MONITORING SYSTEM FOR VALVE DEVICE

• US 20080034882A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohta, Hiroyuki, Tanno, Yohei, Shimazu, Hiromi, Araki, Kenji, Kiyotoki, Yoshihisa, Onodera, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/777
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0083 by measuring valve parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/18 using change in resistance

Abstract

A monitoring system for valve device according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit and the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors. The semiconductor single crystalline substrate is mounted to any of a valve device'"'"'s valve stem, valve yoke, drive shaft, or elastic body disposed at the end of the drive shaft. Thrust and torque of the valve device are measured by the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and then the measured values are used for monitoring the valve device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, and the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors;

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is mounted to a valve stem of the valve device.

2. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

the valve device comprises

a valve stem with a gear,

a valve casing incorporating inside a part of the valve stem and fluid flows therein,

a sealing member provided in the valve casing which surrounds the valve stem so as to seal the fluid, and

a drive unit which rotates the valve stem; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed to a portion of the valve stem between the gear and the sealing member.

3. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed inside the valve stem.

4. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

a planar portion is provided on a side face of the valve stem, and

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed on the planar portion.

5. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed on a side face of the valve stem, and the valve stem is hollow in the vicinity of an area where the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed.

6. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors and

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors are mounted to the valve stem.

7. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

a single substrate of a semiconductor single crystal including a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors and a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors is mounted to the valve stem.

8. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

the valve device is a manual valve device.

20. A monitoring system for valve device according to claims 1, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

21. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

22. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 20, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

55. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 21, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

9. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, and the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors; and

a valve device comprising

a valve stem,

a drive unit which generates a drive force,

a drive shaft which transmits the drive force of the drive unit, and

a gear which transmits rotation of the drive shaft to the valve stem; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed on the drive shaft of the valve device.

10. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 9, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal direction is located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in axial direction of the drive shaft.

11. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 9, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal direction is located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in axial direction of the drive shaft.

49. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 9, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

51. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 9, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

53. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 49, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

56. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 51, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

12. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, and the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors; and

a valve device comprising

a valve stem,

a drive unit which generates a drive force,

a drive shaft which transmits the drive force of the drive unit,

a gear which transmits rotation of the drive shaft to the valve stem,

an elastic body disposed at the end of the drive shaft in the axial direction; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed on the elastic body of the valve device.

13. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 12, wherein:

the elastic body is a spring.

14. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 12, wherein:

the elastic body is a torque spring, and

in the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, longitudinal direction of two of the impurity-diffused resistors which constitute a bridged circuit is located in the diameter direction of the torque spring.

15. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 12, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is parallel or perpendicular to circumferential direction of the elastic body;

the bridged circuit comprises p-type impurity-diffused resistors; and

longitudinal directions of the p-type impurity-diffused resistors are parallel to the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate.

16. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 12, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is parallel or perpendicular to circumferential direction of the elastic body;

the bridged circuit comprises n-type impurity-diffused resistors; and

longitudinal directions of the n-type impurity-diffused resistors are parallel to the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate.

17. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, and the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors;

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is mounted to a valve yoke of a valve device with a valve stem.

18. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 17, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is mounted to surface of the valve yoke near a valve stem of the valve device.

19. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 17, wherein:

the monitoring system further includes a controlling and transmitting unit which comprises

a controlling and processing device which processes a signal from the semiconductor substrate, and

a communication module which wirelessly transmits the processed signal; and

wherein;

the controlling and transmitting unit is mounted to an outer side surface of the valve yoke which is not the surface of the valve yoke near the valve stem.

50. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 17, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

52. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 17, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate includes

a first bridged circuit comprising p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

a second bridged circuit comprising n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate; and

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is disposed such that the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in an axial direction of the valve stem of the valve device.

54. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 50, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

57. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 52, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate further includes a temperature sensor.

23. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

the valve device including a valve stem and a valve yoke,

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate mounted to the valve stem or the valve yoke, and

a set of impurity-diffused resistors configured in the semiconductor single crystalline substrate;

wherein;

the set of impurity-diffused resistors comprises a bridged circuit, and longitudinal directions of the set of impurity-diffused resistors are parallel or perpendicular to an axial direction of the valve stem.

24. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 23, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem.

25. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 23, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem.

29. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 23, wherein:

the monitoring system further includes another set of impurity-diffused resistors configured in the semiconductor single crystalline substrate;

wherein;

the set of impurity-diffused resistors comprises another bridged circuit; and

longitudinal directions of the set of impurity-diffused resistors are at an angle of 45 degrees to the axial direction of the valve stem.

30. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 29, wherein:

<

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem;

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are parallel or perpendicular to the axial direction of the valve stem are p-type impurity-diffused resistors; and

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are at an angle of 45 degrees to the axial direction of the valve stem are n-type impurity-diffused resistors.

31. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 29, wherein:

<

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem;

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are parallel or perpendicular to the axial direction of the valve stem are n-type impurity-diffused resistors; and

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are at an angle of 45 degrees to the axial direction of the valve stem are p-type impurity-diffused resistors.

26. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

the valve device including a valve stem and a valve yoke,

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate mounted to the valve stem or the valve yoke, and

a set of impurity-diffused resistors configured in the semiconductor single crystalline substrate;

wherein;

the set of impurity-diffused resistors comprises a bridged circuit, and longitudinal directions of the set of impurity-diffused resistors are at an angle of 45 degrees to an axial direction of the valve stem.

27. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 26, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are p-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

the <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem.

28. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 26, wherein:

the impurity-diffused resistors are n-type impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are located in <

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and

the <

110>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem.

32. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 26, wherein:

another set of impurity-diffused resistors is configured in the semiconductor single crystalline substrate;

the set of impurity-diffused resistors comprises another bridged circuit; and

longitudinal directions of the set of impurity-diffused resistors are parallel to the axial direction of the valve stem.

33. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 32, wherein:

<

100>

direction of the semiconductor single crystalline substrate is located in the axial direction of the valve stem;

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are at an angle of 45 degrees to the axial direction of the valve stem are p-type impurity-diffused resistors; and

the impurity-diffused resistors whose longitudinal directions are parallel to the axial direction of the valve stem are p-type impurity-diffused resistors and n-type impurity-diffused resistors.

34. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors, and a controlling and transmitting unit;

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are mounted to a valve device; and

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit detect open or close condition of the valve device and transmit data of the condition.

35. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 34, wherein:

the transmission is wireless transmission.

36. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are used to detect open or close condition of the valve device; and

the wireless transmission is conducted when the open or close condition of the valve device changed.

37. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are used to measure thrust and torque of the valve device; and

the wireless transmission is executed when an amount of change of the measured value is larger than a prescribed value.

38. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

open or close condition of the valve device is transmitted to receiving equipment, and the transmission is executed continuously or intermittently until a receipt confirmation signal sent from the receiving equipment is received.

39. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are used to detect open or close condition of the valve device and execute intermittent transmission; and

when the open or close condition changed, intermittent transmission is executed at shorter time intervals than those executed when the open or close condition does not change, or continuous transmission is executed.

40. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are used to measure thrust and torque of the valve device and to execute intermittent transmission; and

when an amount of change of the measured value is larger than a prescribed value, intermittent transmission is executed at shorter time intervals than those executed when an amount of change of the measured value is smaller than a prescribed value, or continuous transmission is executed.

41. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the monitoring system further includes a storage device which stores data measured or processed by the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit.

42. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

an amount of change of a measured value or processed measured data is transmitted.

43. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 35, wherein:

the monitoring system further includes an internal power supply in the controlling and transmitting unit; and

the controlling and transmitting unit transmits a numerical value indicating a remaining amount of the internal power supply.

44. A monitoring system for valve device, comprising:

a semiconductor single crystalline substrate including a bridged circuit, the bridged circuit comprising impurity-diffused resistors, a controlling and transmitting unit, and an alarm device built in or connected to the controlling and transmitting unit;

wherein;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit are mounted to a valve device;

the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit detect open or close condition of the valve device and transmit data of the condition; and

the alarm device informs the condition of the valve device.

45. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 44, wherein:

the alarm device is a luminary device disposed in the controlling and transmitting unit.

46. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 45, wherein:

the alarm device is operated according to condition of strain of the valve device measured by the semiconductor single crystalline substrate and the controlling and transmitting unit.

47. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 44, wherein:

open or close condition of the valve device comprises a first condition which indicates that the valve device is opened,

a second condition which indicates that the valve device is closed, and

a third condition which indicates that the valve device is in the condition between the first condition and the second condition; and

the alarm device is operated when the valve device is in the third condition.

48. A monitoring system for valve device according to claim 45, wherein:

a signal is received from outside of the valve device;

and the alarm device is operated according to the received signal.