Gas control assembly

• US 6,929,028 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesco Corporation US (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Tesco Corporation US (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Bydalek, Thomas M., Larsen, Todd W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US10/875,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20040231734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 137/505, 137/588, 137/594, 137/614.19, 137/613, 137/505.25
• US Class Current: 137/613
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/305 with valve member and actuator on the same side of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/306 with a valve member, e.g. stem or shaft, passing through the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/307 Additional means used in combination with the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/003 reacting to pressure and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7808 Apertured reactor surface surrounds flow line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86332 Vent and inlet or outlet in unitary mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87153 Plural noncommunicating flow paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88046 Biased valve with external operator

Abstract

The gas control assembly includes a control body threaded to a vessel neck to extend into the vessel containing pressurized fluid and has a fitting in the body bore which in conjunction therewith provides a part of a first fluid passageway from an inlet in the vessel and an outlet to the ambient atmosphere. A manually operated valve and a pressure regulator are provided in the first passageway exterior of the vessel. In one embodiment the control body has a second passageway opening through a relief device to the vessel interior and to the ambient atmosphere while in a second embodiment a relief device is provided exterior of the vessel and opens to the first passageway. A main valve is provided in the first passageway and is moved to an open condition when a solenoid is energized.

Claims

1. A gas control assembly mountable to me threaded neck of a vessel containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the neck interior, comprising a control body having an axially elongated inner end portion that has threads for being threadedly mountable to the neck and extendable into the vessel interior and a control body outer end portion locatable exterior of the vessel when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck, a first fluid flow passageway extending within each of the assembly outer end and inner end portions and having an inlet in the interior of the vessel and a main outlet opening to the ambient atmosphere when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck, a main valve in the first passageway and operable between an open position permitting fluid flow through the passageway and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the passageway, said main valve including a valve seat in said passageway, a valve stem movable between a main valve open position and a main valve closed position, said valve stem extending through the valve seat and having an enlarged diametric portion abuttable against the valve seat to block fluid therethrough when in a valve stem closed position, means for operating the valve stem to its open position, said means including a solenoid mounted to the control body outer end portion remote from the assembly inner end portion and having a solenoid coil and plunger means movable to an extended position upon the coil being energized for operating the main valve to its open position, a manually operated on-off valve in the passageway between the main valve and the main outlet opening to permit blocking fluid flow through the passageway and a pressure regulator incorporated in the passageway intermediate the main valve and the passageway main outlet for controlling the pressure at the main outlet.

2. The gas control assembly of claim 1 wherein a relief device is mounted to control body outer end portion and opens to said passageway intermediate the valve seat and the inlet for permitting the exhausting of high pressure fluid therethrough upon being subjected to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level.

3. The gas control assembly of claim 1 wherein the control body has a second inlet end in the vessel, a second outlet opening to the ambient atmosphere, a second fluid passageway fluidly connecting the second inlet to the second outlet and a relief device fluidly connected to the second inlet for permitting the exhausting of high pressure fluid through the second passageway upon being exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level.

4. The gas control assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve stem has upper and lower end portions that are axially opposite the valve seat and a reduced diameter portion axially intermediate the valve stem upper and lower portion that extends axially through the valve seat.

5. The gas control assembly of claim 4 wherein the valve reduced diameter portion and the control body provide an annular clearance space axially opposite the valve seat from the inlet, the valve stem end portions are in fluid sealing relationship with the control body and the passageway includes said clearance space and a passage fluidly connecting the clearance space to the on-off valve.

6. The gas control assembly of claim 4 wherein the enlarged diametric portion is axially intermediate the valve stem lower end portion and the valve seat for abutting against the valve seat to block fluid flow therethrough, a relief device is provided exterior of the vessel when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck for permitting the exhausting of high pressure fluid therethrough when exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level and the relief device opens to the passageway intermediate the valve seat and the passageway inlet.

7. The gas control assembly of claim 4 wherein the control body inner end portion has an inner peripheral wall portion defining an axially elongated bore, and an axially elongated fitting removably mounted in the inner end portion bore to in conjunction therewith define an axially elongated clearance space that at least in part is in surrounding relationship to at least one of the valve stem end portions and radially spaced therefrom, the fitting having an axial bore into which the said at least one of the valve stem end portions axially movably extends and the passageway includes said clearance space.

8. The gas control assembly of claim 7 wherein the pressure regulator is incorporated in the control body outer end portion in the passageway intermediate the on-off valve and the main outlet and the on-off valve and pressure regulator are mounted to the assembly outer end portion.

9. The gas control assembly of claim 8 wherein the control body has a second inlet end in the vessel, a second outlet opening to the ambient atmosphere, a second fluid passageway fluidly connecting the second inlet to the second outlet and a relief device is fluidly connected to the second inlet for permitting the exhausting of high pressure fluid through the second passageway upon the relief device being exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level and the second passageway is in part defined by the valve stem having a bore extending axially therethrough.

10. The gas control assembly of claim 8 wherein the valve stem upper and lower portions are of the same outer diameters and are in fluid sealing relationship with the control body and the clearance space has one axial end opening to the valve stem lower end portion axially opposite the valve stem enlarged diametric portion from the valve seat.

11. The gas control assembly of claim 8 wherein the control body outer end portion has a pressure regulator bore and an annular part extending within the pressure regulator bore, the pressure regulator includes a piston having a piston bore extending axially therethrough and a regulator valve seat extending within the piston bore, the annular part extending in the piston bore in fluid sealing relationship with the piston being axially movable relative to the annular part between a first position blocking fluid flow and a second position permitting fluid flow, the regulator body bore in combination with the piston forming a control chamber that opens to the main outlet and to the piston bore, the piston includes means that in the piston first position permits flow from the annular part to the control chamber and in the piston second position acts in combination with the regulator valve seat to block fluid from the annular part to the control chamber and the pressure regulator includes means acting against the piston to move the piston from its second position to its first position when the pressure in the main outlet is below a preselected level, the annular part forming a part of the passageway that opens to the on-off valve and the piston bore and the piston means and the control chamber form part of the passageway.

12. A gas control assembly mountable to the threaded neck of a vessel containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the neck interior, comprising an assembly threaded portion for being threadedly mountable to the neck, an assembly inner end portion locatable in the vessel interior and an assembly outer end portion locatable exterior of the vessel when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck, a first fluid flow passageway extending within each of the assembly threaded, outer end and inner end portions and having a first end opening in the interior of the vessel and a main outlet opening to the ambient atmosphere when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck, a main valve in the first passageway and operable between an open position permitting fluid flow through the passageway and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the passageway, means for operating the main valve to its open position, said means including a solenoid mounted to the assembly outer end portion remote from the assembly inner end portion, said solenoid including a solenoid coil and a plunger movable to an extended position upon the coil being energized, a manually operated on-off valve in the passageway between the main valve and the passageway main outlet to permit blocking fluid flow through the passageway and a pressure regulator incorporated in the passageway intermediate the main valve-and the passageway main outlet.

13. The gas control assembly of claim 12 wherein an inlet check valve is mounted to the outer end portion to open to the passageway intermediate the main valve and the passageway inner end to permit pressurized fluid flowing to the passageway to increase the pressure of the fluid in the vessel and the on-off valve, and the pressure regulator is incorporated in the assembly outer portion in the passageway intermediate the on-off valve and the main outlet.

14. The gas control assembly of claim 13 wherein the pressure regulator includes a regulator bore, a valve seat, a piston having a piston bore extending axially therethrough with the valve seat extended in the piston bore, the passageway having a passageway part to permit fluid flow from the passageway first end to flow into the piston bore, the regulator bore in combination with the piston forming a control chamber, the passageway having a part that opens to the main outlet and to the control chamber and means acting against the piston to move it from a position blocking fluid flow from the piston bore to the control chamber to a position in the regulator bore and relative to the valve seat to permit fluid flow from the piston bore to the control chamber when the pressure in the main outlet is below a preselected level.

15. The gas control assembly of claim 14 wherein the main valve includes a valve seat disposed in the passageway and a relief device is provided exterior of the vessel when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck for permitting the exhausting of high pressure fluid therethrough from the vessel interior to the ambient atmosphere when exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level, the relief device opening to the passageway intermediate the valve seat of the main valve and the passageway inlet.

16. The gas control assembly of claim 13 wherein the assembly outer end portion comprises a valve body portion external of the vessel when the assembly threaded portion is threaded to the neck, the valve body portion having the main outlet and the passageway extending therein and the solenoid is mounted to the valve body portion.

17. The gas control assembly of claim 16 wherein the valve body portion has a main chamber that is part of the passageway, the manually operated off-on valve is disposed intermediate the pressure regulator and the main chamber, the pressure regulator and valve body portion form a control chamber, the regulator has means for reducing the fluid pressure of the fluid flowing from the off-on valve to the control chamber and permitting fluid flow from the off-on valve to the control chamber when the fluid pressure at the main outlet is below a preselected level, a pressure sensor is mounted by the valve body portion to sense the pressure in at least one of the control chamber and at the main outlet, and an outlet relief device is mounted to the valve body portion to open to the passageway intermediate the on-off valve and the outlet to exhaust therethrough, fluid from the vessel when the fluid pressure is above a preselected level in the control chamber.

18. The gas control assembly of claim 16 wherein there is provided a second fluid flow passageway having one end opening to the vessel interior and a second end opening to the ambient atmosphere when the assembly threaded portion is threaded to the neck, and an axially elongated housing having the assembly threaded and inner end portions, an outer peripheral surface portion within the vessel interior when the assembly threaded portion is threaded to the neck and a first bore extending axially therethrough, the main valve includes a valve seat, a valve stem extending through the valve seat of the main valve and being movable between a closed position blocking fluid flow through the main valve valve seat and an open position and means in the housing first bore for resiliently urging the valve stem to its closed position, a relief device opens to the second passageway for blocking fluid flow through the second passageway until at least one of pressure and temperature exceeds a preselected level, the relief device opening to the housing first bore, the housing having a second bore opening through the peripheral surface portion and to the housing first bore axially opposite the valve seat from the first passageway first end, the housing first and second bores defining part of the first passageway.

19. The gas control assembly of claim 18 wherein the valve stem has a bore which extends axially therethrough and forms a part of the second passageway to permit fluid flow therethrough regardless of whether the valve stem is in either one of its open and closed positions and the assembly inner end portion includes an axially elongated fitting having an intermediate portion threadedly mounted to the housing and extending within the housing bore and an outer end portion, one of the fitting outer end and intermediate portions having the second passageway second end, the fitting has a passage in fluid communication with the valve stem bore and the second passageway second end and the fitting passage constitutes a part of the second passageway.

20. A gas control assembly mountable to the neck of a vessel for containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the vessel interior, comprising:

an axially elongated housing having an outer end portion removably mountable to the neck of the vessel and an axial intermediate and inner end portions extendable within the vessel interior, said housing having a main bore extending axially therethrough, a relief device mounted to the housing inner end portion and opening to the housing bore for blocking fluid flow therethrough to the housing bore until exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level and then permitting fluid flow therethrough, a fitting having an inlet end portion extending within the housing bore and an outer end portion outwardly of the vessel when the housing is mounted thereto, a valve body mounted to the fitting outer end portion and having a main outlet, at least one of the housing and fitting having a first fluid flow passageway opening through the housing bore to the relief device and to the ambient atmosphere through at least one of the housing outer end portion and the fitting outer end portion, the housing, fitting and valve body having a second fluid flow passageway for conducting fluid exterior of the housing from axially inwardly of the housing outer end portion to the main outlet, a main valve in the second passageway and operable between an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the second passageway, said main valve being mounted in the housing bore, a solenoid mounted to the valve body remote from the housing, said solenoid having a solenoid coil and a plunger movable to an extended position upon energizing the solenoid coil and means for being moved by the plunger moving to its extended position to operate the main valve to its open position.

21. The gas control assembly of claim 20 wherein at least one of the fitting and valve body defines a main chamber, an inlet check valve is mounted to the valve body in fluid communication with the main chamber to have fluid under pressure applied therethrough to the main chamber while preventing fluid in the main chamber exhausting therethrough.

22. The gas control assembly of claim 21 wherein the main valve includes a valve seat, a valve stem axially movable between a valve open position and a closed position, said valve stem extending through the valve seat and having a bore extending axially therethrough, the first passageway in part being defined by the valve stem bore, and means for resiliently urging the valve stem to its valve open position.

23. The gas control assembly of claim 22 wherein the valve seat and at least one of the housing and fitting form first and second annular clearance spaces with the valve seat being axially therebetween and the first clearance space being axially more closely adjacent to the relief device than the second clearance space and a cross bore opening to the first clearance space and to the interior of the vessel when the housing is mounted to the vessel neck and the second passageway includes the first and second clearance spaces and the cross bore.

24. The gas control assembly of claim 23 wherein the fitting has a central bore extending axially therethrough, the fitting bore has an outer end, the means movable by the plunger is an axially elongated rod having one end abuttable against the plunger and an opposite end abuttable against the valve stem, the rod in combination with the wall defining the fitting bore forming a first passage axially elongated third clearance space that at one end opens to the valve stem bore and an opposite end, the fitting has a bore fluidly connecting the opposite end of the third clearance space and providing the opening of the first passageway to the ambient atmosphere when the housing Is mounted to the neck of the vessel.

25. The gas control assembly of claim 24 wherein the valve body has a bore extending therethrough and opening to the fitting bore, the valve body bore and the fitting having cooperating wall portions defining an annular main chamber which forms a part of the second passageway first end, the valve body has a passage opening to the main chamber which forms a part of the second passageway, an inlet check valve is mounted to the valve body and opens to the main chamber to permit high pressurized fluid flowing therethrough and into the main chamber while preventing fluid in the main chamber exhausting therethrough, a manually operated valve is mounted by the valve body to extend in the second passageway to permit blocking fluid flow through the second passageway, and a pressure regulator is provided in the valve body passage intermediate the manually operated valve and the main outlet for reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing from the main chamber to the main outlet.

26. The gas control assembly of claim 24 wherein at least one of the fitting and valve body defines a main chamber that comprises a part of the second passageway, the fitting extending through the main chamber and there is a pressure regulator in the second passageway between the main chamber and the main outlet for reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing from the main chamber to the outlet.

27. The gas control assembly of claim 26 wherein a manually operated off-on valve is disposed in the second passage intermediate the pressure regulator and the main chamber, the pressure regulator and valve body form a control chamber, the regulator has means for reducing the fluid pressure of the fluid flowing from the off-on valve to the control chamber and permitting fluid flow from the off-on valve to the control chamber when the fluid pressure at the main outlet is below a preselected level, a pressure sensor is mounted by the valve body to sense the pressure in at least one of the control chamber and at the main outlet, and an outlet relief device is mounted to the valve body to open to the second passageway intermediate the control chamber and the main outlet to exhaust fluid when the fluid pressure is above a preselected level in the control chamber.