Technical field of the invention
[0001] The invention has the object of an electric pump operation control device, of those
that are comprised of a multi-stage pump and by an electric motor coupled together
coaxially, and which are widely used to lift water.
Background of the invention
[0002] Multiple embodiments are known of electric pumps comprised of a multi-stage pump
and by an electric motor coupled together coaxially. To control the operation of electric
pumps, devices which control operation variables thereof can be installed; amongst
said operation variables we should highlight the control of the electric motor operating
conditions, specifically the loaded operating conditions which correspond to the pumping
of water by the multi-stage pump and the idle operating conditions which correspond
to the non-pumping of water by the multi-stage pump, and the control of the electric
pump operating periods, to adapt them to the conditions preset by the requirements
of use such as those of automatic watering of garden areas.
[0003] Up to the present date, said operation control devices have to be externally arranged
in relation to the electric pump, which, in any case, implies high assembly costs,
which make the total cost of the installations more expensive.
Explanation of the invention
[0004] The electric pump operation control device of the invention is applicable to electric
pumps comprised of a multi-stage pump and of an electric motor coaxially coupled,
the electric motor being equipped with a junction box adapted to connect a single-phase
or three-phase AC line to power the electric motor.
[0005] The control device according to the invention is characterized in that it characterized
in that it comprises an electric motor operating conditions control circuit to prevent
idling, and an electric pump operation programming circuit, programmable by the user,
arranged in the electric motor junction box.
[0006] It is also a characteristic of the invention that the control circuit comprises an
electronic controller which permanently determines the power factor of the charged
loaded electric motor, all of this adapted so that when said power factor reaches
a certain predetermined minimum value indicative of the idling of the electric motor,
the circuit disconnects the electric motor from the power supply.
[0007] Another characteristic of the invention consists of electric motor disconnecting
when the power factor reaches a value less than or equal to 0.70.
[0008] According to another characteristic of the invention, the programming circuit comprises
a programming keyboard and a viewing screen.
Brief description of the drawings
[0009] In the only figure of the attached drawings, an electric pump equipped with the electric
pump operation control device according to the invention is diagrammatically illustrated
by way of non-limiting example.
Detailed description of the drawings
[0010] In the figure of the sheet of drawings, an electric pump 1 has been represented,
essentially comprised of a suction-discharge multi-stage pump 2 and of an electric
motor 3 coaxially coupled together. The multi-stage pump 2 is equipped with a suction
inlet 4 and a discharge outlet 5 to which a water pipe, not represented, can be coupled
to distribute it to the consumption points. The electric motor 3, which can be an
AC short-circuit rotor powered by a single-phase line or a three-phase line, is equipped
with a junction box 6 of ample size, equipped with a watertight inlet 7 to permit
the passage of the electric conduction to power the electric motor 3.
[0011] An electric motor 3 operating conditions control circuit 8, and an electric pump
1 operation programming circuit 9 are arranged inside the junction box 6.
[0012] The control circuit 8 comprises an electronic controller which, from electric power
data of the electric motor 3, such as the terminal voltage and sink current value,
permanently determines the power factor of the loaded electric motor 3. The circuit
further comprises means to disconnect the electric motor 3 from the supply network
when the power factor determined by the electronic controller reaches a value equal
to or less than 0.7, values which are indicative that the electric motor 3 is idling,
i.e. the water is not pumped by the multi-stage pump 2.
[0013] The programming circuit 9 permits the user to program the electric pump 1 operating
conditions adapting, in this way, the electric pump 1 operating periods to the consumption
requirements of each specific case, this being particularly advantageous in those
installations where automatic operation is required, such as to water garden areas
on certain days, at certain times and for a determined period of time. For the purpose
of making it easily programmable by the user, the programming circuit 9 comprises
a programming keyboard and a viewing screen, not represented.
[0014] The characteristics described in the example of the embodiment of the electric pump
operation control device of the invention, provide a solution to the drawbacks derived
from the high costs of the installation of control devices external to electric pumps,
specifically as regards the control of idling and the programming of the automatic
operation of the electric pump. The fact that both the electric motor 3 operating
conditions control circuit 8 and the electric pump 1 operation programming circuit
9 are located in the electric motor 3 junction box 6, eliminates the requirement for
any type of installations external to the electric pump 1 for devices with said purposes,
achieving, in this way, a large reduction in costs of the installations.
1. Electric pump operation control device, which is applicable to electric pumps (1)
comprised of a multi-stage pump (2) and an electric motor (3) coupled together coaxially,
the electric motor (3) being equipped with a junction box (6) adapted for the connection
of an AC line to power the electric motor (3), which is characterized in that it comprises an electric motor (3) operating conditions control circuit (8), to prevent
idling, and an electric pump (1) operation programming circuit (9), programmable by
the user, arranged in the electric motor (3) junction box (6).
2. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit (8) comprises an electronic controller which permanently determines
the power factor of the loaded electric motor (3), all of this adapted so that when
said power factor reaches a certain predetermined minimum value indicative of idling
of the electric motor (3), the circuit disconnects the electric motor (3) from the
electric power line.
3. Control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric motor (3) disconnects when the power factor reaches a value less than
or equal to 0.70.
4. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the programming circuit (9) comprises a programming keyboard and a viewing screen.