Remotely operated self-powered gas safety valve

• US 6,994,309 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fernández-Sein, Rafael
• Original Assignee: Fernández-Sein, Rafael
• Inventors: Fernández-Sein, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K.
• Application Number:
  US10/878,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 251/129.11, 251/315.01, 251/315.1, 251/315.11
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0083 by measuring valve parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0091 by measuring fluid parameters

Abstract

An apparatus for the remote measurement, control, and supervision, via a wired or wireless network connection, of the flow of gas, allowing fully opening or closing a valve in case of an emergency or for administrative purposes. The apparatus also provides for flow pressure, barometric pressure, and a temperature compensated gas flow meter. The apparatus obtains the number of revolutions of a rotor which delivers a fixed amount of gas per revolution and compensates for gas bypassing the rotor. The apparatus is self-powered by the energy produced by an electric generator coupled to the flow measurement rotor. The surplus energy not used by the electronic components in measuring and reporting is stored for the operation of the rotary control valve. The apparatus is housed in a planar base plate that allows servicing from one side of the system. The apparatus uses an energy storage management system for the controlled charging and use of the apparatus in an intrinsically safe manner.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas, comprising:

a) A rotary control valve;

b) A planar base plate having a plurality of cavities to accept the different components of the apparatus;

c) A direct current reversible non-sparking electronically commutated electric motor, said electric motor having gears to turn said rotary control valve;

d) A position sensor to determine the position of said rotary control valve;

e) A gas pressure sensor for measuring the gas flowing pressure and for the redundant check of the seating of said rotary control valve in fully closed position;

f) An electric commutation switching and control circuit for said electric motor, wherein said control circuit turns electric motor on and off and reverses the rotary control valve'"'"'s rotation direction;

g) A remote supervisory device;

h) digital communications means for receiving external commands for opening and closing of said rotary control valve in response to an emergency or administrative action from the remote supervisory device;

i) An embedded microprocessor based gas metering apparatus for the measurement of gas flow at standard conditions;

j) An electric energy generating and storage system for the operation of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 1, wherein said energy generating and storage system comprises:

a) electric power low-voltage generating means for intrinsically safe operation;

b) rechargeable energy storage means for storing energy;

c) energy storage management means for the controlled charging of said energy storage means over long periods of time;

d) energy management means to control the release of the stored energy in said energy storage means;

e) energy measurement means to ascertain the amount of energy available from said energy storage means.

3. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas of claim 2, wherein said rechargeable energy storage means is a battery.

4. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 1, wherein said embedded microprocessor based gas metering apparatus comprises:

a) stored program means to measure the differential pressure across the fan rotor;

b) stored program means for correcting the flow of gas that bypasses the fan rotor with the measurement of the differential pressure across said fan rotor;

c) stored program means to periodically command the exercise of the rotary control valve to prevent sticking of said valve;

d) stored program means to process remote commands from the supervision system to close or open said control valve;

e) stored program means to check the position of the control valve in the fully open or fully closed position;

f) stored program means to report the position of the control valve to the supervisory device;

g) stored program means to measure the pressure at the outlet of the control valve for a redundant check of the valve position;

h) stored program means to measure the barometric pressure for calculation of standard contract gas flow conditions;

i) stored program means to report to supervisory device the measured gas flow;

j) stored program means to report to supervisory device the amount of charge stored in the energy generating and storage system.

5. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 1, wherein said planar base plate further comprises:

a) passageway means for the routing of the gas to the measuring and control elements;

b) gas tight enclosure means to separate the electronic components from the electromechanical components and the components in contact with the gas.

6. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 5, wherein said planar base plate cavities include:

a) a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary valve;

b) a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary fan; and

c) insulated cavity means to receive and protect printed circuit board with electronic components.

7. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 6, wherein said planar base plate is serviceable from one side.

8. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 1, wherein said electric commutation switching and control module, comprises:

a) integrated electronic circuit element means for sparkless intrinsically safe commutation of said electric motor;

b) integrated electronic circuit element means for the control of the speed and direction of rotation of said electric motor.

9. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas, comprising:

a) a vaned fan rotor, having a plurality of cavities that deliver a definite volume of gas with each turn, and having means to output a signal for each turn of the fan rotor;

b) a planar base plate;

c) an electric energy generating and storage system for the operation of the apparatus, coupled mechanically to said fan rotor, to generate electric energy to power the apparatus, said electric energy generating and storage system being lightly coupled to its electric load;

d) pressure sensing means for determination of operating pressure of flowing gas;

e) temperature sensing means for determination of temperature of flowing gas;

f) differential pressure sensing means to correct for gas that bypasses said fan rotor;

g) an embedded microprocessor based gas metering apparatus for the measurement of gas flow at standard conditions from the number of turns of said fan rotor, with numerical output indicative of volume flow;

h) analog to digital converting means to convert the analog output of sensors to a digital quantity for use by the embedded microprocessor;

i) barometric pressure sensor means for calculation of the standard contract conditions of gas delivery;

j) a remote supervisory device;

k) digital communications means for the communications of the values obtained to the remote supervisory device;

l) a rotary control valve means for turning on or off the flow of gas on command of the remote supervisory device;

m) a direct current reversible non-sparking electronically commutated electric motor, said electric motor having gears to turn said rotary control valve;

n) an electric commutation switching and control circuit for said electric motor, wherein said control circuit turns electric motor on and off and reverses the rotary control valve'"'"'s rotation direction.

10. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 9, wherein said energy generating and storage system comprises:

a) electric power low-voltage generating means for intrinsically safe operation;

b) rechargeable energy storage means for storing energy;

c) energy storage management means for the controlled charging of said energy storage means over long periods of time;

d) energy management means to control the release of the stored energy in said energy storage means;

e) energy measurement means to ascertain the amount of energy available from said energy storage means.

11. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas of claim 10, wherein said rechargeable energy storage means is a battery.

12. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 9, wherein said embedded microprocessor based gas metering apparatus comprises:

a) stored program means to measure the differential pressure across the fan rotor;

b) stored program means for correcting the flow of gas that bypasses the fan rotor with the measurement of the differential pressure across said fan rotor;

c) stored program means to periodically command the exercise of the rotary control valve to prevent sticking of said valve;

d) stored program means to process remote commands from the supervision system to close or open said control valve;

e) stored program means to check the position of the control valve in the fully open or fully closed position;

f) stored program means to report the position of the control valve to the supervisory device;

g) stored program means to measure the pressure at the outlet of the control valve for a redundant check of the valve position;

h) stored program means to measure the barometric pressure for calculation of standard contract gas flow conditions;

i) stored program means to report to supervisory device the measured gas flow;

j) stored program means to report to supervisory device the amount of charge stored in the energy generating and storage system.

13. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 9, wherein said planar base plate further comprises:

a) passageway means for the routing of the gas to the measuring and control elements;

b) gas tight enclosure means to separate the electronic components from the electromechanical components and the components in contact with the gas.

14. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 13, wherein said planar base plate cavities include:

a) a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary valve;

b) a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary fan; and

c) insulated cavity means to receive and protect printed circuit board with electronic components.

15. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 14, wherein said planar base plate is serviceable from one side.

16. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas according to claim 9, wherein said electric commutation switching and control module, comprises:

a) integrated electronic circuit element means for sparkless intrinsically safe commutation of said electric motor;

b) integrated electronic circuit element means for the control of the speed and direction of rotation of said electric motor.

17. An apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas, comprising:

a) A rotary control valve;

b) A planar base plate having a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary valve, a cavity with cover means to receive a rotary fan, insulated cavity means to receive and protect printed circuit board with electronic components, passageway means for the routing of the gas to the measuring and control elements, and gas tight enclosure means to separate the electronic components from the electromechanical components and the components in contact with the gas;

c) A direct current reversible non-sparking electronically commutated electric motor, said electric motor having gears to turn said rotary control valve;

d) A position sensor to determine the position of said rotary control valve;

e) A gas pressure sensor for measuring the gas flowing pressure and for the redundant check of the seating of said rotary control valve in fully closed position;

f) An electric commutation switching and control circuit for said electric motor said switching and control circuit comprising integrated electronic circuit element means for sparkless intrinsically safe commutation of said electric motor, integrated electronic circuit element means for the control of the speed and direction of rotation of said electric motor, wherein said control circuit turns electric motor on and off and reverses the rotary control valve'"'"'s rotation direction;

g) A remote supervisory device;

h) digital communications means for receiving external commands for opening and closing of said rotary control valve in response to an emergency or administrative action from the remote supervisory device;

i) an embedded microprocessor based gas metering apparatus for the measurement of gas flow at standard conditions stored program means to measure the differential pressure across the fan rotor wherein said microprocessor based gas metering apparatus comprises stored program means for correcting the flow of gas that bypasses the fan rotor with the measurement of the differential pressure across said fan rotor, stored program means to periodically command the exercise of the rotary control valve to prevent sticking of said valve, stored program means to process remote commands from the supervision system to close or open said control valve, stored program means to check the position of the control valve in the fully open or fully closed position, stored program means to report the position of the control valve to the supervisory device;

stored program means to measure the pressure at the outlet of the control valve for a redundant check of the valve position;

stored program means to measure the barometric pressure for calculation of standard contract gas flow conditions, stored program means to report to supervisory device the measured gas flow, stored program means to report to supervisory device the amount of charge stored in the energy generating and storage system;

j) an electric energy generating and storage system for the operation of the apparatus said energy generating and storage system comprising electric power low-voltage generating means for intrinsically safe operation, rechargeable energy storage means for storing energy, energy storage management means for the controlled charging of said energy storage means over long periods of time, energy management means to control the release of the stored energy in said energy storage means, and energy measurement means to ascertain the amount of energy available from said energy storage means;

k) temperature sensing means for determination of temperature of flowing gas;

l) differential pressure sensing means to correct for gas that bypasses said rotary control valve;

m) analog to digital converting means to convert the analog output of sensors to a digital quantity for use by the embedded microprocessor;

n) barometric pressure sensor means for calculation of the standard contract conditions of gas delivery.

18. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas of claim 17, wherein said rechargeable energy storage means is selected from a group consisting of a battery and a super capacitor.

19. The apparatus for the control and measurement of the flow of gas of claim 17, wherein said planar base plate is serviceable from one side.