METHOD FOR TESTING A PUMPING DEVICE IN A GAS-MEASURING SYSTEM

Abstract

A method and system for testing a pumping device (9) with a control unit (91) in a gas-measuring system (1). The pumping device (9) is tested with the control unit (91), which is configured to test readiness of the pumping device (9) to operate. An initialization data set and an operating data set are used for the testing. An indicator of readiness of the pumping device (9) to operate is determined based on this.

Claims

1. A method for testing a pumping device, the method comprising the steps of: providing the pumping device comprising a pump and a control unit arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device and at least one data storage element; determining, by the control unit, at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device and storing the at least one first value in the at least one data storage element as an initialization data set; determining, by the control unit, at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state and storing the at least one additional value in at least one data storage element as an operating data set, wherein the additional operating state follows the first operating state in time; comparing the initialization data set and the operating data set with values characterizing the operating states of the pumping device; and determining an indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate on the basis of the comparison.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate is divided into categories by means of the control unit in an additional step.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein an error signal is determined by the control unit in an additional step on the basis of the categories or on the basis of the indicator of readiness to operate, and the error signal is provided as an output signal by means of a data output unit.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device is represented by at least one measured value or at least one setting value from a group of the following measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; an ambient air pressure; an ambient humidity; an ambient temperature; a flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; a change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; a vacuum generated by the pump; a velocity of flow generated by the pump; a speed of rotation of the pump; an electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and an electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein determining the first value characterizing a first operating state includes determining, by the control unit, characterizing values for different speeds of rotation of the pump in the first operating state and storing the determined characterizing values in the initialization data set.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to perform a conversion of at least one of the measured values or of the setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values into measured values or of the setting values in the first operating state or in the additional operating state, or both in the first operating state and in the additional operating state, based on standardized ambient conditions.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at last one additional value characterizing the at least one additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at last one additional value characterizing the at least one additional operating state of the pumping device, is represented by a combination or by a pair of values of at least two measured values or setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; ambient air pressure; ambient humidity; ambient temperature; flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; velocity of flow generated by the pump; vacuum generated by the pump; speed of rotation of the pump; electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device and the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device, is represented by a characteristic, a family of characteristics or a characteristic diagram based on at least two measured values or setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; ambient air pressure; ambient humidity; ambient temperature; flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump; change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; velocity of flow generated by the pump; vacuum generated by the pump; speed of rotation of the pump; electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an initial pneumatic resistance value is determined by the control unit in the first operating state from a change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump and the pressure generated by the pump, and an additional pneumatic resistance value is determined by the control unit in the additional operating state from the change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump and from the pressure generated by the pump, the initial and additional pneumatic resistance values are compared with one another by the control unit, and the indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate is determined on the basis of the comparison.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the pneumatic resistance is determined for different speeds of rotation of the pump in the first operating state or in the additional operating state or in both in the first operating state and in the additional operating state.

11. A gas measuring system comprising a pumping device comprising a pump and a control unit and at least one data storage element, the control unit being configured to: determine at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device and storing the at least one first value in the at least one data storage element as an initialization data set; determine at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state and store the at least one additional value in at least one data storage element as an operating data set, wherein the additional operating state follows the first operating state in time; compare the initialization data set and the operating data set with values characterizing the operating states of the pumping device; and determine an indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate on the basis of the comparison.

12. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate is divided into categories by means of the control unit in an additional step.

13. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 12, wherein an error signal is determined by the control unit on the basis of the categories or on the basis of the indicator of readiness to operate, and the error signal is provided as an output signal by means of a data output unit.

14. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device is represented by at least one measured value or at least one setting value from a group of the following measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; an ambient air pressure; an ambient humidity; an ambient temperature; a flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; a change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; a vacuum generated by the pump; a velocity of flow generated by the pump; a speed of rotation of the pump; an electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and an electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

15. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein determining the first value characterizing a first operating state includes determining, by the control unit, characterizing values for different speeds of rotation of the pump in the first operating state and storing the determined characterizing values in the initialization data set.

16. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to perform a conversion of at least one of the measured values or of the setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values into measured values or of the setting values in the first operating state or in the additional operating state, or both in the first operating state and in the additional operating state, based on standardized ambient conditions.

17. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at last one additional value characterizing the at least one additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at last one additional value characterizing the at least one additional operating state of the pumping device, is represented by a combination or by a pair of values of at least two measured values or setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; ambient air pressure; ambient humidity; ambient temperature; flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; velocity of flow generated by the pump; vacuum generated by the pump; speed of rotation of the pump; electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

18. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device or the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device or both the at least one first value characterizing a first operating state of the pumping device and the at least one additional value characterizing an additional operating state of the pumping device, is represented by a characteristic, a family of characteristics or a characteristic diagram based on at least two measured values or setting values from the group of the measured values or setting values comprising: a feed pressure generated by the pumping device; ambient air pressure; ambient humidity; ambient temperature; flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump; change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate fed by the pump; velocity of flow generated by the pump; vacuum generated by the pump; speed of rotation of the pump; electric operating current of a pump motor arranged in the pumping device or associated with the pumping device; and electric operating voltage of the pump motor.

19. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 11, wherein an initial pneumatic resistance value is determined by the control unit in the first operating state from a change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump and the pressure generated by the pump, and an additional pneumatic resistance value is determined by the control unit in the additional operating state from the change over time in the flow rate or mass flow rate generated by the pump and from the pressure generated by the pump, the initial and additional pneumatic resistance values are compared with one another by the control unit, and the indicator of readiness of the pumping device to operate is determined on the basis of the comparison.

20. A gas measuring system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the pneumatic resistance is determined for different speeds of rotation of the pump in the first operating state or in the additional operating state or in both in the first operating state and in the additional operating state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] In the drawings:

[0061] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a pumping device according to the invention in a gas-measuring system according to the invention; and

[0062] FIG. 2 is a view showing a schematic course of a method for testing a pumping device in a gas-measuring system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0063] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a gas-measuring system 1. The gas-measuring system 1 comprises a gas-measuring device 3, an analysis system 7 and a pumping device 9, wherein said pumping device 9 is connected to the analysis system 7 and to the gas-measuring device 3 by means of a data interface or data output unit 93 via data lines 19, 21. The analysis system 7 is located during use for monitoring gas concentrations or other measured ambient values in an industrial, chemical or petrochemical plant or in a mine. The gas-measuring device 3 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a plurality of gas-measuring devices 3 at different locations, which together represent an interlinked system for monitoring ambient situations in the industrial, chemical, petrochemical or mining facility, and can together be combined, coordinated, displayed, analyzed or provided for a further processing on the analysis system 7.

[0064] The gas-measuring device 3 has a sensor 5, with which gas concentrations from the immediate vicinity of the gas-measuring device 3 can be detected. The detected gas concentrations are converted by an electronic unit 4 into data signals and are provided to the outside via data links 21.

[0065] A data output unit 93, a gas inlet 12 for test gas, resetting gas or gas to be measured, as well as a gas feed line 18 for feeding gas from the pumping device 9 to the gas-measuring device 3 are provided at the pumping device 9. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, a quantity of gas is drawn in at the first gas inlet 12 from a measuring environment 39 by a pump 37 with a pump motor, not shown in this FIG. 1, and fed via the gas feed line 18 leading to the sensor 5 into the gas-measuring device 3. Measured data are transmitted via the data links 19, 21 from the gas-measuring device 3 to the analysis system 7. The data links 19, 21 are configured, for example, as RS232, RS485, voltage interfaces (0 . . . 10 V) or current interfaces (4 . . . 20 mA, 0 . . . 20 mA). A control unit 91, for example a programmable or memory-programmable element (P, C, MPC) with a corresponding memory 92 (RAM, SD card), is present in the pumping device 9, and this unit is configured to bring about the control of the pump 37 by means of control signals, for example, as a control unit or regulating unit according to a speed of rotation/pressure characteristic. A pressure sensor 36 for detecting the feed pressure generated by the pump 37, a flow sensor 35 for detecting the flow rate generated by the pump 37, a pump temperature sensor 31 for detecting the temperature of the pump 37 or of the pump motor, an ambient temperature sensor 34 for detecting an ambient temperature of the measuring environment 39, an ambient pressure sensor 38 for detecting an air pressure of the measuring environment 39, a current sensor 32 for detecting an electric operating current of the pump 37 or of the pump motor, and a voltage sensor 33 for detecting an electric operating voltage of the pump 37 or of the pump motor are provided as a sensor system in or at the pumping device 9. The sensor system is connected to control unit 91. The ambient temperature sensor 34 may also be configured in a special embodiment as a combined sensor for detecting the temperature and the humidity of the measuring environment 39. A speed of rotation n of the pump 37 or of the pump motor, which is available, for example, indirectly via the electric operating current I of the pump 37 or of the pump motor on the basis of a current or speed of rotation/pressure characteristic, or is provided by a speed of rotation sensor 30 arranged in the pumping device 9 for detecting a speed of rotation of the pump 37 or the pump motor, is available as a manipulated variable to the control unit. The sensors 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 cooperate in conjunction with the control unit 91 in the control (control/regulation), monitoring of operating states of the pumping device 9 and the testing of the pumping device 9, especially of the pump 37 or of the pump motor, by providing measured values.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows a schematic procedure 400 of the method for testing a pumping device 9 (FIG. 1) in a gas-measuring system 1 (FIG. 1) with gas-measuring device 3, analysis system 7 (FIG. 1) and control unit 91 (FIG. 1). Identical components in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2 are designated in FIG. 2 by the same reference numbers as in FIG. 1. The control unit 91 (FIG. 1), configured, e.g., as a processor unit (P, C), makes possible, in conjunction with a memory 92 (FIG. 2), the implementation of the schematic procedure 400. At the start (START) 60 of the pumping device 9 (FIG. 1), the control unit 91 (FIG. 1) determines at least one first value 401, which characterizes a first operating state of the pumping device 9 (FIG. 1), in a first operating state 61 in a first step 611 from the values of the sensors 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 shown in FIG. 1, and stores this at least one value 401 in an initialization data set 410 in the memory 92 (FIG. 1), for example, in a tabular form 401 or as a characteristic 401. In a further, second operating state 63 following the first operating state 61, the control unit 91 (FIG. 1) determines, in a second step 632, an additional value 402, 402, 402, which characterizes an additional operating state of the pumping device 9 (FIG. 1), from the values of the sensors 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 shown in FIG. 1, and likewise stores this additional value 402, 402, 402 as an operating data set 420 in the memory 92 (FIG. 1).

[0067] In a third step 633, the control unit 91 (FIG. 1) compares the first stored value 401, 401, 401 with the additional, second stored value 402, 402, 402 from the memory 92 (FIG. 1) by means of the processor unit 91 and determines an indicator 403 of readiness of the pumping device 9 (FIG. 1) to operate in a fourth step 634 on the basis of the comparison and preferably provides this indicator 403 in an optional fifth step 635 as an error signal 80, for example, by means of a data output unit 93 (FIG. 1) as an output signal. The procedure 400 thus reaches its end (STOP) 89. Provisions are made in an optional variant for repeating the procedure 400 in an additional, second operating state 63 after the end 89 of the procedure 400 and to repeatedly determine additional operating data sets 420 in the further course and to repeatedly and regularly determine the indicator 403 of readiness of the pumping device 9 (FIG. 1) to operate.

[0068] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

APPENDIX

List of Reference Numbers

[0069] 1 Gas-measuring system [0070] 3 Gas-measuring device [0071] 4 Electronic unit [0072] 5 Gas sensor [0073] 7 Analysis system [0074] 9 Pumping device [0075] 12 First gas inlet for test gas, zeroing gas or gas to be measured [0076] 17 Data input/output modules (I/O modules) [0077] 18 Gas feed line [0078] 19, 21 Data link, data signal [0079] 23 Energy supply line [0080] 30 Speed of rotation sensor [0081] 31 Pump temperature sensor [0082] 32 Current sensor [0083] 33 Voltage sensor [0084] 34 Sensor for ambient temperature sensor and/or ambient humidity [0085] 35 Flow sensor [0086] 36 Pressure sensor, feed pressure [0087] 37 Pump [0088] 38 Ambient pressure sensor [0089] 39 Environment, measuring environment (air) [0090] 60 START [0091] 61 First operating state [0092] 63 Additional/second operating state [0093] 80 Error signal, output signal [0094] 89 STOP [0095] 91 Control unit [0096] 92 Memory [0097] 93 Data interface/data output unit [0098] 400 Procedure [0099] 401, 401, 401 First value [0100] 402, 402, 402 Second value [0101] 403 Indicator of readiness to operate [0102] 410 Initialization data set [0103] 420 Operating data set [0104] 611 First step [0105] 632 Second step [0106] 633 Third step