Displacement pump pressure feedback control and method of control

Abstract

A method of controlling an actuation pump including monitoring a supply pressure of a pump, monitoring an outlet pressure of the pump, commanding a motor by a motor controller, which receives the monitored pressures, to drive the pump at a speed based on a comparison of the supply pressure and the outlet pressure of the pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a pump comprising:
 monitoring a supply pressure of a pump;   monitoring an outlet pressure of the pump; and   commanding a motor to drive the pump at a speed based on a comparison of the supply pressure and the outlet pressure of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an initial pressure command from an engine controller. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein commanding the motor includes changing a speed of the motor in response to a change from the initial pressure command from the engine controller and/or a change in differential pressure between the supply pressure and the outlet pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored pressures are sent as electrical signals directly to a motor controller to electrical and directly sent back to the motor controller command the motor to drive the pump. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising actuating a stator vane of an aircraft based on an increased or decreased pressure from the pump. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a motor;   a pump operatively coupled to the motor to be driven by the motor, wherein the pump includes an input side and an output side;   a pressure sensor to monitor a pressure difference between the input side and output side of the pump; and   a motor controller to command the motor based on the detected pressure difference across the pump and monitor the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the motor controller is operatively coupled to an engine controller. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the engine controller is configured to provide a pressure command to the motor controller based on power required to accomplish an actuation task. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure supply pressure and outlet pressure of the pump. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensing element located on a supply side of the pump, and a second pressure sensing element located on an output side of the pump. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensor is a differential pressure sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensor includes two independent sensors wherein each of the two independent sensors is configured to measure absolute pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system is part of an actuation system of an aircraft for actuating a stator vane or other air guiding element. 
     
     
         16 . A motor controller for controlling a pump pressure comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions to:
 monitor a supply pressure of the pump; 
 monitor an outlet pressure of the pump; and 
 command a motor based on a comparison of the supply pressure and the outlet pressure of the pump. 
   
     
     
         17 . The microcontroller of  claim 16 , wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump. 
     
     
         18 . The microcontroller of  claim 16 , wherein the motor controller is configured to receive a pressure command from the engine controller to produce power required to accomplish an actuation task. 
     
     
         19 . The microcontroller of  claim 16 , wherein the engine controller controls an aircraft engine.