Bypass valve with an integral flow sensor for a water treatment system

• US 20070181191A1
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Residential Filtration LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Residential Filtration LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Honzelka, Thomas, Sieth, Kenneth, Wittig, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/551
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/006 Water distributors either inside a treatment tank or directing the water to several treatment tanks; Water treatment plants incorporating these distributors, with or without chemical or biological tanks for settling tanks B01D21/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/20 operated by separate actuating members with one plug turning in another F16K11/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86871 Plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A bypass valve includes a body with first and second chambers connected by a bridge passage, an untreated water inlet and an untreated water outlet both open into the first chamber, and a treated water inlet and a treated water outlet both open into the second chamber. A first valve element is rotatably received in the first chamber alternately to connect the inlet to the untreated water outlet or the bridge passage. A second valve element is rotatably received in the second chamber alternately to connect the outlet to the treated water outlet or the bridge passage. A manually operable mechanism rotates the first valve element in the first chamber and the second valve element in the second chamber. A flow sensor is received within either the first or second valve element to measure the amount of water flowing through the bypass valve.

Claims

1. A bypass valve for a water treatment system comprising:

a body having a first chamber, a second chamber connected by a bridge passage to the first chamber, an inlet that opens into the first chamber to receive untreated water, an untreated water outlet that opens into the first chamber, a treated water inlet that opens into the second chamber, and an outlet that opens into the second chamber and through which treated water flows;

a first valve element rotatably received in the first chamber and having a first position in which the inlet is connected to the untreated water outlet, and a second position in which the inlet is connected to the bridge passage and disconnected from the untreated water outlet;

a second valve element rotatably received in the second chamber and having a third position in which the treated water inlet is connected to the outlet, and a fourth position in which the outlet is connected to the bridge passage and disconnected from the untreated water outlet, wherein at least one of the first valve element in the first position and second valve element in the third position blocks flow of water through the bridge passage; and

a manually operable mechanism to rotate the first valve element in the first chamber and the second valve element in the second chamber.

2. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 wherein the first valve element has a fifth position in which flow of water through the inlet is blocked;

and the second valve element has a sixth position in which flow of water through the outlet is blocked.

3. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the first valve element and the second valve element has a tubular shape with a curved outer surface and has an elongated first aperture that extends more that 90 degrees around the curved outer surface and a second aperture spaced around the curved outer surface from the first aperture.

4. The bypass valve as recited in claim 3 wherein each of the first valve element and the second valve element further comprises an annular seal located on a section of the curved outer surface between the first aperture and the second aperture.

5. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sensor in one of the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the sensor produces an indication of how much fluid flows through the bypass valve.

6. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 further comprising a turbine rotatably contained within one of the first valve element and the second valve element;

and a transducer that responds to rotation of the turbine by producing an electrical signal indicating fluid flow through the bypass valve.

7. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 further comprising a turbine with a magnet attached thereto and rotatably received within one of the first valve element and the second valve element;

and a Hall effect sensor that in response to the magnet produces an electrical signal indicating fluid flow through the bypass valve.

8. The bypass valve as recited in claim 1 wherein the body comprises a first housing defining the first chamber, a second housing defining the second chamber, and a bridge passage connected between the first and second housings.

9. The bypass valve as recited in claim 8 wherein:

the first housing has an first opening and the second housing has an second opening; and

the manually operable mechanism comprises;

a) a first cap with a first aperture there through and attached to the first housing thereby closing the first opening, and a first valve operator including a manually operable first member outside the first housing with a first portion extending through the first aperture, the first valve operator further including a first driver secured to the first portion and engaging the first valve element, and

b) a second assembly comprising a second cap with a second aperture there through and attached to the second housing thereby closing the second opening, and a second valve operator including a manually operable second member outside the second housing with a second portion extending through the second aperture, the second valve operator further including a second driver secured to the second portion and engaging the second valve element.

10. A bypass valve for a water treatment system comprising:

a body having a first chamber, a second chamber connected by a bridge passage to the first chamber, an inlet that opens into the first chamber to receive untreated water, an untreated water outlet that opens into the first chamber, a treated water inlet that opens into the second chamber, and an outlet that opens into the second chamber and through which treated water flows;

a first valve element rotatably received in the first chamber and having a first position in which the inlet is connected to the untreated water outlet, and a second position in which the inlet is connected to the bridge passage and disconnected from the untreated water outlet;

a second valve element rotatably received in the second chamber and having a third position in which the treated water inlet is connected to the outlet, and a fourth position in which the outlet is connected to the bridge passage and disconnected from the untreated water outlet, wherein at least one of the first valve element in the first position and second valve element in the third position blocks flow of water through the bridge passage;

a manually operable mechanism to rotate the first valve element in the first chamber and the second valve element in the second chamber; and

a sensor located in one of the first chamber and the second chamber and producing an indication of how much fluid flows through the bypass valve.

11. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein the sensor is in the second valve element.

12. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 further comprising a turbine rotatably contained within one of the first valve element and the second valve element;

and a transducer that responds to rotation of the turbine by producing an electrical signal in response to rotation of the turbine.

13. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 further comprising a turbine with a magnet attached thereto and rotatably received within one of the first valve element and the second valve element;

and a Hall effect sensor that in response to the magnet produces an electrical signal indicating fluid flow through the bypass valve.

14. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein the first valve element has a fifth position in which flow of water through the inlet is blocked;

and the second valve element has a sixth position in which flow of water through the outlet is blocked.

15. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein each of the first valve element and the second valve element has a tubular shape with a curved outer surface and has an elongated first aperture that extends more that 90 degrees around the curved outer surface and a second aperture spaced around the curved outer surface first aperture.

16. The bypass valve as recited in claim 15 wherein each of the first valve element and the second valve element further comprises an annular seal located on a section of the curved outer surface between the first aperture and the second aperture.

17. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein the body comprises a first housing defining the first chamber, a second housing defining the second chamber, and a bridge passage connected between the first and second housings.

18. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein:

the body comprises a first housing defining the first chamber and having a first opening, a first cap removably attached to the first housing thereby closing the first opening, a second housing defining the second chamber and having a second opening, a second cap removably attached to the second housing thereby closing the second opening, and a bridge passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; and

the manually operable mechanism comprises;

a) a first valve operator including a manually operable first member outside the first housing with a first portion extending through a first aperture in the first cap, and a first driver secured to the first portion and engaging the first valve element, and

b) a second valve operator including a manually operable second member outside the second housing with a second portion extending through a second aperture in the second cap, and a second driver secured to the second portion and engaging the second valve element.

19. The bypass valve as recited in claim 18 wherein:

one of the first driver and the first valve element has a first key and the other of the first driver and the first valve element has a first recess within which the first key is received; and

one of the second driver and the second valve element has a second key and the other of the second driver and the second valve element has a second recess within which the second key is received.

20. The bypass valve as recited in claim 10 wherein:

the body comprises a first housing defining the first chamber and having a first opening, a first cap removably attached to the first housing to close the first opening, a second housing defining the second chamber and having a second opening, a second cap removably attached to the second housing thereby closing the second opening, and a bridge passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber;

the manually operable mechanism comprises;

a) a manually operable first member outside the first housing with a first portion extending through a first aperture in the first cap,

b) a first driver secured to the first portion and engaging the first valve element,

c) a manually operable second member outside the second housing with a second portion extending through a second aperture in the second cap, and

d) a second driver secured to the second portion and engaging the second valve element; and

the sensor engaging one of the first driver and the second driver wherein removal of the one of the first cap and the second cap associated with the one of the first driver and the second driver results is removal of the sensor from the body.