Patent ID: 7169352

Claim:
A fluid separation control system comprising: pumps for moving fluid through said system; a fluid pressure monitoring device for sensing fluid pressures in said system and generating pressure signals in response to said sensed pressures; a processor for receiving said pressure signals and generating alarm-triggering signals in response thereto; an audible and/or visible alarm triggered by said alarm-triggering signals; and a flow controller triggered by said alarm-triggering signals; wherein said processor is programmed to compare said sensed pressures with system pressures and generate a first-level alarm-triggering signal when said sensed pressures are less than or equal to a first-level alarm-triggering sensor pressure; wherein said first-level alarm-triggering signal causes said flow controller to pause fluid flow in some of said pumps for a specified delay time; wherein said processor is programmed to count the number of first-level alarm-triggering signals generated within a specified period and generate a second-level alarm-triggering signal when a specified number of such first-level alarm-triggering signals have been generated within said specified period; and wherein said second-level alarm-triggering signal causes said flow controller to slow down fluid flow rate in said system.