A diagnostic apparatus for a fuel pump diagnoses the state of a fuel pump based on: a correlation between a pump rotational speed that is a rotational speed of the motor and fuel pressure that is pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump; and an initial correlation that is the correlation in an initial actuation period from when the fuel pump is energized for the first time to when a specified period has elapsed.

A method for use with a pumping system includes receiving a pump command signal for starting a pump; initiating a valve command signal for opening a valve, in response to the receiving the pump command signal; receiving a valve sensor signal indicating that the valve is open; and initiating a pump start command signal, in response to the received valve sensor signal.

Example systems and methods for manipulating control of sump pumps in order to extend lifespans of the sump pumps are disclosed. An example method includes activating a sump pump a first time; deactivating the sump pump when a first current water level in a sump basin in which the sump pump is disposed reaches a first low-water mark; and determining, by one or more processors, a time since a last activation of the sump pump wherein the last activation occurred when the sump pump activated the first time. When the time satisfies a threshold, the method activates the sump pump at second time, determines, by one or more processors, a second current water level in the sump basin, and in response to determining that the second current water level in the sump basin is below a second low-water mark corresponding to a bottom of an impeller of the sump pump, deactivates the sump pump.

A sensing device for a centrifugal slurry pump having an impeller which rotates about an axis, the centrifugal slurry pump including a side liner and a main liner housed within an outer casing of the pump, the sensing device comprising; a body portion arranged to pass through the outer casing, wherein the body portion includes a sensor biased towards contact with either the side liner or the main liner of the pump.

A method of monitoring the condition of a volute casing of a centrifugal pump, the method includes determining, in a wall of the volute casing, at least one point, which, in view of the material forming the volute casing, is critical to wear, providing, from outside the volute casing, a blind hole in the wall of the volute casing at the at least one point, the blind hole having a depth, receiving information from the blind hole, and taking predetermined actions to replace the volute casing with a new casing after the information indicates the opening of the blind hole into the interior of the volute casing.

A method of evaluating a wear state of an assembly of a flow machine, in particular, of a bearing arrangement of a pump or turbine. For determining a wear characteristic, a mechanical query signal having a pre-definable signal shape is generated by a signal generator and a response signal generated from the query signal is detected using a sensor in contact with the assembly. The response signal is varied in dependence on a variation of a physical operating value of the assembly in accordance with a characteristic pattern, the wear characteristic is determined from the variation of the response signal and the wear state is evaluated using the wear characteristic.

A sump pump system may detect and utilize motion or acceleration of water in sump basins when implementing control of sump pumps. To detect the motion or acceleration, the sump pump system may utilize a sensor that is configured to detect motion or acceleration, such as an accelerometer or gyroscope. The sump pump system may identify a water level in a sump basin based on the detected motion or acceleration, which may be compared to a reading or expected signal from the sump pump system's typical sensor (e.g., float switch) that is used to detect one or more water levels. In this manner, the sump pump system may detect a malfunctioning level sensor that is used by the pump to detect high-water and low-water marks at which the sump pump activates and deactivates, respectively.

A sump pump system enables automatic determination and utilization of frequencies for mechanical shakers for sump pumps. These techniques may be implemented to detect a fault (e.g., a stuck impeller) with a sump pump and to identify a desirable frequency at which a mechanical shaker for the sump pump should vibrate to correct the fault.

A combined sump pump with a backup pump structure includes a primary pump, a check valve device for the primary pump, a pipeline connection device arranged on one side of the primary pump and the backup pump, a backup pump, and a check valve device for the backup pump; the primary pump and the pipeline connection device are connected by the check valve of the primary pump, the backup pump and the pipeline connection device are connected by the check valve of the backup pump; the primary pump is equipped with a primary pump float switch, a primary pump float ball is provided under the primary pump float switch, a backup pump hoop is provided on the pipeline connection device, a backup pump float switch is provided on the backup pump hoop, and a backup pump float ball is provided under the backup pump float switch.

A method for determining mechanical degradation of parts of a centrifugal pump having a fluid inlet, an impeller, and a fluid outlet. The method includes calculating at least one of a wear-ring clearance effect and an impeller wear effect. The wear-ring clearance effect is calculated using measurements of an actual pump flow rate Qp and actual pump power Pwp, calculating an internal flow rate of the pump Qp.sub.Pwp, calculating the mechanical power Pw.sub.Qp that should be used if the pump worked as specified in a theoretical curve, and calculating a difference between a theoretical Head and an internal Head Hp.sub.th?Hp.sub.Pwp to obtain the loss of Head due to the wear-ring clearance. The impeller wear effect is calculated by measuring an actual input pressure p.sub.in, an actual output pressure p.sub.out and an actual pump power Pwp, calculating a theoretical flow rate QpPwp corresponding to the measured mechanical power Pwp, calculating a theoretical Pump Head HpPwp, calculating the actual Pump Head Hp from the actual input pressure p.sub.in, and the actual output pressure p.sub.out and a pumped fluid density, and calculating a difference between the theoretical pump head and the actual pump Head HpPwp?Hp to obtain the loss of head due to the impeller wear.