Centrifugal Pump and Method for Status Detection of a Centrifugal Pump

Abstract

A pump arrangement for conveying a liquid, in particular for conveying waste water or service water, includes a pump housing and an impeller rotatably arranged in the pump housing about a rotation axis for conveying the liquid. At least one sensor, in particular a 3D sensor, is present for detecting a surface of the impeller to sense an extent of build-up on the impeller. The at least one sensor is arranged on and/or in the pump housing.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A pump arrangement for conveying a liquid, comprising: a pump housing; an impeller rotatably arranged about a center of rotation in the pump housing; and a sensor, wherein the sensor is a 2D or a 3D sensor configured to sense a surface of the impeller, and the sensor is arranged one or both of on and in the pump housing, facing the surface of the impeller.

19. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor is configured to determine a distance from the sensor to the impeller by time-of-flight.

20. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor is configured to determine a distance from the sensor to the impeller by phase-difference.

21. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor is configured to determine a distance from the sensor to the impeller by frequency-modulated continuous waves.

22. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor is one or more of an optical sensor, an optical 2D sensor, an optical 3D sensor, a 2D ultrasound sensor, a 3D ultrasound sensor, a MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) radar sensor, a 2D laser distance sensor and a 3D laser distance sensor.

23. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein a characteristic pattern detectable by the sensor is present on the surface of the impeller at a predetermined impeller rotational position.

24. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the characteristic pattern detectable by the sensor is a 2D pattern or a 3D pattern.

25. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: a light generator configured to illuminate a detection range of the sensor, wherein the light generator is arranged on with the sensor or one or both of in and on the pump housing.

26. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the light generator is configured to emit intermittent light impulses which are synchronized with a rotational speed of the impeller.

27. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: a micro-pump configured to rinse and actively remove residues accumulated in front of a sensor surface of the sensor.

28. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: an ultrasound micro-actuator configured to generate an ultrasound shaking motion of one or both of a sensor surface of the sensor and a portion of the pump housing such that a layer of dirt deposited on the sensor surface is one or both of broken up and prevented from forming on the sensor surface.

29. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: an intake connection configured to receive the liquid being conveyed, and a supply connection on a suction side of the pump configured to supply clean water into the liquid being conveyed such that murkiness in the fluid being conveyed is reduced between the sensor and the surface of the impeller the sensor faces.

30. The pump arrangement as claimed in claim , further comprising: a control unit (9), wherein the control unit is configured to receive and analyze data received from the sensor to identify the presence of at least one of blockage, plaiting, cavitation, mechanical damage, or vibrations.

31. A method for detecting a blockage in a pump arrangement, the pump arrangement including a pump housing, an impeller rotatably arranged about a center of rotation in the pump housing and a sensor, the sensor being a 2D or a 3D sensor configured to sense a surface of the impeller and being arranged one or both of on and in the pump housing, facing the surface of the impeller, the method comprising the steps of: producing with the sensor data associated with the surface of the impeller the sensor faces; analyzing using a control unit the data associated with the impeller produced by the sensor; and determining with the control unit whether the analyzed data associated with the impeller produced by the sensor indicates the presence of at least one of blockage, plaiting, cavitation, mechanical damage, or vibrations.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the data associated with the impeller produced by the sensor is images of the impeller.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the images of the impeller are produced by the sensor after clean water is added on a suction side of the pump arrangement to reduce any murkiness in the liquid present in the vicinity of the impeller during the sensor's taking images.

34. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the images taken by the sensor are of a portion of the impeller provided with a characteristic pattern.

35. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the images taken by the sensor are synchronized with a rotational speed of the impeller.

36. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the images taken by the sensor are synchronized with a rotational speed of the impeller.

37. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising: producing a signal by the control unit determining the presence of at least one of blockage, plaiting, cavitation, mechanical damage, or vibrations; switching-on or off of the pump arrangement in response to the control unit signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a pump arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention with the sensor,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a further pump according to an embodiment of the invention with the sensor, and

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a further pump according to an embodiment of the invention with the sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a vertically installed pump arrangement 1 having a pump housing 3 exhibiting a flow chamber 2 and an impeller 4 arranged therein which, when rotating about its center of rotation A, conveys a liquid from its intake connection 5 to its delivery connection 6.

[0045] In addition, a sensor 7 is provided in and/or on the pump housing 3 which is oriented to a surface of the impeller 4. The sensor 7 is therefore able to detect whether an object 8 arranged upstream of the impeller surface is present which reduces the efficiency of the pump 1. Typically, an imminent blockage of the pump 1 can thereby be detected or plaiting inferred.

[0046] Plaiting in this case means the adhesion of a solid body 8 to the impeller 4, which is not released on the delivery side, even with constant rotation. Permanent carrying-along with the liquid being conveyed causes other free-floating elements to become attached thereto, so that the plait grows and the efficiency of the pump 1 is increasingly impeded. This can sometimes lead to a complete blockage of the pump 1.

[0047] In order to identify this kind of state as early as possible, the images or information captured by the sensor 7 are sent to a control unit 9 via a cable 10 or also wirelessly, so that a corresponding analysis can take place. This advantageously happens with the help of artificial intelligence, wherein deep-learning technology can also be utilized this case.

[0048] In this case, the anticipated image of the impeller surface is compared with the actual image, and it is possible to deduce from this whether there is any plaiting or even a blockage.

[0049] In order to obtain a better comparison, a pattern 11 has been applied to the surface of the impeller 4 in the embodiment shown, which pattern is particularly easily captured by the sensor 7. If the sensor 7 captures the pattern 11, an object 8 located in front of it can be particularly accurately identified and this improves the reliability of error status detection.

[0050] In this case, the reference sign 12 shows symbolically a communication interface which can be used with an optional modification of the invention to transmit the results of the evaluations further.

[0051] So that a status detection works perfectly, even with a very dirty liquid, it can be provided that next to the intake connection 5 for drawing up the liquid to be pumped there is a supply connection 13 arranged on the suction side of the pump arrangement 1, via which a clear liquid, for example clear water, is introduced into the pump 1 where necessary, for example during or shortly before a photo is taken by the sensor 7.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the pump arrangement 1, in which the sensor 7 is arranged in a region 14 set back from the flow chamber 2. Consequently, the sensor 7 is in contact with the conveying medium, but is better protected from abrasive wear, mechanical impact by the solids contained in the medium, and contamination and sedimentation. The recessed region is shown in FIG. 2 as a concavity in the pump housing. Alternatively, the recessed region 14 can be produced by mechanical processing, in particular by machining, of the inside of the pump housing 3.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a vertically installed pump arrangement 1 in which the sensor 7 is arranged in a cover 15 for closing a so-called cleaning hole 16. This means that a bore in the pump housing 3 can be dispensed with.

[0054] It is self-evident that a recessed region, similar to the region 14 shown in FIG. 2, can be provided in the cover 15. In addition, it is possible for the pump arrangements 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be equipped with a cover 15 according to FIG. 3.

[0055] In order to illuminate the detection range of the sensor 7, a lighting means which is not depicted in the figures can be provided in and/or on the pump housing 3 or on the sensor 7 itself.

[0056] A placement of the sensor 7, the lighting means, and/or the micro-pump may, in addition, also be provided at other points suitable therefor in or on the pump housing 3, for example close to the intake connection 5 and/or close to the delivery connection 6. FIGS. 1 to 3 each show a single-stage pump arrangement with an impeller 4 expelling in a radial direction. The invention may also be provided in a pump arrangement 1, for example, which has a multi-stage design and/or is provided with an impeller 4 expelling in an axial or semi-axial direction.

[0057] The supply connection 14 described in FIG. 1 can also be used in the different embodiments of pump arrangements 1.