Test bench for pumping units and relative method

Abstract

 Test bench for a pumping unit (11), able to pump concrete or other similar materials. The test bench comprises support elements (20a, 20b), able to support the pumping unit (11), and a tank (26) containing a fluid, from which the pumping unit (11) is able to take the fluid in order to convey it in correspondence with pipes defining a circuit (27) associated with the pumping unit (11) and with the tank (26). The circuit (27) is provided with valve elements (28) able to be adjusted so as to vary the pressure of the fluid circulating so as to evaluate the functionality and resistance of the pumping unit (11) as the pressure varies, the whole being controlled by command and control members (33) also able to control and command the functionality of the elements that make up the test bench.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns a test bench for pumping units able to pump concrete, or other similar materials, advantageously but not exclusively able to be associated with heavy work vehicles, such as for example pumps transported on trucks, concrete mixers/pumps and mobile pumps.

[0002] In particular, the test bench according to the present invention is therefore used advantageously but not exclusively to control the functionality and resistance to wear of a pumping unit and/or its constituent components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In the state of the art it is known to use pumping units able to be used to pump and distribute concrete, or other similar materials, from a distance.

[0004] The pumping units can be associated with work vehicles, such as for example pumps transported on trucks, concrete mixers/pumps and mobile pumps.

[0005] The pumping units are under constant mechanical stress, and subjected to long and wearing work cycles.

[0006] During the distribution of the concrete, for example, the tubes of the pumping unit are greatly stressed due to the high pressures to which they are subjected and due to the particular type of material that they have to pump.

[0007] Furthermore, due to the strong stresses on the mechanical and electrohydraulic components, after a certain number of work cycles malfunctions may occur that have a negative effect on the quality of the distribution of concrete, and/or structural yielding. This entails high maintenance costs to replace the damaged parts if necessary, a reduction in productivity and, generally speaking, a drastic reduction in the average life of a pumping unit. Moreover, serious dangers may arise for the safety of the workers.

[0008] Purpose of the present invention is to achieve a test bench for pumping units, able to test the functionality and resistance to wear of the pumping unit so as to guarantee a prolonged and reliable functioning thereof over time.

[0009] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

[0011] In accordance with the above purpose, a test bench according to the present invention is able to be used to control the functionality and resistance to wear of a pumping unit able to pump concrete, or other similar materials, arriving for example from a concrete mixer or an apparatus for the distribution of concrete, such as a belt, a silo or a mixer.

[0012] Here and hereafter in the description by pumping unit we mean an apparatus comprising at least one or more pumping cylinders and at least a distribution tank, or loading hopper, to supply said pumping cylinders with concrete, or other similar materials.

[0013] According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the test bench comprises at least support means, able to support the pumping unit, and a tank, containing a fluid, from which said pumping unit is able to take said fluid in order to convey it in correspondence with pipes defining a circuit associated with said pumping unit and said tank; the circuit is provided with valve means able to be regulated so as to vary the pressure of the circulating liquid, in order to test the functionality and resistance to wear of the pumping unit as the pressure varies, the whole being controlled by control and command means also able to control and command the functionality of the elements that make up the test bench.

[0014] According to a variant of the present invention said command and control means are also able to selectively vary operating parameters of the pumping unit so as to define a plurality of different work cycles for the pumping unit.

[0015] According to another variant of the present invention the command and control means are also able to interrupt the work cycles of the pumping unit if unwanted limit conditions occur.

[0016] Advantageously the command and control means operate from remote.

[0017] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises means to measure the pressure, associated with the pumping unit and/or said circuit, able to detect the pressure of said fluid.

[0018] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises means to measure the flow rate, associated with the pumping unit and/or said circuit, able to detect the flow rate of the fluid pumped by the pumping unit and circulating in said circuit.

[0019] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises means to record the adjustments, able to record information relating to the adjustments made.

[0020] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises data recording means, able to record data relating to the tests carried out.

[0021] Advantageously the test bench also comprises safety means able to interrupt the performance of the tests if dangerous operating conditions occur.

[0022] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises an apparatus to distribute the concrete, able to convey the concrete in correspondence with a loading hopper of the pumping unit and then to be pumped.

[0023] Advantageously the test bench also comprises a support structure able to support the distribution apparatus.

[0024] According to another variant of the present invention, the test bench also comprises a pipe associated with the pumping unit, able to convey the concrete pumped, arriving from the distribution apparatus, again inside the distribution apparatus, in practice achieving a closed circuit for the concrete.

[0025] Advantageously the test bench according to the present invention is able to be made modularly.

[0026] The present invention therefore allows to simulate the operating conditions of the pumping unit and to verify whether it has design and/or construction defects. The pumping unit is subjected to characterization and fatigue tests to evaluate, for example by pumping said fluid, the resistance of the pumping unit to working pressures even higher than the normal working pressure.

[0027] The use of the closed circuit for pumping and re-circulating the concrete between the pumping unit and the concrete distribution apparatus also allows to subject the pumping unit to long and repeated work cycles, so as to be able to evaluate, for example, the resistance to wear of the pipes of the pump.

[0028] The test bench according to the present invention is also versatile. Indeed, the modularity of the test bench allows to determine and prepare the elements that make up the test bench for example according to the type of pumping unit that is to be tested and/or the type of tests that are to be made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

• fig. 1 is a schematic view from above of a test bench according to the present invention; and
• fig. 2 is a perspective schematic view of the test bench in fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

[0030] With reference to figs. 1 and 2, a test bench 10 according to the present invention is able to be used to evaluate the functioning and resistance to wear of a pumping unit 11, and/or any pipe or other functional component associated or able to be associated with said pumping unit, able to pump concrete or other similar materials, arriving from a distribution apparatus, in this case a concrete mixer 12, or a belt, a silo or other similar or comparable distribution apparatuses. Here and hereafter in the description, in order to simplify the explanation, we shall refer specifically to concrete.

[0031] The pumping unit 11 comprises a loading hopper 21, inside which the concrete arriving from the mixer 12 is able to be conveyed, and at least a pair of pipes 34, or concrete tubes, on which two cylinders 22 are flanged and through which the concrete is pumped, and subsequently distributed at high pressure.

[0032] The test bench 10 comprises a support structure 13, able to support the mixer 12, in this case comprising two lattice works 14 connected to each other by a pair of metal guides 15, transverse with respect to said lattice works 14, on which the mixer 12 is able to be disposed and to operate. The mixer is provided with sliding rollers, not shown in the drawings, able to allow the mixing drum 16 of the mixer 12 to rotate with respect to its own longitudinal axis, on said metal guides 15.

[0033] The test bench also comprises activation means, able to make the drum 16 of the mixer 12 rotate, in order to mix the concrete and to activate the distribution elements of the concrete of the mixer 12, for example the removable pipe 17 located in the rear part of the mixer 12.

[0034] Advantageously the activation means are of the oil-dynamic type and are fed and controlled by an oil-dynamic unit 29.

[0035] The test bench also comprises drive means, in this case a diesel engine 18, able to feed the pumping unit 11. It comes within the field of the invention that the engine 18 can be of any other type. The test bench according to the present invention therefore also comprises a fuel tank 19, able to be used to feed said diesel engine 18.

[0036] The test bench 10 also comprises support elements 20a, 20b, able to support the pumping unit 11. In particular the exit ends 22a of the cylinders 22 are able to be disposed in correspondence with the support element 20a.

[0037] Advantageously the cylinders 22 can be disposed with different inclinations according to the type of test to which the pumping unit 11 is to be subjected.

[0038] The ends 34a of the pipes 34, on the contrary, are able to be disposed in correspondence with the support element 20b.

[0039] The test bench 10 also comprises a re-circulation pipe 25, associated with the pumping unit 11, able to convey the pumped concrete arriving from the mixer 12 once again inside the mixer 12, in practice thus achieving a closed circuit for the concrete.

[0040] According to a variant of the present invention the re-circulation pipe 25 is made modularly, so as to allow to make a plurality of types of closed circuit. The circuit can be extended or provided with several curvilinear elements so as to achieve, for example, a tortuous path.

[0041] In one form of embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to prepare the re-circulation pipe 25 in such a manner that new concept components for the pumping unit can be put in series with it, in order to evaluate the performance thereof with respect to standard type components.

[0042] The test bench also comprises a tank 26 containing a fluid, advantageously water, from which the pumping unit 11 is able to take water and to which the pumping unit 11 is able to send water previously pumped, through pipes defining a substantially closed circuit 27.

[0043] The circuit 27 is provided, in the case shown here, with a guillotine valve 28, fed by a compressor 32, able to be used to vary the pressure of the water circulating inside the circuit 27, and pumped by the pumping unit 11. However, it cannot be excluded that the valve 28 may also be of any other type suitable for the purpose.

[0044] The test bench 10 also comprises measuring devices to measure the flow rate and pressure, associated with said circuit 27 and able to measure respectively the flow rate and the pressure of the water, and to send this information to a command and control unit 33 of the test bench 10.

[0045] The command and control unit 33 is also able to manage the functioning of the various elements that make up the test bench 10.

[0046] Advantageously the command and control unit 33 is also able to selectively vary, possibly also from remote, operating parameters of the pumping unit 11 so as to define a plurality of different work cycles for the pumping unit 11, settable according to the type of test to be done.

[0047] The command and control unit 33 is also able to interrupt the work cycles of the pumping unit 11 if unwanted limit conditions occur.

[0048] The test bench also comprises an electric generator 30, able to feed the electro-mechanical components of the bench, for example, of the mixer 12 and the compressor 32, or other possible components that are electrically fed.

[0049] The test bench 10 also comprises a heat exchange device 31, also able to be fed by the electric generator 30, able to allow heat exchange between the various elements that make up the test bench 10 in order to keep constant the working temperature of the test bench 10, or to vary it according to the needs of the test, even after long work cycles.

[0050] Advantageously, the heat exchange device 31 is able to control the working temperature of the pipes 34, for example keeping it constant or varying it according to requirements.

[0051] Advantageously the test bench 10 is able to be made modularly. This implies that the elements that make up the test bench 10 can be disposed, for example, according to the type of pumping unit to be tested and/or the type of tests to be carried out.

[0052] The test bench 10 according to the present invention as described heretofore functions as follows.

[0053] In order to test the functioning of the pumping unit 11, the test bench is prepared so that the pumping unit 11 takes water from the tank 26 and conveys it in correspondence with the circuit 27. To vary the pressure of the water, and consequently to evaluate the resistance of the pumping unit 11 to pressures above the normal working pressure, the guillotine valve 28 is activated.

[0054] To carry out a test on the resistance to wear of the pipes 34 of the pumping unit 11, the test bench 10 is prepared so that the mixer 12 is activated, so that the concrete contained therein is conveyed in correspondence with the loading hopper 21 and from here is pumped through the pipe 25 and then sent again to the mixer 12. These operations can be carried out a plurality of times, so as to be able to evaluate, also automatically, for example by means of suitable sensor means controlled by the command and control unit 33, after a plurality of work cycles, the degree of resistance to wear of the pipes 34, and in general of all the components of the pumping unit 11 that come into contact with the concrete, such as for example pumping pads, exchange valves and other similar components.

[0055] It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the test bench as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

[0056] For example it comes within the field of the present invention to provide means to control and record the adjustments, able to record information relating to the adjustments made.

[0057] It also comes within the field of the present invention to provide data recording means, able to record data relating to the tests made.

[0058] It also comes within the field of the present invention to provide safety means, to interrupt the performance of the tests, if limit and/or dangerous operating conditions occur.

[0059] It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of test bench, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Test bench for a pumping unit (11), able to pump concrete or other similar materials, characterized in that it comprises support means (20a, 20b), able to support said pumping unit (11), and a tank (26) containing a fluid, from which said pumping unit (11) is able to take said fluid in order to convey it in correspondence with pipes defining a circuit (27) associated with said pumping unit (11) and with said tank (26), said circuit (27) being provided with valve means (28) able to be adjusted so as to vary the pressure of the fluid circulating so as to evaluate the functionality and resistance of said pumping unit (11) as the pressure varies, the whole being controlled by command and control means (33) also able to control and command the functionality of the elements that make up the test bench.

2. Test bench as in claim 1, characterized in that said command and control means (33) are also able to selectively vary operating parameters of said pumping unit (11) so as to define a plurality of work cycles for said pumping unit (11).

3. Test bench as in claim 2, characterized in that said command and control means (33) are also able to interrupt work cycles of said pumping unit (11) when unwanted limit conditions occur.

4. Test bench as in claim 1, characterized in that said valve means comprise at least an on-off valve (28).

5. Test bench as in claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises means to measure pressure and/or flow rate, associated with said pumping unit (11) and/or with said circuit (27), able to detect the pressure and/or flow rate of said fluid and connected with said command and control means (33).

6. Test bench as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises an apparatus to distribute the concrete (12), able to convey the concrete in correspondence with a loading hopper (21) of said pumping unit (11).

7. Test bench as in claim 6, characterized in that it also comprises a pipe (25) associated with said pumping unit (11), able to convey the pumped concrete arriving from said distribution apparatus (12) once again inside said distribution apparatus (12).

8. Test bench as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises drive means (18) able to feed said pumping unit (11).

9. Test bench as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises electric generator means (30) able to feed electromechanical components of the test bench.

10. Test bench as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises recording means, able to record information and/or data relating to the adjustments and/or tests made.

11. Test bench as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises sensor means able to detect information relating to the degree of wear of the elements that make up the pumping unit (11).

12. Test method for a pumping unit (11) able to pump concrete or other similar materials, characterized in that it comprises at least a step in which said pumping unit (11), supported by support means (20a, 20b), takes a fluid contained in a tank (26) and conveys it in correspondence with pipes defining a circuit (27) associated with the pumping unit (11) and with the tank (26), and valve means (28) with which said circuit (27) is provided are adjusted so as to vary the pressure of the fluid circulating so as to evaluate the functionality and resistance of said pumping unit (11) as the pressure varies, the whole being controlled by command and control means (33) that also control and command the functionality of the elements that make up the test bench.

13. Method as in claim 12, characterized in that it comprises at least a step in which said command and control means selectively vary operating parameters of said pumping unit (11) in order to define a plurality of work cycles for said pumping unit (11).

14. Method as in claim 13, characterized in that it comprises at least a step in which said command and control means (33) also interrupt work cycles of said pumping unit (11) when unwanted limit conditions occur.

15. Method as in claim 12, characterized in that it comprises at least a loading and pumping step in which a concrete distribution apparatus (12) conveys the concrete in correspondence with a loading hopper (21) of said pumping unit (11), wherein said loading and pumping step comprises at least a substep in which the concrete pumped by said pumping unit (11) is conveyed in correspondence with a pipe (25) associated with said pumping unit (11), in which the pipe (25) conveys the pumped concrete arriving from said distribution apparatus (12) once again inside said distribution apparatus (12).

Drawing