Multi-piston pump diagnostic testing

Abstract

A multi-piston pump includes a first pump having a first linear position sensor and a first pressure sensor, a second pump independent from the first pump, the second pump having a second linear position sensor and a second pressure sensor, a discharge pipe connected to the first pump and the second pump, a user interface, and a controller configured to coordinate operations of the first pump and the second pump based upon sensor inputs to execute, in response to input received by the controller from the user interface, at least one diagnostic test from a group of diagnostic tests that includes a poppet seat leak pressure calibration test, a poppet seat leak test, a cylinder position test, a hydraulic pump leak down test, and a hydraulic piston seal test, and display a result of the diagnostic test on the user interface.

1 . A multi-piston pump comprising:
 a first pump having a first linear position sensor and a first pressure sensor;   a second pump independent from the first pump, the second pump having a second linear position sensor and a second pressure sensor;   a discharge pipe connected to the first pump and the second pump;   a user interface; and   a controller connected to the first pump, the second pump, and the user interface, the controller configured to coordinate operations of the first pump and the second pump based upon sensor inputs of position information and pressure information of the first pump and the second pump from the first linear position sensor, the first pressure sensor, the second linear position sensor, and the second pressure sensor to:
 execute, in response to input received by the controller from the user interface, at least one diagnostic test from a group of diagnostic tests that includes a poppet seat leak pressure calibration test, a poppet seat leak test, a cylinder position test, a hydraulic pump leak down test, and a hydraulic piston seal test; and 
 display a result of the diagnostic test on the user interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 1 , wherein the poppet seat leak pressure calibration test received by the controller causes the controller to:
 command a first suction poppet valve of the first pump and a second suction poppet valve of the second pump to open and a first discharge poppet valve of the first pump and a second discharge poppet valve of the second pump to close;   command a first ram of the first pump to move rearwardly to fill a first delivery cylinder of the first pump and a second ram of the second pump to move rearwardly to fill a second delivery cylinder of the second pump;   command the first suction poppet valve and the second suction poppet valve to close;   command the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram;   increase a pressure in the first delivery cylinder and a pressure in the second delivery cylinder at a set time interval;   monitor a position of the first ram and a position of the second ram to detect movement in excess of a movement threshold over time interval based upon signals from the first linear position sensor and the second linear position sensor;   determine a first pressure at which the first ram moved;   determine a second pressure at which the second ram moved;   determine which of the first pressure and the second pressure is lower;   display the result of the poppet leak pressure calibration test on the user interface, the result being the poppet leak test pressure, which is the lower of the first pressure and the second pressure.   
     
     
         3 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first suction poppet control solenoid that is activated by the controller to deliver hydraulic fluid to the first suction poppet valve to cause the first suction poppet valve to retract and open; and   a second suction poppet control solenoid that is activated by the controller to deliver hydraulic fluid to the second suction poppet valve to cause the second suction poppet valve to retract and open.   
     
     
         4 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 2 , wherein a first discharge poppet control solenoid, a second discharge poppet control solenoid, a first suction poppet control solenoid, and a second suction poppet control solenoid are turned off by the controller to close the first discharge poppet valve, the second discharge poppet valve, first suction poppet valve, and the second suction poppet valve. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 2 , wherein the first pump and the second pump are hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 2 , wherein the poppet leak test pressure is the pressure required for material within the first delivery cylinder or the second delivery cylinder to unseat and leak past at least one of the first discharge poppet valve, the first suction poppet valve, the second discharge poppet valve, and the second suction poppet valve. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 1 , wherein the poppet seat leak test received by the controller causes the controller to:
 command a first suction poppet valve of the first pump and a second suction poppet valve of the second pump to open and a first discharge poppet valve of the first pump and a second discharge poppet valve of a second pump to close;   command a first ram of the first pump to move rearwardly to fill a first delivery cylinder of the first pump and a second ram of the second pump to move rearwardly to fill a second delivery cylinder of the second pump;   command the first suction poppet valve and the second suction poppet valve to close;   command the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram;   increase a pressure in the first delivery cylinder and the second delivery cylinder at a set time interval;   monitor a position of the first ram and a position of the second ram based upon signals from the first linear position sensor and the second linear position sensor;   determine whether the first suction poppet valve and the first discharge poppet valve passed or failed the poppet seat leak test based upon whether the first ram exceeded the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval;   determine whether the second suction poppet valve and the second discharge poppet valve passed or failed the poppet seat leak test based upon whether the second ram exceeded the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval; and   display the result of the poppet seat leak test on the user interface.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 7 , wherein the first suction poppet valve and the first discharge poppet valve passed the poppet seat leak test if the first ram did not exceed the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 7 , wherein the second section poppet valve and the second discharge poppet valve pass the poppet seat leak test if the second ram did not exceed the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first suction poppet control solenoid that is activated by the controller to deliver hydraulic fluid to the first suction poppet valve to cause the first suction poppet valve to retract and open; and   a second suction poppet control solenoid that is activated by the controller to deliver hydraulic fluid to the second suction poppet valve to cause the second suction poppet valve to retract and open.   
     
     
         11 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 7 , wherein a first discharge poppet control solenoid, a second discharge poppet control solenoid, a first suction poppet control solenoid, and a second suction poppet control solenoid are turned off by the controller to close the first discharge poppet valve, the second discharge poppet valve, first suction poppet valve, and the second suction poppet valve. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 7 , wherein the first pump and the second pump are hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder position test received by the controller causes the controller to:
 receive a target position percentage of movement for a first ram and/or a second ram based on input at the user interface;   command the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and/or the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram;   determine whether the first ram and/or the second ram needs to extend or retract to reach the target position using the first linear position sensor and/or the second linear position sensor;   command the first ram and/or the second ram to move rearwardly or forward to reach the target position;   determine whether the user interface indicates that the first ram and/or the second ram is at the target position;   determine whether the user interface indicates an actual position of the first ram and/or an actual position the second ram;   determine whether the first ram passed and/or the second ram passed the cylinder position test based upon whether the actual position of the first ram and/or the second ram is at the target position and is displayed on the user interface as at the target position; and   display the result of the cylinder position test on the user interface.   
     
     
         14 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 13 , wherein the first ram passed the cylinder position test if the user interface indicates that the first ram is at the target position and the actual position of the first ram matches the target position displayed on the user interface and/or the second ram passed the cylinder position test if the user interface indicates that the second ram is at the target position and the actual position of the second ram matches the target position displayed on the user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 13 , wherein the actual position of the first ram and/or the second ram is identified by a user observation. 
     
     
         16 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic pump leak down test received by the controller causes the controller to:
 pressurize a hydraulic pressure regulator of a hydraulic power unit of the multi-piston pump to reach a hydraulic pressure entered at the user interface, the hydraulic pressure being greater than a pressure required to force a relief valve to open;   gradually step hydraulic output of the multi-piston pump down to a minimum speed from 100 percent output;   monitor the hydraulic pressure to determine if the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure regulator decreases before the minimum speed of the hydraulic pump is reached;   determine whether the hydraulic power unit passed or failed the test based upon whether the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure regulator decreased before the minimum speed of the hydraulic pump was reached; and   display the result of the hydraulic pump leak down test on the user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The multi-piston pump of claim  17 , wherein the hydraulic power unit passed the test if the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure regulator did not decrease before the minimum speed of the hydraulic pump was reached. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic piston seal test received by the controller causes the controller to:
 command a hydraulic power unit to extend or retract a selected piston to a central target position that will allow for drift of the piston;   command the hydraulic power unit to apply hydraulic pressure to a selected side of the selected piston while the non-selected side of the selected piston is blocked to prevent flow to a tank exhaust;   determine whether the selected piston passed or failed the test based upon whether the selected piston moved in excess of a threshold value from the target position; and   display the result of the hydraulic piston seal test on the user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 18 , wherein the selected piston passed the test if the selected piston did not move in excess of the threshold value from the target position. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-piston pump of  claim 19 , wherein the first linear position sensor and/or the second linear position sensor is used as a feedback tool. 
     
     
         21 . A method for providing diagnostic testing of a multi-piston pump that includes a first pump having a first linear position sensor and a first pressure sensor, a second pump independent from the first pump, the second pump having a second linear position sensor and a second pressure sensor, a discharge pipe connected to the first pump and the second pump, a user interface, and a controller connected to the first pump, the second pump, and the user interface, the controller configured to coordinate operations of the first pump and the second pump based upon sensor inputs of position information and pressure information of the first pump and the second pump from the first linear position sensor, the first pressure sensor, the second linear position sensor, and the second pressure sensor, the method comprising:
 executing, in response to input received by the controller from the user interface, at least one diagnostic test from a group of diagnostic tests that includes a poppet seat leak pressure calibration test, a poppet seat leak test, a cylinder position test, a hydraulic pump leak down test, and a hydraulic piston seal test; and   displaying a result of the diagnostic test on the user interface.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , and further comprising:
 executing the poppet seat leak pressure calibration test by:
 commanding a first suction poppet valve of the first pump and a second suction poppet valve of the second pump to open and a first discharge poppet valve of the first pump and a second discharge poppet valve of the second pump to close; 
 commanding a first ram of the first pump to move rearwardly to fill a first delivery cylinder of the first pump and a second ram of the second pump to move rearwardly to fill a second delivery cylinder of the second pump; 
 commanding the first suction poppet valve and the second suction poppet valve to close; 
 commanding the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram; 
 increasing a pressure in the first delivery cylinder and a pressure in the second delivery cylinder at a set time interval; 
 monitoring a position of the first ram and a position of the second ram to detect movement in excess of a movement threshold over time interval based upon signals from the first linear position sensor and the second linear position sensor; 
 determining a first pressure at which the first ram moved; 
 determining a second pressure at which the second ram moved; 
 determining which of the first pressure and the second pressure is lower; 
 displaying the result of the poppet leak pressure calibration test on the user interface, the result being the poppet leak test pressure, which is the lower of the first pressure and the second pressure. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , and further comprising:
 executing the poppet seat leak test by:
 commanding a first suction poppet valve of the first pump and a second suction poppet valve of the second pump to open and a first discharge poppet valve of the first pump and a second discharge poppet valve of a second pump to close; 
 commanding a first ram of the first pump to move rearwardly to fill a first delivery cylinder of the first pump and a second ram of the second pump to move rearwardly to fill a second delivery cylinder of the second pump; 
 commanding the first suction poppet valve and the second suction poppet valve to close; 
 commanding the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram; 
 increasing a pressure in the first delivery cylinder and the second delivery cylinder at a set time interval; 
 monitoring a position of the first ram and a position of the second ram based upon signals from the first linear position sensor and the second linear position sensor; 
 determining whether the first suction poppet valve and the first discharge poppet valve passed or failed the poppet seat leak test based upon whether the first ram exceeded the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval; 
 determining whether the second suction poppet valve and the second discharge poppet valve passed or failed the poppet seat leak test based upon whether the second ram exceeded the threshold of the expected change of position over the set time interval; and 
 displaying the result of the poppet seat leak test on the user interface. 
   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 executing the cylinder position test by:
 receiving a target position percentage of movement for a first ram and/or a second ram based on input at the user interface; 
 commanding the first linear position sensor to sense a position of the first ram and/or the second linear position sensor to sense a position of the second ram; 
 determining whether the first ram and/or the second ram needs to extend or retract to reach the target position using the first linear position sensor and/or the second linear position sensor; 
 commanding the first ram and/or the second ram to move rearwardly or forward to reach the target position; 
 determining whether the user interface indicates that the first ram and/or the second ram is at the target position; 
 determining whether the user interface indicates an actual position of the first ram and/or an actual position the second ram; 
 determining whether the first ram passed and/or the second ram passed the cylinder position test based upon whether the actual position of the first ram and/or the second ram is at the target position and is displayed on the user interface as at the target position; and 
 displaying the result of the cylinder position test on the user interface. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 executing the hydraulic pump leak down test by:
 pressurizing a hydraulic pressure regulator of a hydraulic power unit of the multi-piston pump to reach a hydraulic pressure entered at the user interface, the hydraulic pressure being greater than a pressure required to force a relief valve to open; 
 gradually stepping hydraulic output of the multi-piston pump down to a minimum speed from 100 percent output; 
 monitoring the hydraulic pressure to determine if the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure regulator decreases before the minimum speed of the hydraulic pump is reached; 
 determining whether the hydraulic power unit passed or failed the test based upon whether the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure regulator decreased before the minimum speed of the hydraulic pump was reached; and 
 displaying the result of the hydraulic pump leak down test on the user interface. 
   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 executing the hydraulic piston seal test by:
 commanding a hydraulic power unit to extend or retract a selected piston to a central target position that will allow for drift of the piston; 
 commanding the hydraulic power unit to apply hydraulic pressure to a selected side of the selected piston while the non-selected side of the selected piston is blocked to prevent flow to a tank exhaust; 
 determining whether the selected piston passed or failed the test based upon whether the selected piston moved in excess of a threshold value from the target position; and 
 displaying the result of the hydraulic piston seal test on the user interface.