Valve based or viscosity based control of a fluid pump

Abstract

A pump control for controlling a fluid pump for pumping a fluid, the pump control comprising a pump oil path comprising an oil pump and at least one valve, the oil pump being adapted for pumping pump oil to the fluid pump, the at least one valve being arranged downstream of the oil pump, and a control unit adapted for controlling a pump oil pressure in the fluid pump by switching the at least one valve so that the fluid can be pumped in response to the pump oil pressure.

1 . A pump control ( 100 ) for controlling a fluid pump ( 102 ) for pumping a fluid, the pump control ( 100 ) comprising
 a pump oil path comprising an oil pump ( 104 ) and at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ), the oil pump ( 104 ) being adapted for pumping pump oil to the fluid pump ( 102 ), the at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) being arranged downstream of the oil pump ( 104 ); and   a control unit ( 110 ) adapted for controlling a pump oil pressure in the fluid pump ( 102 ) by switching the at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) so that the fluid can be pumped in response to the pump oil pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 the oil pump ( 104 ) is a high-pressure pump;   the oil pump ( 104 ) is adapted for generating a pressure of at least 500 bar, particularly of at least 800 bar, more particularly of at least 1000 bar;   the at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) comprises an electric field generator unit ( 300 ) adapted for generating an electric field for adjusting a viscosity of the pump oil comprising an electrorheological fluid;   the at least one valve ( 106 ) comprises a cylinder capacitor ( 302 ,  304 ) through which the pump oil is guidable via a lumen ( 306 ) formed between two cylindrical electrodes of the cylinder capacitor ( 304 ,  306 );   the pump control ( 100 ) comprises a pump oil reservoir ( 112 ) accommodating an electrorheological fluid;   the pump control ( 100 ) comprises at least one further valve ( 502 ) arranged downstream of the oil pump ( 104 );   the pump control ( 100 ) is adapted as a piston-free pump control.   
     
     
         3 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or any one of the preceding claims,
 comprising a pump oil reservoir ( 112 ) for accommodating pump oil.   
     
     
         4 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 3 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 the at least one valve comprises an inlet valve ( 106 ) arranged, in a pumping direction of the oil pump ( 104 ), downstream of the pump oil reservoir ( 112 ) and upstream of the fluid pump ( 102 );   the at least one valve comprises an outlet valve ( 108 ) arranged, in a pumping direction of the oil pump ( 104 ), downstream of the fluid pump ( 102 ) and upstream of the pump oil reservoir ( 112 ).   
     
     
         5 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or any one of the preceding claims,
 wherein the control unit ( 110 ) is adapted for controlling pump oil pressure in the fluid pump ( 102 ) by switching the at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) based on an electric control signal ( 114 ).   
     
     
         6 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the electric control signal ( 114 ) has a frequency of at least 1 Hz, particularly of at least 5 Hz, more particularly of at least 10 Hz.   
     
     
         7 . A pump system ( 150 ), the pump system ( 150 ) comprising
 a fluid pump ( 102 ) for pumping a fluid;   a pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or any one of the preceding claims for controlling the fluid pump ( 102 ) for pumping a fluid.   
     
     
         8 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the fluid pump ( 102 ) comprises a housing ( 130 ) and a flexible membrane ( 132 ) dividing an interior of the housing ( 130 ) into a pump oil department ( 134 ) and into a fluid department ( 136 );   wherein the control unit ( 110 ) is adapted for controlling the pump oil pressure in the pump oil department ( 134 ) thereby exerting a pumping force on fluid in the fluid department ( 136 ) via the flexible membrane ( 132 ).   
     
     
         9 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the fluid department ( 136 ) comprises an inlet ( 138 ) coupled to a fluid reservoir ( 140 ) and comprises an outlet ( 142 ).   
     
     
         10 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 9 ,
 comprising a fluid pre-pump ( 144 ) arranged between the fluid reservoir ( 140 ) and the inlet ( 138 ).   
     
     
         11 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the fluid pre-pump ( 140 ) is a low-pressure pump.   
     
     
         12 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 8  or any one of the preceding claims,
 wherein the fluid department ( 136 ) comprises an outlet ( 142 ) coupled to a fluid separation unit ( 146 ).   
     
     
         13 . The pump system ( 150 ) according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the fluid separation unit ( 146 ) comprises a chromatographic column.   
     
     
         14 . The pump system ( 400 ) according to  claim 7  or any one of the preceding claims,
 comprising at least one further fluid pump ( 102 );   wherein the pump control ( 100 ) is adapted for controlling pumping of the fluid by the fluid pump ( 102 ) and by the at least one further fluid pump ( 102 ).   
     
     
         15 . The pump system ( 100 ) according to  claim 8  or any one of the preceding claims,
 wherein the fluid department ( 136 ) comprises an outlet ( 142 ) coupled to a fluidic device ( 146 ).   
     
     
         16 . The pump system ( 100 ) according to  claim 15 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 the fluidic device ( 146 ) is adapted to analyze at least one physical, chemical and/or biological parameter of at least one compound of a fluidic sample;   the fluidic device comprises at least one of the group consisting of a sensor device, a test device for testing a device under test or a substance, a device for chemical, biological and/or pharmaceutical analysis, an electrophoresis device, a capillary electrophoresis device, a liquid chromatography device ( 146 ), a gas chromatography device, a gel electrophoresis device, an electronic measurement device, and a mass spectroscopy device.   
     
     
         17 . The pump system ( 100 ) according to  claim 7  or any one of the preceding claims,
 comprising a separation unit ( 146 ), particularly a chromatographic column, adapted for separating different components of the fluid and being in fluid communication with the fluid pump ( 102 ).   
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a fluid pump ( 102 ) for pumping a fluid, the method comprising
 providing a pump oil path comprising an oil pump ( 104 ) and at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) arranged downstream of the oil pump ( 104 );   pumping pump oil by the oil pump ( 104 ) to the fluid pump ( 102 );   controlling a pump oil pressure in the fluid pump ( 102 ) by switching the at least one valve ( 106 ,  108 ) so that the fluid can be pumped in response to the pump oil pressure.   
     
     
         19 . A pump control ( 100 ) for controlling a fluid pump ( 102 ) for pumping a fluid, the pump control ( 100 ) comprising
 an adjustment unit ( 106 ,  108 ,  110 ) adapted for adjusting a viscosity of pump oil to thereby adjust a pumping characteristic of the fluid pump ( 102 ).   
     
     
         20 . The pump control ( 100 ) according to  claim 19 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 the adjustment unit ( 106 ,  108 ,  110 ) is adapted for adjusting a viscosity of pump oil comprising an electrorheological fluid by applying an electric field to the pump oil in at least a portion of a pumping path;   the adjustment unit ( 106 ,  108 ,  110 ) is adapted for adjusting a viscosity of pump oil comprising a magnetorheological fluid by applying a magnetic field to the pump oil in at least a portion of a pumping path;   the adjustment unit ( 106 ,  108 ,  110 ) is adapted for adjusting a viscosity of pump oil by adjusting a temperature of the pump oil in at least a portion of a pumping path;   the pump control ( 100 ) is adapted for controlling a microfluidic fluid pump ( 102 );   the pump control ( 100 ) is adapted for controlling a fluid pump coupled with a fluid separation unit ( 146 ), particularly with a chromatographic column.   
     
     
         21 . A method of pumping a fluid by a fluid pump ( 102 ), the method comprising
 adjusting a viscosity of pump oil to thereby adjust a pumping characteristic of the fluid pump ( 102 ).