Combined isolation valve and check valve with integral flow rate pressure, and/or temperature measurement and field configurability

• US 10,443,880 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fluid Handling LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evans, Stanley Paul, Litoriya, Mrinalini, Nair, Mahesh, Rosca, Florin, Trambadia, Deep, Welekar, Amitkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin L
• Application Number:
  US15/821,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20180156488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 137613, 137270
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/03 with a hinged closure member or with a pivoted closure member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/18 with actuating mechanism; Combined check valves and actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1821 for check valves with a hinged or pivoted closure member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0209 Check valves or pivoted valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0227 with the valve members swinging around an axis located at the edge of or outside the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0281 Housings in two parts which can be orientated in different positions
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/005 for measuring fluid parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0091 by measuring fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/06 with plugs having spherical surfaces; Packings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures

Abstract

The present invention allows for a combination valve in a hydronic HVAC system that functions as an isolation valve; a check valve; and as a device for measuring fluid parameters, such as flow rate, pressure, and/or temperature, and also allows for the isolation valve to be configured in the field to be mounted either in a straight 180° or an angled 90° orientation, as well as at an intermediate angle. The new combination of isolation valve, check valve, with embedded sensors for flow rate, pressure, and/or temperature measurement provides a more compact product envelope that achieves space savings, e.g., by eliminating the need for separate components in an HVAC system, such as separate isolation valves, check valves, flow meters, pressure gages, and/or thermometers.

Claims

1. A combination valve having one or more embedded measurement sensors, a check valve and an isolation valve, comprising:

a) a valve body inlet (VBI) having

a VBI pipe portion with a VBI inlet portion for receiving a fluid flow and a VBI outlet portion for providing the fluid flow from the valve body inlet, and being configured to extend along a VBI pipe portion axis,

a VBI inlet flange portion coupled to the VBI inlet portion and extending outwardly perpendicular to the VBI pipe portion axis for coupling to input piping providing the fluid flow, and

a VBI outlet flange portion coupled to the VBI outlet portion and extending outwardly and obliquely to the VBI pipe portion axis at a VBI an angle of substantially 45°

; and

b) a valve body outlet (VBO) having

a VBO pipe portion with a VBO inlet portion for receiving the fluid flow from the valve body inlet and a VBO outlet portion for providing the fluid flow from the valve body outlet, and being configured to extend along a VBO pipe portion axis,

a VBO outlet flange portion coupled to the VBO outlet portion for coupling to output piping for receiving the fluid flow from the combination valve and extended outwardly perpendicular to the VBO pipe portion axis, and

a VBO inlet flange portion coupled to the VBO inlet portion of the valve body outlet, extended outwardly and obliquely to the VBO pipe portion axis at a VBO angle of substantially 45°

, and configured to couple to the VBO outlet flange portion of the valve body inlet, so that the valve body inlet and the valve body outlet can be mount in either

a straight 180°

orientation with respect to the VBI pipe portion axis of the valve body inlet and to the VBO pipe axis of the valve body outlet, which are substantially parallel with respect to one another, or

an angled 90°

orientation with respect to the VBI pipe portion axis of the valve body inlet and the VBO pipe axis of the valve body outlet, which are substantially perpendicular with respect to one another, or

an intermediate angled orientation between 90° and

180°

with respect to the VBI pipe portion axis of the valve body inlet and the VBO pipe axis of the valve body outlet, which are at an oblique angle between 90° and

180°

with respect to one another.

2. The combination valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body inlet comprises the one or more embedded measurement sensors, including where the one or more embedded measurement sensors are configured to sense some combination of flow rate, temperature, or pressure in fluid flowing thru the combination valve.

3. The combination valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body outlet comprises the check valve.

4. The combination valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body outlet comprises the isolation valve.

5. The combination valve according to claim 1, wherein the VBI outlet flange portion and the VBO inlet flange portion are configured with corresponding openings for receiving bolts to couple together the VBI outlet flange portion and the VBO inlet flange portion.

6. The combination valve according to claim 5, wherein the corresponding openings are configured in four corners so that the VBO inlet flange portion of the valve body outlet can be mounted to the VBI inlet portion of the valve body inlet in either the straight 180°

orientation, or the angled 90°

orientation, or the intermediate angled orientation.