Electronic Pressure Independent Controller For Fluid Flow Control Valve

• US 20130068313A1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Accutrol, LLC
• Original Assignee: Accutrol, LLC
• Inventors: George, Fred Albert, O'Rourke, Brian J., Scott, Lee D.
• Application Number:
  US13/238,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20130068313A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/005 for measuring fluid parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/30 Velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/10 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A flow valve with an integral pressure-independent fluid flow controller for controlling the flow of fluid and corresponding methods for controlling fluid flow are provided. The flow valve comprises a valve body, one or more valve blades arranged on the valve body for controlling fluid flow in a duct section, an actuator for modulating the one or more valve blades, a flow sensor or sensors for sensing fluid flow, a tuning calculation module adapted for determining or monitoring a pressure drop across the valve body and for calculating tuning constants based on the pressure drop, and a controller for controlling the actuator based on a difference between a fluid flow setpoint and the sensed fluid flow in accordance with the tuning constants. The pressure drop may be determined from an algorithm based on blade position and sensed fluid flow, or may be directly measured.

Claims

1. Fluid flow valve with an integrated pressure-independent flow controller, comprising:

a valve body;

one or more valve blades arranged on the valve body for controlling fluid flow in a duct section;

an actuator for modulating the one or more valve blades;

a flow sensor for sensing fluid flow;

a tuning calculation module adapted for;

determining or monitoring a pressure drop across the valve body; and

calculating tuning constants based on the pressure drop; and

a controller for controlling the actuator based on a difference between a fluid flow setpoint and the sensed fluid flow in accordance with the tuning constants.

2. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor for sensing a position of one of the actuator or the one or more valve blades;

wherein the tuning calculation module is further adapted for;

receiving a fluid flow signal from the flow sensor;

receiving a position signal from the position sensor; and

determining the pressure drop based on the fluid flow signal and the position signal.

3. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein the position sensor senses the position of the actuator, the position of the actuator corresponding to a known position of the one or more valve blades.

4. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein the position sensor senses the position of the one or more valve blades.

5. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 4, wherein the position sensor comprises one of a potentiometer or a Hall Effect sensor.

6. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the tuning constants are proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) constants; and

the controller is a PID controller.

7. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein the flow sensor comprises one of a vortex type sensor, a pitot type sensor, or a thermal type sensor.

8. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure transducer for measuring the pressure drop across the valve body and providing a pressure signal indicative of the pressure drop;

wherein the tuning calculation module monitors the pressure signal from the pressure transducer.

9. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tuning calculation module continuously recalculates the tuning constants and provides the recalculated tuning constants to the controller.

10. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the valve body has a proximal end and a distal end;

the valve body is adapted to separate the duct section into at least two fluid flow sections;

the one or more valve blades comprises at least two valve blades mounted on the distal end of the valve body, each of the valve blades controlling fluid flow in a respective fluid flow section of the duct section; and

at least one of the proximal end and the distal end of the valve body has an aerodynamic shape.

11. Fluid flow valve in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

a flow sensor arranged in each fluid flow section.

12. A method for controlling fluid flow in a duct section, comprising:

providing a flow valve comprising a valve body and one or more valve blades arranged on the valve body for controlling fluid flow in a duct section;

providing an actuator for modulating the one or more valve blades;

sensing fluid flow in the duct section;

determining or monitoring a pressure drop across the valve body;

calculating tuning constants based on the pressure drop; and

controlling the actuator based on a difference between a fluid flow setpoint and the sensed fluid flow in accordance with the tuning constants.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

sensing a position of one of the actuator or the one or more valve blades;

wherein the pressure drop is determined based on the sensed fluid flow and the sensed position.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the position of the actuator is sensed, the position of the actuator corresponding to a known position of the one or more valve blades.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the position of the one or more valve blades is sensed.

16. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

the tuning constants are proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) constants; and

the controller is a PID controller.

17. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

measuring the pressure drop across the valve body;

providing a pressure signal indicative of the pressure drop; and

monitoring the pressure signal.

18. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the tuning constants are continuously recalculated and provided to the controller.

19. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

the valve body has a proximal end and a distal end,

the valve body is adapted to separate the duct section into at least two fluid flow sections;

the one or more valve blades comprises at least two valve blades mounted on the distal end of the valve body, each of the valve blades controlling fluid flow in a respective fluid flow section of the duct section; and

at least one of the proximal end and the distal end of the valve body has an aerodynamic shape.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein:

a flow sensor is arranged in each fluid flow section.