Pressure transmitter installation in a process line of a process facility

• US 20040231427A1
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Hess
• Original Assignee: Martin Hess
• Inventors: Hess, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/729.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0015 using switching means

Abstract

A flow control unit having a housing with a valve chamber. The valve chamber has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet of the valve chamber is placed in communication with the process circuit. A valve member is carried within the valve chamber. The valve member has an open position for allowing flow from the inlet of the valve chamber to the outlet of the valve chamber, and a closed position for preventing flow through the valve chamber. A pressure cell is disposed adjacent the outlet of the valve chamber. A closed pressure circuit is defined from the valve inlet, the valve chamber, and the valve outlet. A pressure sensor is disposed in the pressure cell and traverses the circuit at the outlet for measuring the pressure of the process circuit communicated through the closed pressure circuit when the valve member is in the open position.

Claims

1. A pressure transducer assembly for measuring the pressure in a process circuit of a process plant, said pressure transducer comprising:

a flow control unit having a housing with a valve chamber, said valve chamber having an inlet and an outlet;

said inlet of said valve chamber in communication with said process circuit;

a valve member carried within said valve chamber, said valve member having an open position for allowing flow from said inlet of said valve chamber to said outlet of said valve chamber, and a closed position for preventing flow through said valve chamber;

a pressure cell disposed adjacent said outlet of said valve chamber;

a closed pressure circuit defined from the valve inlet, said valve chamber, and the valve outlet;

a pressure sensor disposed in said pressure cell for measuring the pressure of said process circuit communicated through said closed pressure circuit when said valve member is in said open position.

2. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor comprises a pressure membrane extending traversly across said closed pressure circuit at said outlet.

3. The pressure transducer of claim 2 wherein said outlet is directly downstream of said valve member, and said pressure sensor is directly downstream of said outlet so that minimum dead space is provided between said valve member and said pressure sensor.

4. The pressure transducer of claim 3 wherein said pressure cell is included in a detachable cover element mounted to said housing over the outlet of said valve chamber.

5. The pressure transducer of claim 4 including an electronics housing mounted to said flow control unit carrying an electronic measuring system.

6. The pressure transducer of claim 5 wherein said electronics housing is carried by said detachable cover element.

7. The pressure transducer of claim 1 including a pair of flow control units each including a closed pressure circuit defined by a valve inlet, a valve chamber, and a valve outlet;

each of said closed pressure circuits extending from said process circuit to a central differential pressure cell containing a differential pressure sensor downstream of said valve outlet for each of said flow control units.

8. The pressure transducer of claim 7 wherein each of said closed pressure circuits in said pair of flow control units extends parallel to the other from said process circuit and are then brought towards each other to end on opposite sides of said differential pressure sensor at said central differential pressure cell.

9. The pressure transducer of claim 8 wherein said paid of flow control units each include separate housing adapted for adjoining to each other in the region of said central differential pressure cell and are capable of being separated to provide access to said central pressure cell.

10. A pressure transducer assembly for measuring the pressure in a process circuit of a process plant, said pressure transducer comprising:

a flow control unit having a housing with a valve chamber;

an inlet included in said housing for providing fluid communication between said valve chamber and said process circuit;

an outlet included in said housing in fluid communication with said valve chamber;

a pressure sensor adjacent said outlet opposite said valve chamber and extending across said outlet; and

,

a valve member included in said valve chamber for controlling flow from said process circuit to said pressure sensor.

11. The pressure transducer of claim 10 including a closed pressure circuit defined from said inlet, valve chamber, and outlet;

extending from said process circuit to said pressure sensor.

12. The pressure transducer of claim 10 wherein said valve member includes a passageway movable between an open position for allowing flow from said inlet of said valve chamber to said outlet of said valve chamber, and a closed position for preventing flow through said valve chamber.

13. The pressure transducer of claim 10 wherein said pressure sensor is carried in a pressure cell disposed adjacent said outlet of said valve chamber.

14. The pressure transducer of claim 13 wherein said outlet is directly downstream of said valve member, and said pressure sensor is directly downstream of said outlet so that minimum dead space is provided between said valve member and said pressure sensor.

15. The pressure transducer of claim 14 wherein said pressure cell is included in a detachable cover element mounted to said housing over the outlet of said valve chamber.

16. The pressure transducer of claim 15 including an electronics housing mounted to said flow control unit carrying an electronic measuring system.

17. The pressure transducer of claim 16 wherein said electronics housing is carried by said detachable cover element.

18. The pressure transducer of claim 17 including a pair of flow control units each including a closed pressure circuit defined by a valve inlet, a valve chamber, and a valve outlet;

each of said closed pressure circuits extending from said process circuit to a central differential pressure cell containing a differential pressure sensor downstream of said valve outlet for each of said flow control units.

19. The pressure transducer of claim 18 wherein each of said closed pressure circuits in said pair of flow control units extends parallel to the other from said process circuit and are then brought towards each other to end on opposite sides of said differential pressure sensor at said central differential pressure cell.

20. The pressure transducer of claim 19 wherein said paid of flow control units each include separate housing adapted for adjoining to each other in the region of said central differential pressure cell and are capable of being separated to provide access to said central pressure cell.