression stroke. The compensation flow rate calculation unit is configured to calculate the compensation flow rate.

A method for actuating a semi-commanded valve that acts in synchronism with the compression cycles of an alternative compressor, and a system for actuating a multi-suction alternative compressor semi-commanded valve. The method for actuating the semi-controlled valve may involve detecting at least one compression peak in the course of at least one mechanical cycle of the alternative compressor and switching the functional status of at least an alternative compressor semi-commanded valve based on detecting at least one compression peak in the course of at least one mechanical cycle of the alternative compressor.

Certain conditions or triggering events require preventing or throttling the discharge of a servicing fluid from a pump to a wellhead or a borehole. Powering down may not be desirable or may require a duration that allows the condition or triggering event to persist. Selectively and automatically activating one or more pressure control valves may throttle or prevent the servicing fluid from being pumped from the pump during the power down sequence or without requiring a power down sequence. Selective activation of a pressure control valve may introduce pressurized fluid into a cylinder of the pump extending a rod to force or maintain a suction valve in an open position. While the suction valve is in the open position, the stroke of the plunger may not create enough pressure to pump the servicing fluid causing the servicing fluid to flow between a fluid header and a chamber of the pump.

A method for actuating a semi-controlled valve that acts in synchronism with the compression cycles of an alternative compressor, and a system for actuating a multi-suction alternative compressor semi-controlled valve. The method for actuating the semi-controlled valve involves detecting at least one compression peak in the course of at least one mechanical cycle of the alternative compressor and switching the functional status of at least an alternative compressor semi-controlled valve based on the detection.

A portable pump is provided including an electric motor having a drive shaft connected to a gear assembly to drive a reciprocating air compressor arrangement. The reciprocating air compressor arrangement includes a crank that drives a connecting rod and a piston within a cylinder. The connecting rod has a first end and a second end and the first end of the rod is connected to the crank while the second end of the rod connected to the piston (to drive the piston in the cylinder and provide compression). The second end of the connecting rod is connected to the piston via a pin. The piston includes a sealing arrangement. A control unit is provided which is in electrical communication with the electric motor and the air compressor to control the operation of the pump arrangement. A power supply is also provided in electrical communication with the control unit to supply power to the control unit and electric motor. The pump is provided within a housing which accommodates the electric motor, the gear assembly, the reciprocating air compressor, the control unit and the power supply. A outlet connected to the reciprocating air compressor is also provided so as to engage with an object to be pumped.

A reciprocating pump includes: a housing with a suction port and a discharge port; a reciprocated member disposed in the housing to form a pump chamber and reciprocable such that fluid is sucked into the pump chamber through the suction port and then discharged from the pump chamber through the discharge port; an actuator configured to reciprocate the reciprocated member; and a pressure gauge with a pressure receiving portion, configured to detect pressure of the fluid in the pump chamber through the pressure receiving portion, and coupled to the reciprocated member to be reciprocated by the actuator integrally with the reciprocated member.

A system may include multiple strain gauges and multiple position sensors positioned on multiple pressure pumps. The strain gauges may measure strain in chambers of the pressure pumps. The position sensors may measure positions of rotating members of the pressure pumps. One or more computing devices may be communicatively couplable to the strain gauges and the position sensors to determine an adjustment to a flow rate of fluid through at least one pump using a strain measurement and a position measurement for the at least one pump such that a timing of changes in composition of the fluid delivered to into a first manifold at an input for the pressure pumps matches the timing of the changes in composition of the fluid delivered from a second manifold at an output for the pressure pumps.