Multi-fluid, high pressure, modular pump

Abstract

A multi-fluid, high pressure pump with a modular configuration, capable of converting hydraulic power from a source may be capable of pumping nearly any type of fluid. The modular configuration may provide for individual sub-pump modules to be independently controlled by being individually network addressed, which allows for disabling a sub-pump module while continuing to operate the remaining sub-pump modules. In an embodiment, control of the sub-pump modules may be recomputed by evenly spacing a remaining number of sub-pump modules along a single period of a sine wave. Spare sub-pump modules may be included on a pump, thereby enable a spare sub-pump module to be added to the operable sub-pump modules so that full power of the pump may be available even after a sub-pump module fails.

1 . A pump, comprising:
 a plurality of sub-pump modules configured to physically and electrically connect to one another;   a controller configured to:
 determine a number of sub-pump modules that are connected to one another; 
 compute a control signal based on the number of sub-pump modules that are connected to one another; and 
 communicate the control signal to the sub-pump modules to cause the sub-pump modules to pump fluid in a coordinated manner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to adjust flow and pressure by adjusting the control signal to adjust speed of a piston within each of said sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         3 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the control signal is representative of a sine wave, wherein control signal values to be applied to each of said respective sub-pump modules are equally spaced along a single period of the sine wave. 
     
     
         4 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules includes a valve connector that is configured to connect to a corresponding valve connector on a neighboring sub-pump module. 
     
     
         5 . The pump according to  claim 4 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules includes a first valve connector disposed on a first side wall and a second valve connector disposed on a second side wall, the first and second valve connectors being identical for each of said sub-pump modules such that the first and second side wall connectors mate with one another. 
     
     
         6 . The pump according to  claim 4 , wherein said valve connector is configured to enable a compensation fluid used to maintain pressure within the sub-pump modules to pass therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules, in being electrically connected to one another, include a plurality of electrical conductors that contact one another for data signals and electrical power to be communicated amongst said sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         8 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to:
 determine that a sub-pump module has a failure; and   recompute the control signal based on a number of remaining operable sub-pump modules.   
     
     
         9 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to:
 determine that a sub-pump module has failed; and   engage an available sub-pump module connected to said plurality of sub-pump modules, but not currently being controlled to operate.   
     
     
         10 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each sub-pump module is assigned a unique address amongst said sub-pump modules arranged in a cluster configuration, the control signal being communicated to each of said sub-pump modules based on the respective unique address such that synchronization of said sub-pump modules results in a coordinated operation of said respective sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         11 . The pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the cluster configuration is a serial line of said sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         12 . The pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising a chassis onto which said sub-pump modules are positioned. 
     
     
         13 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules include a bracket configured to receive a rod that is slidably engageable between at least two brackets of adjacent sub-pump modules to align said sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         14 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules includes:
 a housing that defines the first fluid side in which a first fluid resides; and   a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure within said housing of said respective sub-pump module.   
     
     
         15 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said sub-pump modules further include:
 a piston; and   a pump controller configured to receive piston position commands from said controller, and to control position of said piston based on the received piston position command.   
     
     
         16 . The pump according to  claim 15 , further comprising a remote computing system configured to receive telemetry data from said sub-pump modules and to display at least a portion of the telemetry data, the telemetry data including position of each respective piston and sensed pressure on at least an input and output side of the piston. 
     
     
         17 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to:
 receive a sub-pump module failure signal indicative that a sub-pump has failed; and   automatically recompute the control signal to exclude the failed sub-pump module, thereby enabling the pump to continue operating without the failed sub-pump module.   
     
     
         18 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to, responsive to receiving a sub-pump failure signal indicative that a sub-pump has failed, prevent further control signals from being communicated to the failed sub-pump module, thereby disabling the failed sub-pump module. 
     
     
         19 . The pump according to  claim 18 , wherein said controller is further configured to automatically generate an ordered list of network addresses associated with the sub-pump modules, the order of the sub-pump modules being based on physical relative alignment of the sub-pump modules. 
     
     
         20 . The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller includes:
 a processing unit;   an input/output (I/O) unit in communication with said processing unit; and   a communications bus over which said processing unit communicates via said I/O unit with said sub-pump modules.   
     
     
         21 . The pump according to  claim 20 , wherein the communications bus is a serial bus over which each of said sub-pump modules are connected in a daisy chain configuration. 
     
     
         22 - 55 . (canceled)