Integrated check valve testing system
First Claim
1. Method of testing the operating condition of a fluid flow check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said method comprising the steps of:
- directing a sound wave at and through the check valve casting and at the check valve disk;
receiving a reflected sound wave reflected off the check valve disk;
counting the lapsed time from the end of a selected delay, subsequent to the directing of the sound wave, until the receipt of the reflected sound wave;
repeating the above directing, receiving, and counting steps at selected intervals over a period of time to monitor any relative movement of the check valve disk;
monitoring acoustic emissions generated by the check valve;
generating acoustic data representative of the monitored acoustic emissions; and
analyzing the acoustic data to monitor the operating condition of the check valve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Integrated check valve testing system includes a method and apparatus for non-intrusively testing a check valve which includes using an ultrasonic transducer externally connected to the check valve to direct ultrasonic sound waves through the check valve casting and through the transported fluid to the check valve disk to then detect the ultrasonic sound waves reflected off of the check valve disk. An ultrasonic controller controls the ultrasonic transducer and generates location signals based on the amount of time between each direction of an ultrasonic sound wave and the resulting reception of a reflected ultrasonic sound wave. A system controller analyzes the movement of the check valve disk and calculates certain test data which is compared to previously obtained baseline data. The preferred embodiment of the present invention also includes using two accelerometers externally connected to the check valve to monitor acoustic emissions generated by the check valve. The accelerometers generate emission signals and communicate them to the system controller. These emission signals are analyzed, and data is generated and compared to previously obtained baseline data. Both the ultrasonic transducer and the accelerometers are used separately and simultaneously to verify that the check valve is travelling through a complete stroke and to calculate other test data based on both types of signals which is compared to previously obtained baseline data.
74 Citations
28 Claims
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1. Method of testing the operating condition of a fluid flow check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing a sound wave at and through the check valve casting and at the check valve disk; receiving a reflected sound wave reflected off the check valve disk; counting the lapsed time from the end of a selected delay, subsequent to the directing of the sound wave, until the receipt of the reflected sound wave; repeating the above directing, receiving, and counting steps at selected intervals over a period of time to monitor any relative movement of the check valve disk; monitoring acoustic emissions generated by the check valve; generating acoustic data representative of the monitored acoustic emissions; and analyzing the acoustic data to monitor the operating condition of the check valve.
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2. Method of testing a fluid flow check valve, the check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing an ultrasonic sound wave at and through a check valve casting and at a check valve disk; receiving an ultrasonic reflected sound wave reflected off the check valve disk; generating a location signal which represents a relative position of the check valve disk; repeating the above directing, receiving, and generating steps throughout a first period of time; monitoring acoustic emissions generated by the check valve throughout a second period of time; and generating emission signals which represent the monitored acoustic emissions. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Method of testing a fluid flow check valve, the check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said method comprising the steps of:
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removably and temporarily locating a sound wave transducer at a check valve; directing an ultrasonic sound wave at and through a check valve casting and at a check valve disk; receiving a reflected sound wave reflected off the check valve disk; generating a location signal which represents a relative position of the check valve disk; repeating the above directing, receiving, and generating steps throughout a first period of time; removably and temporarily locating at least one accelerometer at the check valve; monitoring acoustic emissions generated by the check valve throughout a second period of time which overlaps, at least partially, with the first period in real time; generating emission signals which represent the monitored acoustic emissions; analyzing both the location signals and the emission signals to define a stroke period of time during which the check valve disk moves through a stroke; calculating test stroke parameters from the emission signals, the parameters including one or more of the following;
a number of precursor emissions during the stroke period, an RMS emission level during the stroke period, and an average RMS precursor emission level during the stroke period; andcomparing the test stroke parameters with baseline stroke parameters.
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17. Method of testing a fluid flow check valve, the check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said method comprising the steps of:
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removably and temporarily locating a sound wave transducer at a check valve; directing an ultrasonic sound wave at and through a check valve casting and at a check valve disk; receiving a reflected sound wave reflected off the check valve disk; generating a location signal which represents a relative position of the check valve disk; repeating the above directing, receiving, and generating steps throughout a first period of time during which fluid flows in a steady state through the check valve; calculating test stable ultrasonic parameters from the location signals, the parameters including one or more of the following;
a stable angular velocity and a stable opening angle;removably and temporarily locating at least one accelerometer at the check valve;
monitoring acoustic emissions generated by the check valve throughout a second period of time during which fluid flows in a steady state through the check valve;generating emission signals which represent the monitored acoustic emissions; calculating test stable acoustic parameters from the emission signals, the parameters including one or more of the following;
a stable impact rate, a stable RMS emission level, and a stable average RMS impact emission level; andcalculating overall condition parameters from weighted values of both the test stable ultrasonic parameters and the test stable acoustic parameters.
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18. Testing apparatus for testing the operating condition of a check valve, the check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said apparatus comprising:
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transducer means for directing ultrasonic sound waves at and through a check valve casting of a check valve and at a check valve disk, and for receiving reflected ultrasonic sound waves reflected off the check valve disk; signal conditioning means connected to said transducer means for generating location signals which represent relative positions of the check valve disk within the check valve chamber; accelerometer means for monitoring acoustic emissions from the check valve and generating emission signals which represent the monitored acoustic emissions; control means connected to said signal conditioning means and to said accelerometer means for receiving the location signals and the emission signals and for calculating test data from the location signals and the emission signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Testing apparatus for testing the operating condition of a check valve, the check valve including a movable check valve disk positioned in a check valve chamber defined by a check valve casting, said apparatus comprising:
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transducer means for directing ultrasonic sound waves at and through a check valve casting of a check valve and at a check valve disk, and for receiving reflected ultrasonic sound waves reflected off the check valve disk; signal conditioning means connected to said transducer means for generating analog location signals which represent relative positions of the check valve disk within the check valve chamber, said signal conditioning means including, at least, a distinguishing means for identifying the reflected ultrasonic sound wave reflected off the check valve disk, said distinguishing means including, at least, a gate means for suppressing signals below a predetermined minimum energy level and a delay means for suppressing signals received within a predetermined initial time period, a timer means for counting the lapsed time between the directing of each ultrasonic wave and the receiving of the resulting reflected wave reflected of the check valve disk, and a distance means connected to said timer means for calculating from each amount of lapsed time and from a predetermined, medium specific, sound propagation speed, the relative location of the check valve disk within the check valve chamber; accelerometer means for monitoring acoustic emissions from the check valve and generating weak emission signals which represent the monitored acoustic emissions, said accelerometer means including, at least, a plurality of accelerometers; control means connected to said signal conditioning means and to said accelerometer means for receiving the location signals and the emission signals and for calculating test data from the location signals and the emission signals, said control means including, at least, a location analog-to-digital means for converting the analog location signals into digital location signals, an amplifier means for amplifying the weak analog emission signals and producing strong analog emission signals, an emission analog-to-digital means connected to said amplifier means for converting the strong analog emission signals into digital emission signals, a digital signal processing means connected to said emission analog-to-digital means for processing the digital emission signals, and a central processing unit connected to a digital storage device.
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Specification