FR3145761A1 - Pumping station for water evacuation - Google Patents

Abstract

Pumping station (10) for draining water, said station comprising: - a tank (12) intended to receive water to be drained, - at least one water drain pump (16) equipped with a motor (30), and - a control device (20) for the motor (30) of the drain pump (16) on a given pumping cycle as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump at a past pumping cycle, called a "historical value". Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Pumping station for water evacuation

The invention relates to a pumping station for the evacuation of water, in particular for the evacuation of waste water or rainwater and a method for controlling the operation of such a station.

Technological background

The role of a pumping station is to raise wastewater or rainwater to be evacuated when the land of a home does not allow normal flow by gravity towards the collection network. The pumping station can be placed for example in the basement or cellar of a home.

Current pumping stations are generally equipped with electric pumps that increase the pressure of wastewater or rainwater to transport it to its final destination. These pumps are often single-speed, including 2, 4, 6 or 8-pole pumps. They have the disadvantage of not being able to adapt or adapting very little to the installation and use conditions of the pumping stations. In fact, they tend to consume too much energy because they must operate at a high speed, even when the output flow to be provided is low. The pump therefore always operates at maximum speed, which causes excessive electricity consumption.

There is therefore a need to further improve wastewater or rainwater pumping stations, in particular their control in order to improve their performance, particularly energy efficiency, while adapting as best as possible to user needs.

The invention aims to meet this need and achieves this by means of a pumping station for draining water, said station comprising:
- a tank intended to receive water to be evacuated,
- at least one water evacuation pump equipped with a motor, and
- a device for controlling the motor of the evacuation pump on a given pumping cycle as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump at a past pumping cycle, called a “historical value”.

The control of the pumping station takes into account the operating parameter values of the drainage pump measured in the past. These values provide information on the operating conditions of the pumping station and on the actual water drainage requirements. The pumping station according to the invention thus makes it possible to select the most energy-efficient operation of the drainage pump compared to conventional pumping stations.

Furthermore, the pumping station according to the invention, by adapting the operation of the evacuation pump to actual needs, makes it possible to delay the aging of said pump. Indeed, it may not operate at its maximum when the conditions of use do not justify it, in particular in the event of a low operating flow rate.

The given pumping cycle and the past pumping cycle may correspond to two successive pumping cycles of the evacuation pump.

A " pumping cycle " means a period between the water level in the tank reaching a set point at which the drain pump turns on and a set point at which the drain pump turns off.

The pump operating parameter can correspond to a discharge flow rate.

Also, the invention makes it possible to adjust the operation of the drain pump motor according to the actual discharge flow requirements. This makes it possible to ensure optimal operation of the drain pump and thus reduce energy consumption by avoiding maximum operation of the pump when the discharge flow is low.

Adjusting the operation of the engine may involve adjusting its rotation speed and/or torque.

In embodiments, the controller is configured to adapt the rotational speed of the motor based on said historical value.

In particular, when the operating parameter is the discharge flow rate, the control device is configured to adapt the rotation speed of the motor to allow the evacuation of the water present in the tank according to the historical value of the discharge flow rate.

Advantageously, the control device is further configured to maintain the absorbed intensity of the motor below a maximum absorbed intensity. This makes it possible to further reduce the electrical consumption of the lifting station according to the invention.

Preferably, the control device is further configured to prevent water overflow at the given pumping cycle.

Also, if the drain pump shutoff is not achieved after a predetermined time after the start of the given pumping cycle, the controller is preferably configured to readjust the motor operation to accelerate the draining of water, beyond the predetermined time.

Also, on the given pumping cycle, the control device can be configured to:
- at the start of the given pumping cycle: adapt the operation of the motor according to the historical value of the operating parameter; and
- beyond the predetermined duration: further adjust the operation of the motor to accelerate the evacuation of water

In particular, beyond the predetermined duration, the control device is configured to increase the speed of rotation of the motor to force the water out of the tank.

The predetermined duration can be less than 1 min.

The control device may comprise an electronic card comprising one or more processors and a memory in which is stored a set of instructions to be executed by the processor(s) so as to control the motor of the evacuation pump as described above.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the motor of the evacuation pump is an electric motor, in particular a brushless motor.

Brushless motors have several advantages. Since they do not have brushes, these motors have less friction than brushed motors, making them more efficient and quieter. In addition, brushless motors have a higher energy efficiency than brushed motors. Also, they consume less energy to produce the same power. Finally, they are easy to maintain, thus reducing the associated maintenance cost.

In one embodiment, the lifting station includes an additional drain pump having a motor, the controller being configured to control both the drain pump motor and the additional drain pump motor.

Alternatively, the pumping station comprises an additional control device configured to control the motor of the additional discharge pump. The additional control device advantageously has the same characteristics of the control device described above.

The invention also relates to a method for controlling the operation of a pumping station for draining water, said station comprising a tank and at least one drain pump equipped with a motor, the operation of the motor of the drain pump on a given pumping cycle being adapted as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump at a past pumping cycle, called a “historical value”.

Preferably, the given and past pumping cycles are successive pumping cycles of the drain pump.

The operating parameter is preferably a pump discharge flow rate.

The method may comprise, for a given pumping cycle, and for each pumping cycle of said evacuation pump, calculating the value of the discharge flow rate on the basis of a time elapsed between the triggering of the evacuation pump and its stopping, the calculated value of the discharge flow rate serving as a historical value for future pumping cycles.

Preferably, the adaptation of the engine operation is carried out by adapting the engine rotation speed according to said historical value.

Preferably, the adaptation of the motor operation is carried out by maintaining the absorbed current of the motor below a maximum absorbed current.

Preferably, the method prevents water overflow at the given pumping cycle.

Preferably, when pump shutdown is not achieved after a predetermined duration from the start of the given pumping cycle, the method comprises adjusting the motor operation again to accelerate the evacuation of water on the same given pumping cycle beyond said predetermined duration.

1. au début du cycle de pompage donné : l’adaptation du fonctionnement du moteur de la pompe d’évacuation en fonction de la valeur historique ; et
2. si l’arrêt de la pompe n’est pas atteint après la durée prédéterminée, l’ajustement de nouveau du fonctionnement du moteur de la pompe d’évacuation au-delà de la durée prédéterminée pour accélérer l’évacuation de l’eau.

Also, the process can include the following successive steps on the given pumping cycle:

1. at the beginning of the given pumping cycle: adapting the operation of the evacuation pump motor according to the historical value; and
2. if pump stop is not reached after the predetermined time, adjusting the drain pump motor operation again beyond the predetermined time to speed up water drainage.

In particular, step (b) involves increasing the speed of the motor beyond the predetermined duration of the given pumping cycle to force water out of the tank.

The predetermined duration can be less than 1 min.

The motor of the drain pump is preferably a brushless motor.

Brief description of the figures

The invention may be better understood by reading the detailed description which follows, of a non-limiting example of implementation of the invention, and by examining the attached drawing, in which:

There is a schematic view of a prior art lifting pump in partial section;

There is a front view of a motor of a drain pump according to the invention;

There is an exploded view of the engine of the ,

There is a top view of the engine of the ,

There is a bottom view of the engine of the ,

There represents in isolation the rotor of the motor of figures 2a-d,

There is an exploded view of the rotor of the ,

There is a front view of the rotor of the ,

There is a front view of a control device according to the invention;

There is an exploded view of the control device of the ,

There is a top view of the control device of the ,

There is a bottom view of the control device of the .

Description of embodiment(s)

It was represented at the a lifting station 10 according to the invention.

As illustrated, the pumping station 10 comprises a tank 12 intended to receive water, in particular waste water or rainwater, one or more water inlet orifices 13, these orifices are formed by conduits 14 connected to the tank 12 and allowing the water to flow into the tank 12. The pumping station 10 further comprises first and second submersible discharge pumps 16 placed in the tank 12 (the second pump is not visible). Each discharge pump 16 comprises an electric motor 30, visible in FIGS. 2a-d.

As illustrated, the motor 30 is of the brushless motor type. The motor 30 comprises:
- a 31 casing;
- a rotor 32 housed inside the casing 31 and rotating around a rotation shaft 33;
- a stator 34 housed inside the casing 31 and surrounding the rotor 32;
- an exchanger cover 35 at an upper end of the casing 31;
- a turbine 36 connected to the rotating shaft 33,
- an engine cover 37 comprising a handle 38 and a stuffing box 39.

In the example illustrated in Figures 3a-c, the rotor 32 comprises a plurality of magnets 42 arranged in a spaced manner, on an outer surface of a cylindrical rotor body 44, around the rotation shaft 33. The rotor further comprises an insulating piece 46 interposed between the rotation shaft 33 and the rotor body 44. Said insulating piece is mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft 33.

The pumping station 10 further comprises a control device 20 for the motors of the first and second discharge pumps 16. This control device 20 is arranged between the two discharge pumps 16, in the example illustrated.

As can be seen in the and in Figures 4a-d, the control device 20 comprises an upper chamber 22, a cover 21 provided with a stuffing box 23 and a plurality of tubes 24 emerging from a bottom wall of the upper chamber 22.

The control device also comprises an electrical control system housed within said chamber 22 and an electronic card 50 comprising one or more processors and a memory in which is stored a set of instructions to be executed by the processor(s) so as to control the electrical control system.

The control device further comprises actuating elements 26 each mounted in a chimney 28 extending from the bottom wall of the upper chamber 22 in the opposite direction to the extension of the tubes 24.

The actuating elements 26 are microswitches which enable an electrical connection to be made as a function of the air pressure in the tubes 24. The microswitches 26 are therefore capable of actuating the electrical control system as a function of the water level in each of the tubes 24 (the water level varying the air pressure in the chambers).

When the water reaches a threshold, the microswitches 26 activate the motor of each of the first and second evacuation pumps 16. The water is then evacuated through a evacuation conduit 8 towards the collection network.

In order to allow optimal operation of the evacuation pumps 16, the control device 20 is configured to control the motors on a given pumping cycle as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump at a past pumping cycle, while maintaining the absorbed intensity of the motor below a maximum absorbed intensity.

In the example shown, the operating parameter is the discharge flow rate of the evacuation pumps 16.

In this example, the control device 20 adapts the rotation speed of the motor according to the historical value of the discharge flow rate calculated in the previous pumping cycle.

The control device is further configured to prevent water overflow at the given pumping cycle.

When the drain pump motors do not stop after a predetermined time, the control device adjusts the operation again to speed up the water draining.

In other words, the control device is capable of adjusting the operation of the motors at least twice.

The first time, at the beginning of the cycle, it adapts the operation of the engine according to the historical value of the operating flow; and
- beyond the predetermined duration (if the engine stop is not reached), it further adjusts the operation of the engine to accelerate the evacuation of the water. In the example illustrated, the control device increases the speed of each engine to discharge the water out of the tank 12 beyond the predetermined duration

The predetermined duration in this example is of the order of 20 s.

We will now describe the operation of the control device 20 according to the invention during a given pumping cycle N.

During operation of the pumping station 16, water from, for example, the shower, toilet and/or kitchen flows into the tank 12 and the water level in the tank 12 increases. When the water has reached a predetermined level, the microswitches 26 actuate the electrical control system, thereby causing the motor of each of the discharge pumps 16 to start operating. The control device via the electronic card 50 adapts the operating rotation speed of the motors 30 to discharge the water according to the value of the discharge flow rate calculated in the previous pumping cycle N-1. After 20 s of operation, if the pump has not stopped, the control device then increases the rotation speed of the motors 30 to discharge the water out of the tank through the discharge pipe. At the end of the pumping cycle N, the control device determines the time elapsed between the pump starting and stopping, and deduces the value of the discharge flow rate for pumping cycle N. This value will be used to adapt the operation of the motor during the following pumping cycle N+1.

The invention is not limited to the example just described.

For example, we can adapt the operation of the motors by intervening on their torque.

Claims (15)

Pumping station (10) for the evacuation of water, said station comprising:
- a tank (12) intended to receive water to be evacuated,
- at least one water evacuation pump (16) equipped with a motor (30), and
- a control device (20) of the motor (30) of the evacuation pump (16) on a given pumping cycle as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump at a past pumping cycle, called “historical value”. Pumping station according to claim 1, the operating parameter being a discharge flow rate of the evacuation pump. Pumping station according to claim 1 or 2, the given pumping cycle and the past pumping cycle being two successive pumping cycles of the discharge pump. Pumping station according to any one of the preceding claims, the control device (20) being configured to adapt the rotation speed of the motor according to said historical value, in particular to allow the evacuation of water from the tank according to the historical value of the discharge flow rate. Station according to any one of the preceding claims, the control device (20) being further configured to maintain the absorbed intensity of the motor below a maximum absorbed intensity. A station according to any preceding claim, when the shutdown of the evacuation pump (16) is not reached after a predetermined duration from the start of the given pumping cycle, the control device (20) being further configured to re-adjust the operation of the motor (30) beyond the predetermined duration in order to accelerate the evacuation of the water. Station according to the preceding claim, in which the control device (20) is configured to increase the rotation speed of the motor beyond the predetermined duration. Station according to claim 6 or 7, the predetermined duration being less than 1 min. Station according to any one of the preceding claims, the motor (30) of the evacuation pump (16) being a brushless motor. Method for controlling the operation of a pumping station (10) for the evacuation of water, said station comprising a tank (12) and at least one evacuation pump (16) equipped with a motor (30), the operation of the motor of the evacuation pump (16) at a given pumping cycle being adapted as a function of at least one value of an operating parameter of the pump (16) at a past pumping cycle, called “historical value”, the given and past pumping cycles preferably being successive pumping cycles of the evacuation pump. Method according to the preceding claim, said operating parameter being a discharge flow rate of the pump. Method according to one of claims 10 and 11, the adaptation of the operation of the motor (30) being carried out by maintaining the absorbed intensity of the motor below a maximum absorbed intensity. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 12, when stopping of the pump (16) is not reached after a predetermined duration from the start of the given pumping cycle, the method comprising on the same given pumping cycle adjusting again the operation of the motor beyond said predetermined duration to accelerate the evacuation of the water. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising on the given pumping cycle, the following successive steps:
a) at the start of the given pumping cycle: adapting the operation of the motor (30) of the evacuation pump (16) according to the historical value of the operating parameter; and
b) if the stopping of the pump (16) is not reached after the predetermined duration, adjusting again the operation of the motor (30) of the evacuation pump (16) beyond the predetermined duration to accelerate the evacuation of the water. A method according to either of claims 13 and 14, further adjusting the operation of the motor (30) beyond the predetermined duration comprising increasing the rotation speed of the motor to force the water out of the tank (12).