Line leak detector and method of using same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a fluid conduit line, comprising:
- a housing configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid conduit line;
a valve including a valve seat coupled to the housing and a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an opened position wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the valve, and a closed position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing through the valve, the valve seat including a barrel extending along a length and the valve element including a piston configured to slidingly engage the barrel along the length, whereby the valve element remains in the closed position while the piston slidingly engages the barrel for small movements of the valve element until the piston no longer engages the barrel and the valve element reaches the opened position;
a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with a first side of the valve and a second end in fluid communication with a second side of the valve;
a fluid flow detector operatively coupled to the bypass line and configured to detect the flow of fluid therethrough; and
a mechanism configured to provide a return force on the valve element when the valve element is immersed in the fluid flowing through the fluid conduit line, the return force configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position, wherein the return force decreases as the valve element is moved away from the closed position.
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Abstract
An apparatus for detecting a leak in a conduit line includes a housing in fluid communication with the line, a valve including a valve seat and a valve element movable relative to the seat between opened and closed positions, a bypass line around the valve, a flow detector coupled to the bypass line for detecting fluid flow therethrough, and a mechanism configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position and to maintain the valve element in the closed position until a threshold pressure drop is reached. The mechanism may operate on the principle of magnetism.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a fluid conduit line, comprising:
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a housing configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid conduit line; a valve including a valve seat coupled to the housing and a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an opened position wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the valve, and a closed position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing through the valve, the valve seat including a barrel extending along a length and the valve element including a piston configured to slidingly engage the barrel along the length, whereby the valve element remains in the closed position while the piston slidingly engages the barrel for small movements of the valve element until the piston no longer engages the barrel and the valve element reaches the opened position; a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with a first side of the valve and a second end in fluid communication with a second side of the valve; a fluid flow detector operatively coupled to the bypass line and configured to detect the flow of fluid therethrough; and a mechanism configured to provide a return force on the valve element when the valve element is immersed in the fluid flowing through the fluid conduit line, the return force configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position, wherein the return force decreases as the valve element is moved away from the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a fluid conduit line, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an interior cavity; a valve disposed at least in part in the interior cavity between the inlet and outlet, the valve including a valve seat coupled to the housing and a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an opened position wherein fluid is permitted to flow through the valve, and a closed position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing through the valve, the valve seat including a barrel extending along a length and the valve element including a piston configured to slidingly engage the barrel along the length, whereby the valve element remains in the closed position while the piston slidingly engages the barrel for small movements of the valve element until the piston no longer engages the barrel and the valve element reaches the opened position; a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with a first side of the valve and a second end in fluid communication with a second side of the valve; a fluid flow detector operatively coupled to the bypass line and configured to detect the flow of fluid therethrough; a single mechanism configured both to urge the valve element toward the closed position and to maintain the valve element in the closed position until a threshold pressure drop across the valve element is reached, wherein the mechanism comprises a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member and the mechanism is the sole mechanism urging the valve element toward the closed position and maintaining the valve element in the closed position until a threshold pressure drop across the valve element is reached. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A dispensing system, comprising:
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a tank for holding a liquid; a dispensing unit for dispensing the liquid; a fluid conduit line providing fluid communication between the tank and the dispensing unit; and a leak detector in fluid communication with the fluid conduit line and configured to detect a leak therein, the leak detector comprising; a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an interior cavity; a valve disposed at least in part in the interior cavity between the inlet and outlet, the valve including a valve seat operatively coupled to the housing and a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an opened position wherein liquid is permitted to flow through the valve, and a closed position wherein liquid is prevented from flowing through the valve, the valve seat including a barrel extending along a length and the valve element including a piston configured to slidingly engage the barrel along the length, whereby the valve element remains in the closed position while the piston slidingly engages the barrel for small movements of the valve element until the piston no longer engages the barrel and the valve element reaches the opened position; a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with a first side of the valve and a second end in fluid communication with a second side of the valve; a fluid flow detector operatively coupled with the bypass line and configured to detect the flow of liquid therethrough; a mechanism configured to provide a return force on the valve element when the valve element is immersed in the fluid flowing through the fluid conduit line, the return force configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position, wherein the return force decreases as the valve element is moved away from the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification