PROCESS FLUID FLOW REGULATION SYSTEMS

• US 3,729,051 A
• Filed: 08/17/1971
• Issued: 04/24/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald F. Mannion, James R. Mannion
• Original Assignee: Gerald F. Mannion, James R. Mannion
• Inventors: Mannion, Gerald F., Mannion, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/172,504
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 137/98,110,486,497,499,500,501 165/22,35,37,38,40
• US Class Current: 165/246
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0641 using a plurality of throttling means G05D7/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0688 by combined action on throttling means and flow sources G05D7/0694 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A flow regulation unit and system for regulating the flow of chilled water, hot water, or other incompressible process fluid to a series of utilization stations having common feeder and return lines and each having its own inlet pump, comprising a bridge between the inlet and outlet connections of each utilization station, sensing means for sensing flow rates in the bridge, a regulating valve interposed in the bridge outlet, and a control, actuated by the sensing means, for adjusting the regulating valve to maintain the flow across the bridge within a limited range.

Claims

1. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system of the kind in which an incompressible process fluid is pumped from a process fluid source into a feeder line for distribution through individual flow regulation units to a series of utilization stations each including its own input pump and is returned from said utilization stations through said regulation units and a return line to said source, said flow regulation unit comprising:

a bridge inlet conduit for connecting said feeder line to the inlet of a utilization station;

a bridge outlet conduit for connecting the outlet of said utilization station to said return line;

at least one bridge interconnection conduit interconnecting said bridge inlet and outlet conduits;

a flow regulating valve interposed in said bridge outlet conduit; and

control means, including flow sensing means connected to at least one of said bridge conduits and to said regulating valve, for continuously adjusting said regulating valve to maintain the flow rate in said bridge interconnection conduit within a given limited range over a substantial range of absolute inlet flow rates.

2. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 1, comprising a small auxiliary bridge interconnection conduit in parallel with a large main bridge interconnection conduit, in which said flow sensing means comprises a static sensing tube and a dynamic sensing tube both connected to said auxiliary conduit.

3. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 2, and further comprising a normally closed cut-off valve interposed in said main bridge interconnection conduit.

4. A flow-regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 3, in which said dynamic sensing tube has an inlet facing toward said bridge inlet conduit and said static sensing tube has an inlet facing toward said bridge outlet conduit, and in which said control means further comprises a differential control actuated in accordance with the differential in pressures developed in said sensing tubes.

5. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 1, in which said sensing means comprises a first flow sensor and a second flow sensor, connected to said bridge conduits at two different points, and in which said control means includes a differential comparator for continuously comparing flow rates as sensed by said flow sensors.

6. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 5, in which said first flow sensor is connected to said bridge inlet conduit upstream of said bridge interconnection conduit and said second flow sensor is connected to one of said bridge inlet and outlet conduits between said bridge interconnection conduit and said utilization stage, said bridge interconnection conduit remaining open continuously during operation of said unit.

7. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 1, in which said sensing means is connected to said bridge interconnection conduit to sense flow therethrough in either direction.

8. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system, according to claim 1, in which said sensing means comprises two directional flow sensors, one for each direction, connected to said bridge interconnection conduit, and in which said control means adjusts said regulating valves in opposite senses in response to sensing of flow by the two directional flow sensors.

9. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system of the kind in which two different incompressible process fluids are pumped from first and second process fluid sources into first and second feeder lines for distribution through individual flow regulation units to a series of utilization stations each including its own input pump and are returned from said utilization stations through said regulation units and through first and second return lines to their respective sources, said flow regulation unit comprising:

first and second bridge inlet conduits for connecting said first and second feeder lines, respectively, to the inlet of a utilization station;

first and second bridge outlet conduits for connecting the outlet of said utilization station to said first and second return lines, respectively;

at least one bridge interconnection conduit interconnecting both of said bridge inlet conduits to both of said bridge outlet conduits;

first and second flow regulating valves interposed in said first and second bridge outlet conduits, respectively; and

first and second control means, each including flow sensing means connected to at least one of said bridge conduits and to said regulating valve, for continuously adjusting said regulating valves to maintain the flow rate in said bridge interconnection conduit within a given limited range over a substantial range of absolute inlet flow rates through either of said bridge inlet conduits.

10. A flow regulation unit for a dual-fluid distribution system according to claim 9, and further comprising first and second shut-off valves interposed in said first and second bridge inlet conduits, respectively, said control means including changeover control means to maintain said first shut-off valve and said first regulating valve closed whenever said second shut-off valve and said second regulating valve are open, and vice versa, to prevent mixing of the two process fluids.

11. A regulated flow distribution system for an incompressible process fluid comprising:

a feeder line;

a process fluid source including pumping means for pumping an incompressible process fluid into said feeder line;

a series of utilization stations distributed along said feeder line, each utilization station including its own input pump;

a return line from said utilization stations back to said source; and

a corresponding series of flow regulation units, one for each utilization station, each flow regulation unit comprising;

a bridge inlet conduit connecting said feeder line to the inlet of the utilization station with which said regulation unit is associated;

a bridge outlet conduit connecting the outlet of said utilization station to said return line;

at least one bridge interconnection conduit interconnecting said bridge inlet and outlet conduits;

a flow regulating valve interposed in said bridge outlet conduit; and

control means, including flow sensing means connected to at least one of said bridge conduits and to said regulating valve, for continuously adjusting said regulating valve to maintain the flow rate in said bridge interconnection conduit within a given limited range over a substantial range of absolute inlet flow rates.

12. A regulated flow distribution system for an incompressible fluid, according to claim 11, in which said process fluid source comprises a plurality of heat exchange units for said process fluid, said pumping means comprises a corresponding plurality of pumps Each associated with one heat exchanger, and said process source further comprises a feeder flow sensor for sensing the flow of fluid in said feeder line, and a sequence control, connected to said feeder flow sensor, for actuating said pumps in sequence and in varying combinations to maintain an adequate flow of fluid in said feeder line over a given range of flow requirements for the various utilization stages of the system.

13. A regulated flow distribution system for an incompressible fluid, according to claim 11, in which said process fluid source comprises a plurality of heat exchangers for said process fluid, in which said return line is connected to the outlets of all of said heat exchangers to afford a continuous process fluid loop, in which said pumping means comprises a pump connecting said loop to said feeder line, and in which said process fluid source further comprises a feeder flow sensor for sensing the flow of fluid in said feeder line, feeder and return temperature sensors for sensing the temperature of the process fluid in said feeder line and said return line, respectively, and a thermal control, connected to said feeder flow sensor and said temperature sensors, for controlling said heat exchangers.

14. A regulated flow distribution system for an incompressible fluid, according to claim 13, in which said thermal control comprises a BTU meter.

15. A flow regulation unit for a process fluid distribution system of the kind in which two different incompressible process fluids are pumped from first and second process fluid sources into first and second feeder lines for distribution through individual flow regulation units to a series of utilization stations each including its own input pump and are returned from said utilization stations through said regulation units and through first and second return lines to their respective sources, said flow regulation unit comprising:

a bridge inlet conduit, having an inlet connected by a two-way inlet selection valve to each of said first and second feeder lines and having an outlet connected to the inlet of a utilization station;

a bridge outlet conduit having an inlet connected to the outlet of said utilization station and having an outlet connected by a two-way outlet selection valve to each of said first and second return lines, respectively;

at least one bridge interconnection conduit interconnecting said bridge inlet conduit to said bridge outlet conduit;

a flow regulating valve interposed in said bridge outlet conduit;

control means, including flow sensing means connected to at least one of said bridge conduits and to said regulating valve, for continuously adjusting said regulating valve to maintain the flow rate in said bridge interconnection conduit within a given limited range over a substantial range of absolute inlet flow rates through either of said bridge inlet conduits; and

changeover means for actuating said two-way valves to select one of said process fluids.