- 10 November 2006 -
ITT PumpSmart features sensorless flow measurement
ITT Monitoring and Control has launched Version 5.0 of its PumpSmart PS200. The new version, called Smartflow, is a proprietary sensorless flow measurement function which has the ability to calculate the flow of a centrifugal pump within ±5% of the pump rated flow without the need for any external instrumentation, ITT says. This function mathematically models the pump power curve with only four points of CDS pump performance curve data, BEP flow, BEP power, shut off power, and rated speed.
The function also includes Advanced Pump Protection (APP), a sensorless pump protection function that takes into account the hydraulic and mechanical losses associated when changing the speed of a centrifugal pump and Positive Displacement Pump Protection (PDPP), a sensorless function that it is protecting for a constant torque load such as a positive displacement pump.
According to ITT, SMARTCONTROL is an improved way to control pumps with flat head-capacity curves where a small change in speed can lead to a large change in flow. A flat head-capacity curve can make tuning a pump system difficult leaving the pump to oscillate around the setpoint. In general, to increase the flow of the pump, the speed is increased and subsequently the torque increases as a result. With SMARTCONTROL the exact opposite happens. If you were to increase the flow of the pump, the pump torque is increased and subsequently the pump speed follows. The advantage is that the torque performance curve is much steeper relative to speed and can typically yield a control resolution 2-3 times greater than speed, ITT says.


Pump Industry Analyst
Sealing Technology