Pneumatic operated valve stroke timing
First Claim
1. A method for timing the full operational motion of a valve plug in an electrically actuated, pneumatically operated valve without intrusion by an electrically conductive connection to a conductor of the electrical actuation signal, comprising:
- generating an electrical actuation signal;
electrically conducting the actuation signal to the valve to initiate pneumatically induced movement of the valve plug toward a limit of motion;
non-intrusively sensing arrival of the actuation signal at the valve;
sending a start timing signal to a time measuring device when the actuation signal is sensed;
non-intrusively sensing when the valve plug reaches the limit of motion;
sending an end timing signal to the time measuring device upon sensing that the valve plug has reached the limit of motion;
measuring the time elapsed from the start timing signal to the end timing signal with the time measuring device; and
recording the time elapsed.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-intrusive method for timing the full operational motion of a valve plug (26) in an electrically actuated, pneumatically operated valve (10). An actuation signal is sent to the valve actuator (54). A coil of wire (68) around the valve actuator solenoid (56), an accelerometer (70) on the solenoid slug (64), or a connection to a permanent pressure sensor (72), non-intrusively senses arrival of the actuation signal at the valve. The time measuring equipment (12) begins timing when the actuation signal is sensed. A laser valve motion sensor (74) then non-intrusively senses when the valve plug reaches a limit of motion. The time measuring equipment ends timing when the valve plug reaches a limit of motion. The time measuring equipment then records the elapsed time from the sensing of the arrival of actuation signal to the final limit of motion of the valve plug.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for timing the full operational motion of a valve plug in an electrically actuated, pneumatically operated valve without intrusion by an electrically conductive connection to a conductor of the electrical actuation signal, comprising:
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generating an electrical actuation signal; electrically conducting the actuation signal to the valve to initiate pneumatically induced movement of the valve plug toward a limit of motion; non-intrusively sensing arrival of the actuation signal at the valve; sending a start timing signal to a time measuring device when the actuation signal is sensed; non-intrusively sensing when the valve plug reaches the limit of motion; sending an end timing signal to the time measuring device upon sensing that the valve plug has reached the limit of motion; measuring the time elapsed from the start timing signal to the end timing signal with the time measuring device; and recording the time elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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2. In a process plant having an electrically actuated, pneumatically operated valve, the combination comprising:
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means for generating a valve actuation signal; an electrical conductor for the valve actuation signal; means for generating an arrival signal indicative of the arrival of the valve actuation signal at said pneumatically operated valve, without an electrically conductive connection to the electrical conductor of the actuation signal; means for generating a limit signal indicative of the limit of the valve operation, without applying a force to the valve; means for measuring the time difference from the arrival signal to the limit signal; and means for recording the time difference. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification