A pump device has at least one chamber (22) or conduit containing or provided for containing a liquid, a concentration sensor (24) arranged in the chamber (22) or conduit for detecting a concentration of a substance in the liquid and an evaluation unit (28) connected to the sensor (24). The sensor (24) and the evaluation unit (28) are configured for an electrical impedance measurement. The evaluation unit (28) is configured such that a measurement for detecting the concentration is carried out by use of an electrical signal applied to the sensor (24) having at least one frequency corresponding to or above an upper cut-off frequency (f.sub.2) of a frequency range showing a constant electrical impedance (R.sub.m). A method is provided for determining the concentration of a substance inside a liquid.

Methods and modules for protecting pumps are provided, the modules having a sensor for detecting leaks of the pump seal, a sensor for detecting rain and/or a sensor for detecting that the pump is running dry and thus is overheated. Each sensor communicates with a circuitry configured to shut down the pump until the problem is resolved and to send a notice or alarm to a person or a system. A reset button may be provided to override the shutdown of the pump by the circuitry. Methods of using the modules are also provided.

The present invention relates to a pump apparatus. The pump apparatus includes: an impeller (1) in which a permanent magnet (5) is embedded; a pump casing (2) which houses the impeller (1); a motor stator (6) having a plurality of stator coils (6B); a motor casing (3) which houses the motor stator (6); a bearing assembly (10) which supports the impeller (1); a vibration sensor (30) for detecting a vibration of the bearing assembly (10); and a controller (29) connected to the vibration sensor (30). The controller (29) calculates the rate of change in the vibration based on the vibration detected by the vibration sensor (30) and, when the rate of change in the vibration is higher than a predetermined threshold value, performs at least one of an operation to stop the supply of electric current to the motor stator (6) and an operation to trigger an alarm.

Modules for protecting pumps are provided having a sensor detecting leaks of the pump seal, a sensor detecting rain and/or a sensor detecting that the pump is running dry and thus is overheated. Each sensor communicates with a circuitry configured to shut down the pump until the problem is resolved and to send a notice or alarm to a person or a system. A reset button may be provided to override the shutdown of the pump by the circuitry. Methods of using the modules are also provided.

A pump assembly with at least one liquid space (32) in an interior. The liquid space (32) contains a liquid or is configured for receiving a liquid. A sensor (34, 42) is arranged in the liquid space (32), which sensor is configured to detect at least one material property of the liquid located in the liquid space (32). A filter element (44) is arranged in the interior of the liquid space (32) such that the filter element (44) shields the sensor (34, 42) with respect to the surrounding liquid space (32), the filter element (44) being permeable to the liquid. A method for controlling a pump assembly is also provided.

A pump seal leakage detection system (8) includes a leakage piping (13) including a collector pipe (21) and an air stream pipe (23), a sensor (15) positioned at the air stream pipe (23), and an air displacement device (17) for driving an air stream through the air stream pipe (23). The collector pipe (21) includes an inlet port (25) that is connectable to a leakage centrifuge (5), and an outlet port (27) into the air stream pipe (23). The sensor (15) is configured to detect a leakage drop at the outlet port (27) of the collector pipe (21) or in the air stream pipe (23). The air displacement device (17) is configured to blow a leakage drop off the outlet port (27) of the collector pipe (21) by an air stream towards an outlet port (35) of the air stream pipe (23).

Devices, systems and methods for leak detection are provided herein. Also provided are devices, systems and methods for monitoring and/or measuring fluid usage. In some aspects, a system comprising a sensor, a processing system, and a platform are provided. In some aspects, the sensor may be coupled to a spinning device. The sensor can be configured to detect fluid data, which can comprise, for example, displacement data of liquid and/or movement data associated with the liquid in a container and/or flow data associated with a flow of fluid in a conduit. The processing system can be coupled with the sensor and configured to communicate the fluid data. The platform can comprise an application communicatively coupled to one or more databases storing evaluation data (e.g., known pattern data) and configured to receive the fluid data and determine if there is a leak.

A multi-outlet fluid pump includes a housing, a motorized pump, an electrical power supply, and a self-locking thermal cutoff. In one form, the pump includes a first or primary thermal cutoff and a second or secondary thermal cutoff to prevent the pump from operating once a thermal cutoff has deactivated the pump until a user or operator has taken some affirmative action. Related methods are also disclosed herein. In some forms an indicator is provided to indicate if the thermal cutoff has disabled the pump to alert a user as to the need to unplug or reset the pump before operating the pump again.

A feed pump to increase the pressure in a line includes a pumping chamber for a pumping medium. At least one temperature sensor, which is arranged in the feed pump, is allocated to the pumping chamber and is in thermal contact with the pumping chamber for determining a temperature of the pumping medium in the pumping chamber. A temperature control device is allocated to the at least one temperature sensor and by which defined temperature conditions can be created in an area surrounding the at least one temperature sensor. An evaluation device to which the at least one temperature sensor is coupled for signal purposes uses the data from the at least one temperature sensor to determine whether pumping medium is flowing through the pumping chamber or not.

A fluid supply system includes a fluid delivery system including a pump, a sensor configured to acquire data regarding the fluid delivery system, and a processing circuit coupled to the sensor. The processing circuit is configured to determine a health level of the fluid delivery system based on the data and provide a notification in response to the health level not satisfying a threshold.