PROCESS FLUID ACTUATED PILOT OPERATED CONTROL VALVE

• US 20130319535A1
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dresser, LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stares, James Albert, Boger, Henry William
• Granted Patent: US 9,068,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/2
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/124 servo actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/42 by means of electrically-actuated members in the supply or discharge conduits of the fluid motor F16K31/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2097 using pistons within the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A flow control system includes a pilot driven valve having a pilot assembly and a main valve assembly; a displacement measurement component coupled to the main valve assembly indicating displacement of the main valve assembly; and a proportional solenoid responsive to a signal from the displacement measurement component that displaces the pilot assembly in proportion to the changes in displacement of the main valve assembly. The valve is controlled by sensing a displacement of the main valve assembly; and modulating the proportional solenoid in response to the displacement of the main valve assembly.

Claims

1. A valve comprising:

a housing having an upstream port and a downstream port;

a pilot assembly coupled to the upstream port;

a plunger adapted to engage and displace the pilot assembly;

a proportional solenoid electromagnetically coupled to the plunger;

a main valve fluidly coupled to the pilot assembly comprising

a main valve plug and

a piston coupled to the main valve plug; and

a displacement measurement component coupled to the piston that measures displacement of the piston.

2. The valve of claim 1 further comprising a conduit coupled to the upstream port and the pilot assembly.

3. The valve of claim 1 wherein the displacement measurement component comprises a position indicia component and a sensor to detect changes in position indicia component.

4. The valve of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises one selected from among a group consisting of Hall effect sensors and magneto restrictive sensors.

5. The valve of claim 1 further comprising an electronic valve controller coupled to the proportional solenoid.

6. The valve of claim 5 wherein the electronic valve controller receives a displacement signal from the displacement measurement component and activates the proportional solenoid in response to the displacement signal.

7. A flow control system comprising:

a pilot driven valve having a pilot assembly and a main valve assembly;

a displacement measurement component coupled to the main valve assembly indicating displacement of the main valve assembly; and

a proportional solenoid responsive to a signal from the displacement measurement component that displaces the pilot assembly in proportion to the changes in displacement of the main valve assembly.

8. The flow control system of claim 7 wherein the displacement measurement component comprises a position indicator coupled to the main valve assembly and a sensor to detect changes in position of the main valve assembly.

9. The flow control system of claim 7 further comprising a valve control system that modulates the proportional solenoid in response to changes in position of the main valve assembly.

10. The flow control system of claim 9 wherein the valve control system provides a pilot control signal to the proportional solenoid to displace the pilot assembly in response to changes in position of the main valve assembly.

11. The flow control system of claim 8 wherein the sensor is Hall effect sensor.

12. The flow control system of claim 8 wherein the sensor is a magnetorestrictive sensor.

13. The flow control system of claim 9 further comprising a process controller coupled to the valve control system.

14. The flow control system of claim 8 wherein the position indicator comprises a magnet coupled to the main valve assembly.

15. A method of controlling a valve having a pilot assembly, a main valve assembly and a proportional solenoid coupled to the pilot assembly, the method comprising:

sensing a displacement of the main valve assembly; and

modulating the proportional solenoid in response to the displacement of the main valve assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the method element of sensing a displacement of the main valve assembly comprises sensing a displacement of a magnet coupled to the main valve assembly.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said method element of modulating the proportional solenoid comprises:

receiving a signal proportional to the displacement of the main valve assembly;

determining a required displacement of the pilot assembly;

determining a required current to be provided to the proportional solenoid to achieve the required displacement of the pilot assembly;

providing the required current to the proportional solenoid.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving a control signal from a process controller.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the method element of receiving a signal proportional to the displacement of the main valve assembly comprises:

displacing a magnet in response to a displacement of the main valve assembly;

sensing the displacement of the magnet; and

providing a signal proportional to the displacement of the magnet.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the method element of providing the required current comprises is provided by a valve controller.