GAS VALVE WITH OVERPRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

• US 20130153041A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kucera, David, Young, Gregory, Kasprzyk, Donald J., Filkovski, Gregory Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,851,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/14
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/005 using electrical or electromechanical means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/04 pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/02 Air or combustion gas valves or dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/08 used with heat exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/18 Groups of two or more valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/24 Valve details
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2033 the plurality of throttling means being arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to valves, and more particularly, to gas valve assemblies. In one example, a gas valve assembly may include a valve body with one or more valves movable between an opened position and a closed position, one or more valve actuators configured to operate the valves, and one or more pressure sensors to sense a pressure within a fluid path of the valve assembly. A valve controller may receive a measure related to a sensed pressure from the one or more pressure sensor(s). The valve controller may compare the received measure related to the sensed pressure to an overpressure threshold. In the event the measure related to the sensed pressure surpasses the overpressure threshold value, the valve controller may be configured to provide a signal that indicates an overpressure event has occurred.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for controlling flow of a fuel to a combustion appliance, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;

a pressure sensor secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the fluid path upstream of the valve, the pressure sensor sensing a pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve; and

a controller secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the pressure sensor, the controller comparing a measure related to the sensed pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve with an overpressure threshold value, and if the measure surpasses the overpressure threshold value, provides a predetermined output signal which indicates that an overpressure event has occurred.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the valve has a valve pressure rating; and

the pressure sensor has a sensor pressure rating, where the sensor pressure rating is greater than the valve pressure rating.

3. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the overpressure threshold value is substantially equal to the valve pressure rating.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the predetermined output signal causes, either directly or indirectly, the valve actuator to close the valve.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the pressure sensor is configured to continuously sense the pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve; and

the pressure sensor is configured to automatically and repeatedly communicate the sensed pressure to the controller.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the predetermined output signal causes, either directly or indirectly, the controller to store the overpressure event in a non-volatile memory.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the predetermined output signal causes, either directly or indirectly, the controller to store one or more of a time stamp of the overpressure event, a level of the sensed pressure causing the overpressure event, a duration of the overpressure event, a classification identifier of the overpressure event, and a cumulative number of overpressure events.

8. The valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to compare one or more of the time stamp of the overpressure event, the level of the sensed pressure causing the overpressure event, the duration of the overpressure event, and the cumulative number of overpressure events to a respective threshold.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to store a measure that is related to the severity of the overpressure event; and

the controller is configured to compare the measure that is related to the severity of the overpressure event to a threshold severity level.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to, either directly or indirectly, close the valve via the valve actuator if the measure that is related to the severity of the overpressure event surpasses the threshold severity level.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to determine a most likely cause of the overpressure event; and

the controller is configured to classify each overpressure event by the most likely cause of the overpressure event.

12. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the predetermined output signal activates, either directly or indirectly, an alarm, wherein the alarm provides an audible and/or visual indication that an overpressure event has occurred.

13. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is physically secured to the valve body, and the controller includes an I/O interface for communicating with a remote device that is located remotely from the valve assembly, and wherein the I/O interface includes a wired and/or wireless interface.

14. The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

another valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

another valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the another valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position.

15. The valve assembly of claim 14, wherein the pressure sensor is situated upstream of the both the valve and the another valve.

16. The valve assembly of claim 14, wherein the pressure sensor is situated upstream of the valve and downstream of the another valve.

17. A valve assembly for controlling flow of a fuel to a combustion appliance, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a first valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a first valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the first valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;

a first pressure sensor secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the fluid path of the valve body, the first pressure sensor sensing a first pressure of the fuel in the valve body; and

a controller secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the first pressure sensor, the controller comparing a measure related to the sensed first pressure of the fuel in the valve body with a first threshold value, and if the measure related to the sensed first pressure of the fuel in the valve body meets and/or exceeds the first threshold value, the controller provides a first predetermined signal.

18. The valve assembly of claim 17 further comprising:

a second valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, the second valve situated downstream of the first valve;

a second valve actuator secured relative to the valve body for selectively moving the second valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position.

19. The valve assembly of claim 18, wherein the first pressure sensor is positioned at one of the following locations:

upstream of the first valve, between the first valve and the second valve, or downstream of the second valve.

20. The valve assembly of claim 18, further comprises a second pressure sensor secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the fluid path of the valve body, the second pressure sensor sensing a second pressure of the fuel in the valve body, wherein the first pressure sensor is located upstream of the first valve, and the second pressure sensor is located downstream of the second valve.

21. The valve assembly of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined signal indicates a first overpressure event, and the controller stores an indicator of the first overpressure event in a non-volatile memory.

22. A method of monitoring for the occurrence of overpressure events in a valve that has a pressure rating with a pressure rating value and is configured to control fuel flow to a combustion appliance, the valve having a valve body with an inlet port and an outlet port, and at least one movable valve member situated between the inlet port and outlet port, the method comprising:

sensing an inlet pressure in the valve body upstream of the movable valve member with a pressure sensor;

comparing the inlet pressure to a threshold value;

if the inlet pressure surpasses the threshold value, providing a signal that indicates an overpressure event has occurred.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein if the signal is provided that indicates an overpressure event has occurred, closing the at least one movable valve member.