Method for determining a temperature of a diaphragm of a pump

1. A method for determining a temperature of a diaphragm of a pump, comprising:

providing a tank;

providing a pump fastened to the tank;

providing a diaphragm, the diaphragm being part of the pump;

providing a dispensing point in fluid communication with the pump;

using the pump to pump a fluid out of the tank to the dispensing point by way of movement of the diaphragm; and

estimating the temperature of the diaphragm in a manner which is at least dependent on the temperature of the fluid in the tank,

providing a space which is at least adjacent to the tank; and

arranging the pump in the space;

wherein estimating the temperature of the diaphragm is performed in a manner which is dependent on the temperature in the space;

wherein estimating the temperature of the diaphragm is performed during a start of the pump in a manner which is dependent on a duration of a downtime by way of different start values; and

wherein the method further comprises

fixing the temperature of the diaphragm during the start to a stored value in the case of a brief downtime; and

fixing the temperature of the diaphragm, after a relatively long downtime, in a manner which is dependent on the temperature of the space in which the pump is arranged, in particular being set at the same level as the temperature of the space.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a housing, the housing being part of the pump,

wherein estimating the temperature of the diaphragm is performed in a manner which is dependent on the temperature of the housing of the pump.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein after the relatively long downtime, the temperature of the diaphragm is set at the same level as the temperature of the space.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the brief downtime is less than a first time duration, and the relatively long downtime is greater than the first time duration.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the temperature of the diaphragm is performed in a manner which is dependent on a quantity of fluid which is delivered by the pump.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a drive, the diaphragm being actuated by the drive, wherein estimating the temperature of the diaphragm is performed in a manner which is dependent on a generation of heat of the drive.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the fluid to be a reducing agent for a catalytic converter.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising arranging the catalytic converter in an exhaust gas section of an internal combustion engine.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the estimated temperature of the diaphragm in order to correct a quantity of fluid which is dispensed by the pump.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a control unit for controlling the operation of the pump; and

detecting the temperature of the fluid in the tank using the control unit.

11. A pump system, comprising:

a tank for storing a fluid, the tank including a tank temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of fluid in the tank;

a pump in fluid communication with the tank and including a diaphragm, the pump delivering fluid from the pump through actuation of the diaphragm; and

a control unit operably associated with the pump and the tank temperature sensor, the control unit configured to estimate a temperature of the diaphragm based at least upon the measured temperature of the fluid in the tank,

wherein the control unit estimates the temperature of the diaphragm during a start of the pump based at least partly upon an amount of downtime of the pump, and

wherein if the downtime is less than a first duration amount, the control unit sets the temperature of the diaphragm during the start to a most recent temperature estimate of the diaphragm, and if the downtime is greater than the first duration amount, the control unit sets the temperature of the diaphragm during the start to a temperature of a space in which the pump is disposed.

12. The pump system of claim 11 , wherein the pump includes a housing and the control unit estimates the temperature of the diaphragm based at least upon a temperature of the housing.

13. The pump system of claim 11 , wherein the pump is disposed in a space adjacent to the tank, the pump system further comprises a temperature sensor disposed in the space and coupled to the control unit, and the control unit estimates the temperature of the diaphragm based at least upon a temperature of the space.

14. The pump system of claim 11 , further comprising a motor operably coupled to the pump and to the control unit, wherein the control unit estimates the temperature of the diaphragm based upon at least one of an actuation of the motor and an amount of heat generated thereby.

15. The pump system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit estimates the temperature of the diaphragm based upon an amount of fluid delivered by the pump.

16. The pump system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit corrects a quantity of fluid delivered by the pump.