Diaphragm Pump with Automatic Priming Function

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments of diaphragm pumps having an automatic priming function, as well as related systems and methods, are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a method of priming a diaphragm pump includes sensing, with a pressure sensor disposed at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump, a pressure of a fluid being pumped by the diaphragm pump, transmitting a pressure signal associated with the sensed pressure from the pressure sensor to a controller of the diaphragm pump, and identifying, on the controller, whether the diaphragm pump is primed by determining whether a characteristic of the pressure signal has reached a threshold.

1 . A pump system comprising:
 a diaphragm pump including (i) a shaft coupled to a diaphragm and configured to move reciprocally between a first end-of-stroke position and a second end-of-stroke position, (ii) a stroke sensor configured to sense whether the shaft has reached one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions, (iii) a pressure sensor disposed at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump and configured to sense a pressure of a fluid pumped by the diaphragm pump, and (iv) a drive configured to cause the shaft to move between the first and second end-of-stroke positions; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the diaphragm pump and configured to (i) identify whether the shaft has reached one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions using a stroke signal received from the stroke sensor, (ii) identify whether the diaphragm pump is primed by determining whether a characteristic of a pressure signal received from the pressure sensor has reached a threshold, and (iii) transmit a control signal to the drive in response to identifying that the shaft is in one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions and that the diaphragm pump is not primed, the control signal actuating the drive such that the drive causes the shaft to move between the first and second end-of-stroke positions.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the characteristic of the pressure signal has reached the threshold by determining whether at least one of a differential, an average, a rolling average, a peak value, and an amplitude of the pressure signal has reached the threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the characteristic of the pressure signal has reached the threshold in response to identifying that the shaft has reached one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 track a number of strokes of the shaft using the stroke signal received from the stroke sensor; and   transmit the control signal to the drive in response to identifying (i) that the shaft is in one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions, (ii) that the diaphragm pump is not primed, and (iii) that the number of strokes of the shaft has not exceeded a stroke limit.   
     
     
         5 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the control signal to the drive in response to identifying (i) that the shaft is in one of the first and second end-of-stroke positions, (ii) that the diaphragm pump is not primed, and (iii) that a timer of the controller has not exceeded a time limit. 
     
     
         6 . A method of priming a diaphragm pump, the method comprising:
 sensing whether a shaft coupled to a diaphragm has reached an end-of-stroke position using a stroke sensor of the diaphragm pump;   identifying, on a controller of the diaphragm pump, whether the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position using a stroke signal generated by the stroke sensor;   sensing a pressure of a pumped fluid at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump using a pressure sensor disposed at the fluid outlet;   identifying, on the controller, whether the diaphragm pump is primed by determining whether a characteristic of a pressure signal generated by the pressure sensor has reached a threshold; and   actuating a drive, in response to identifying that the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position and that the diaphragm pump is not primed, to cause the shaft to move from the end-of-stroke position.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein actuating the drive comprises actuating the drive in response to identifying (i) that the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position, (ii) that the diaphragm pump is not primed, and (iii) that a number of strokes of the shaft has not exceeded a stroke limit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising executing, on the controller, an alarm protocol in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed and that the number of strokes of the shaft has exceeded the stroke limit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein actuating the drive comprises actuating the drive in response to identifying (i) that the shaft is in the end-of-stroke position, (ii) that the diaphragm pump is not primed, and (iii) that a timer of the controller has not exceeded a time limit. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising executing, on the controller, an alarm protocol in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed and that the timer of the controller has exceeded the time limit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining whether the characteristic of the pressure signal has reached the threshold comprises determining whether at least one of a differential, an average, a rolling average, a peak value, and an amplitude of the pressure signal has reached the threshold. 
     
     
         12 . A method of priming a diaphragm pump, the method comprising:
 sensing, with a pressure sensor disposed at a fluid outlet of the diaphragm pump, a pressure of a fluid being pumped by the diaphragm pump;   transmitting a pressure signal associated with the sensed pressure from the pressure sensor to a controller of the diaphragm pump; and   identifying, on the controller, whether the diaphragm pump is primed by determining whether a characteristic of the pressure signal has reached a threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising ceasing to pump the fluid with the diaphragm pump in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is primed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising pumping fluid at a non-uniform flow rate, with the diaphragm pump, through the fluid outlet in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising pumping fluid, with the diaphragm pump, through the fluid outlet in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed and that a timer of the controller has not exceeded a time limit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising ceasing to pump the fluid with the diaphragm pump in response to identifying that the timer of the controller has exceeded the time limit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 tracking, on the controller, a number of strokes of a shaft of the diaphragm pump; and   pumping fluid, with the diaphragm pump, through the fluid outlet in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed and that the number of strokes has not exceeded a stroke limit.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising ceasing to pump the fluid with the diaphragm pump in response to identifying that the number of strokes has exceeded the stroke limit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising executing, on the controller, an alarm protocol in response to identifying that the diaphragm pump is not primed and that the number of strokes has exceeded the stroke limit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining whether the characteristic of the pressure signal has reached the threshold comprises determining whether at least one of a differential, an average, a rolling average, a peak value, and an amplitude of the pressure signal has reached the threshold.