Electronically Controlled Pump System

Abstract

An electronically controlled pump system and methods of use of the same are disclosed herein. An electronically controlled pump system can include a first fluid pumping module and a second fluid pumping module. The first fluid pumping module can include a first pump module that can output a first fluid component at a first flow rate, and a first surge suppressor that can receive the output first fluid component. The second fluid pumping module includes a second pump module that can output a second fluid component at a second flow rate. The pump system includes a mixing manifold downstream of the first surge suppressor and the second fluid pumping module, which mixing manifold can mix the first fluid component and the second fluid component. The pump system can include a controller that can independently control the first pump module and the second pump module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump system comprising:
 a first fluid pumping module comprising:
 a first pump module configured to output a first fluid component at a first flow rate; and 
 a first surge suppressor coupled to the first pump module and configured to receive the output first fluid component, wherein the first surge suppressor is configured to mitigate interruption in the first flow rate; 
   a second fluid pumping module comprising:
 a second pump module configured to output a second fluid component at a second flow rate; 
   a mixing manifold downstream of the first surge suppressor and the second fluid pumping module, wherein the mixing manifold is configured to mix the first fluid component and the second fluid component; and   a controller configured to independently control the first pump module and the second pump module.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first surge suppressor comprises at least one of a pneumatic surge suppressor or a nitrogen surge suppressor. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the first surge suppressor is pressurized to between 40 and 50 psi. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first pump module and the second pump module comprises at least one displacement pump. 
     
     
         5 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one displacement pump comprises an electronic displacement pump. 
     
     
         6 . The pump system of  claim 5 , wherein the electronic displacement pump comprises an electronic actuator controllable by the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The pump system of  claim 6 , wherein the first pump module comprises at least two reciprocating displacement pumps, wherein each of the at least two reciprocating displacement pumps comprises an electronic actuator controllable by the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously control the electronic actuator of each of the at least two reciprocating displacement pumps in the first pump module such that the electronic actuators have the same position. 
     
     
         9 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously control the electronic actuator of each of the at least two reciprocating displacement pumps in the first pump module such that a piston of each of the at least two reciprocating displacement pumps have different positions along their respective strokes. 
     
     
         10 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the first pumping module and the second pumping module such that the first flow rate is different from the second flow rate. 
     
     
         11 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the first pumping module and the second pumping module such that the first flow rate is substantially the same as the second flow rate. 
     
     
         12 . The pump system of  claim 10 , wherein a flowrate of a combination of the first flow rate and the second flow rate is between 1000 and 3000 cubic centimeters per minute. 
     
     
         13 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to interrupt the first flow rate. 
     
     
         14 . The pump system of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to interrupt the second flow rate. 
     
     
         15 . The pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the first pump module comprises at least one first reciprocating displacement pump, wherein the second pump module comprises at least one second reciprocating displacement pump, wherein the controller is configured to interrupt the first flow rate by changing a direction of movement of the at least one first reciprocating displacement pump, and wherein the controller is configured to interrupt the second flow rate by changing a direction of movement of the at least one second reciprocating displacement pump. 
     
     
         16 . The pump system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one first reciprocating displacement pump comprises a first set of solenoid valves, wherein the at least one second reciprocating displacement pump comprises a second set of solenoid valves, wherein changing the direction of movement of the at least one first reciprocating displacement pump comprises controlling reconfiguring of the first set of solenoid valves, and wherein changing the direction of movement of the at least one second reciprocating displacement pump comprises controlling reconfiguring of the second set of solenoid valves. 
     
     
         17 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump module is fluidly connected to a first reservoir configured to hold a resin, wherein the second pump module is fluidly connected to a second reservoir configured to hold a catalyst. 
     
     
         18 . The pump system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to control the first pump module and the second pump module such that the first flow rate is approximately 4 and 8 times greater than the second flow rate. 
     
     
         19 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a dispenser fluidly coupled to the mixing manifold. 
     
     
         20 . The pump system of  claim 19 , wherein the dispenser comprises a filter and a nozzle. 
     
     
         21 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid pumping module further comprises a second surge suppressor coupled to the second pump module and configured to receive the output second fluid component, wherein the second surge suppressor is configured to mitigate interruption in the second flow rate. 
     
     
         22 . A method of continuous fluid delivery via a fluid delivery system, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a controller, parameters defining a desired output of the fluid delivery system;   controlling, with the controller, a first pump module to output a first fluid component at a first flow rate;   controlling, with the controller, a second pump module to output a second fluid component at a second flow rate;   stopping pumping of one or both of the first pump module and the second pump module;   resuming pumping with the one or both of the first pump module and the second pump module, wherein stopping and resuming pumping with the one or both of the first pump module and the second pump module interrupts an output of the fluid delivery system; and   mitigating the interruption in the output of the fluid delivery system with at least one surge suppressor.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining first pumping parameters for the first pump module based on the received parameters defining the desired output of the fluid delivery system. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining second pumping parameters for the second pump module based on the received parameters defining the desired output of the fluid delivery system. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein controlling the first pump module to output a first fluid component at a first flow rate comprises setting valves of the first pump module to a first configuration. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the valves comprise solenoid valves. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the valves comprise electronically controlled valves. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein stopping pumping of one or both of the first pump module and the second pump module comprises stopping pumping of the first pump module, and wherein resuming pumping with the one or both of the first pump module and the second pump module comprises resuming pumping with the first pump module. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising setting the valves of the first pump module to a second configuration. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the valves of the first pump module are set to a second configuration after stopping pumping of the first pump module and before resuming pumping with the first pump module. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the first pump module comprises at least one displacement pump. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one displacement pump comprises an electronic displacement pump. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first pump module comprises at least two reciprocating displacement pumps, wherein each of the at least two reciprocating displacement pumps comprises an electronic actuator controllable by the controller. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first flow rate is between 4 and 8 times the second flow rate. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first pump module is fluidly connected to a first reservoir holding the first fluid component, wherein the second pump module is fluidly connected to a second reservoir holding the second fluid component. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first fluid component comprises a resin, and wherein the second fluid component comprises a catalyst. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one surge suppressor comprises:
 a first surge suppressor coupled to the first pump module and receiving the first fluid component output by the first pump module.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one surge suppressor further comprises a second surge suppressor coupled to the second pump module and receiving the second fluid component output by the second pump module. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first surge suppressor comprises at least one of a pneumatic surge suppressor and a nitrogen surge suppressor. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first surge suppressor is pressurized to between 40 and 50 psi.