Pump System with Flow Control

Abstract

A pump system is provided including a power source, a pump and a transmission. First and second sensors are configured to respectively provide information indicative of at least one actual first operating condition relating to the pump and to information indicative at least one operating condition relating to the transmission. A controller is configured to adjust the power source or the transmission based on an output flow rate of the pump. The controller is configured to perform a first comparison of the first operating condition and a predetermined first operating condition and a second comparison of the second operating condition to a predetermined second operating condition and based on the first and second comparisons determine if the controller should continue to adjust the power source or the transmission based on the output flow rate of the pump.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pump system, comprising:
 a power source;   a pump;   a transmission configured to operatively connect an output rotation of the power source to an input rotation of the pump;   a first sensor configured to provide information indicative of at least one actual first operating condition relating to the pump;   a second sensor configured to provide information indicative at least one operating condition relating to the transmission; and   a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller being configured to adjust the power source or the transmission based on an output flow rate of the pump, the controller being configured to perform a first comparison of the first operating condition and a predetermined first operating condition and a second comparison of the second operating condition to a predetermined second operating condition and based on the first and second comparisons determine if the controller should continue to adjust the power source or the transmission based on the output flow rate of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump flow rate. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump discharge pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission output speed. 
     
     
         5 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission input speed. 
     
     
         6 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the transmission includes a torque converter fluidly connecting an output of the engine to an input of a gear box, the gear box being mechanically connected to an input of the pump and having a plurality of gear combinations. 
     
     
         7 . The pump system according to  claim 6  wherein the wherein the second operating condition is a torque converter output speed. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a pump system having a power source, a pump and a transmission configured to operatively connect an output rotation of the power source to an input rotation of the pump, the method comprising:
 selectively adjusting the power source or the transmission based on an output flow of the pump;   sensing a first parameter indicative of at least one first operating condition relating to the pump;   sensing a second parameter indicative of at least one second operating condition relating to the transmission;   performing a first comparison of the first actual operating condition and a predetermined first operating condition;   performing a second comparison of the second actual operating condition and a predetermined second operating condition; and   determining based on the first and second comparisons if the power source or the transmission should continue to be adjusted based on the output flow of the pump.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump flow rate. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump discharge pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission output speed. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission input speed. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the transmission includes a torque converter fluidly and a gear box and wherein the second operating condition is a torque converter output speed. 
     
     
         14 . A pump system, comprising:
 an engine;   a slurry pump;   a transmission configured to operatively connect an output rotation of the power source to an input rotation of the pump, the transmission including a torque converter fluidly connecting an output of the engine to an input of a gear box, the gear box being mechanically connected to an input of the slurry pump and having a plurality of gear combinations;   a first sensor configured to provide information indicative of at least one first actual operating condition relating to the slurry pump;   a second sensor configured to provide information indicative of at least one actual operating condition relating to the transmission; and   a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller being configured to adjust the engine or the transmission based on an output flow rate of the slurry pump, the controller being configured to perform a first comparison of the first operating condition and a predetermined first operating condition and a second comparison of the second operating condition to a predetermined second operating condition and based on the first and second comparisons determine if the controller should continue to adjust the engine or the transmission based on the output flow rate of the slurry pump.   
     
     
         15 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump flow rate. 
     
     
         16 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the first operating condition comprises a pump discharge pressure. 
     
     
         17 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission output speed. 
     
     
         18 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission output speed. 
     
     
         19 . The pump system according to  claim 1  wherein the second operating condition is a transmission input speed. 
     
     
         20 . The pump system according to  claim 6  wherein the wherein the second operating condition is a torque converter output speed.