APPARATUS FOR MONITORING OF VALVES AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20140034158A1
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Guido Felice Forte, Jr.
• Inventors: Forte, Guido Felice Jr., Welch, David Ernest, Kudlacik, Edward Leo
• Granted Patent: US 8,985,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/557
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/14 responsive to other specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/12 with streamlined valve member around which the fluid flows when the valve is opened
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/005 for measuring fluid parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 41/00 Spindle sealings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2876 for valves G01M3/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A valve includes a valve stem assembly including at least one wall and at least one passage at least partially defined within the valve stem assembly. The at least one passage defines a first opening. At least one portion of the at least one wall defines an erosion site that is configured to undergo contact with solid particles such that a second opening of the passage is defined. The valve also includes at least one sensing device coupled in flow communication with the at least one passage through the first opening. The at least one sensing device is configured to transmit a signal representative of an increased fluid flow through the at least one passage.

Claims

1. A valve comprising:

a valve stem assembly comprising at least one wall and at least one passage at least partially defined within said valve stem assembly, said at least one passage defines a first opening, wherein at least one portion of said at least one wall defines an erosion site that is configured to undergo contact with solid particles such that a second opening of said passage is defined; and

at least one sensing device coupled in flow communication with said at least one passage through said first opening, said at least one sensing device is configured to transmit a signal representative of an increased fluid flow through said at least one passage.

2. The valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said valve stem assembly comprises:

a valve stem defining an outer surface thereon; and

at least one valve stem enclosure device at least partially extending about said valve stem.

3. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one passage comprises:

a first passage defined within said at least one valve stem enclosure device; and

a second passage defined between said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said second passage is coupled in flow communication with said first passage and said at least one sensing device.

4. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one passage comprises:

a first passage defined within said valve stem; and

a second passage defined between said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said second passage is coupled in flow communication with said first passage and said at least one sensing device.

5. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one passage comprises a passage defined within said valve stem, said passage coupled in flow communication with said at least one sensing device.

6. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one sensing device comprises at least one of a pressure sensor and a fluid flow sensor.

7. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said erosion site comprises a predetermined wall thickness, wherein said erosion site is oriented and configured to erode within a predetermined range of erosion rates for a predetermined range of solid particle concentrations in a fluid channeled through said valve, wherein at least a portion of the fluid is channeled to said at least one sensing device when the thickness of at least a portion of said at least one erosion site is approximately zero.

8. The valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one passage is drilled within at least one of said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said at least one erosion site comprises at least one of:

a remaining portion of at least one of said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device that has not been removed by drilling; and

a replacement material deposited at said at least one erosion site.

12. The fluid system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least one passage comprises:

a first passage defined within said valve stem; and

a second passage defined between said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said second passage is coupled in flow communication with said first passage and said at least one sensing device.

9. A fluid system comprising:

at least one fluid source;

at least one valve coupled in flow communication with said at least one fluid source, said at least one valve comprising a valve stem assembly comprising at least one wall; and

a valve monitoring system comprising;

at least a portion of said at least one wall;

at least one passage at least partially defined within said valve stem assembly, wherein said at least one passage defines a first opening; and

at least one sensing device coupled in flow communication with said at least one passage through said first opening, said at least one sensing device is configured to transmit a signal representative of an increased fluid flow through said at least one passage,

wherein said at least a portion of said at least one wall defines an erosion site that is configured to undergo contact with solid particles such that a second opening of said passage is defined.

10. The fluid system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said valve stem assembly comprises at least one of:

a valve stem defining an outer surface thereon; and

at least one valve stem enclosure device at least partially extending about said valve stem.

11. The fluid system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said at least one passage comprises:

a first passage defined within said at least one valve stem enclosure device; and

a second passage defined between said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said second passage is coupled in flow communication with said first passage and said at least one sensing device.

13. The fluid system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said at least one passage comprises a passage defined within said valve stem, said passage coupled in flow communication with said at least one sensing device.

14. The fluid system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said erosion site comprises a predetermined wall thickness, wherein said erosion site is oriented and configured to erode within a predetermined range of erosion rates for a predetermined range of solid particle concentrations in a fluid channeled through said valve, wherein at least a portion of the fluid is channeled to said at least one sensing device when the thickness of at least a portion of said at least one erosion site is approximately zero.

15. The fluid system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said at least one passage is drilled within at least one of said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device, wherein said at least one erosion site comprises at least one of:

a remaining portion of at least one of said valve stem and said at least one valve stem enclosure device that has not been removed by drilling; and

a replacement material deposited at said at least one erosion site.

16. A method of operating a fluid system, said method comprising:

channeling a fluid from a fluid source to a valve, the fluid includes entrained particles, the valve includes a valve stem assembly;

impinging the fluid with the entrained particles against at least a portion of the valve stem assembly;

eroding the at least a portion of the valve stem assembly and exposing a passage that extends through the valve stem assembly to the fluid;

channeling a portion of the fluid through the passage and contacting a sensing device; and

transmitting a signal from the sensing device representative of increased fluid flow through the passage.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein eroding at least a portion of the valve stem assembly and exposing a passage to the fluid comprises eroding a portion of an erosion site that includes a wall of one of a valve stem and a wall of a valve stem enclosure device that extends about at least a portion of the valve stem, wherein the erosion site has a predetermined thickness.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein channeling a portion of the fluid through the passage and contacting a sensing device comprises:

channeling the fluid through a first passage defined within a valve stem enclosure device, wherein the valve stem enclosure device extends about at least a portion of a valve stem; and

channeling the fluid through a second passage defined between the valve stem enclosure device and the valve stem, wherein the second passage is coupled in flow communication with the first passage and the sensing device.

19. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein channeling a portion of the fluid through the passage and contacting a sensing device comprises:

channeling the fluid through a first passage defined within a valve stem; and

channeling the fluid through a second passage defined between a valve stem enclosure device, wherein the a valve stem enclosure device at least partially extends about the valve stem, wherein the second passage is coupled in flow communication with the first passage and the sensing device.

20. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein channeling a portion of the fluid through the passage and contacting a sensing device comprises channeling the fluid through a passage defined within a valve stem and the passage coupled in flow communication with the sensing device.