Gas valve with electronic proof of closure system

• US 8,899,264 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Gregory, Kasprzyk, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Application Number:
  US13/326,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 137551-559
• US Class Current: 137/554
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0033 using a permanent magnet, e.g. in combination with a reed relays
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/005 using electrical or electromechanical means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/18 Groups of two or more valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/24 Valve details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8225 Position or extent of motion indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8275 Indicator element rigidly carried by the movable element whose position is indicated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to valves, and more particularly, to gas valve assemblies. In one illustrative but non-limiting example, a valve assembly may include a valve body having an interior and an exterior, a valve or valve sealing member positioned in the valve body, a sensor element (e.g., a magnet and/or a ferrous core) secured relative to the valve sealing member and a sensor (e.g., a magnetic field sensor) positioned outside of the interior of the valve body. The valve sealing member may be movable between an opened position and a closed position, and the sense element may move with the valve sealing member. The sensor may be configured to detect a position of the valve sealing member and communicate that position to a valve controller.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for controlling fuel flow to a combustion appliance, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a first valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a second valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port downstream of the first valve, with an intermediate volume between the first valve and the second valve defined by the valve body;

a first valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the first valve relative to a first axis, between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;

a second valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the second valve relative to a second axis, between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;

a first sensor fluidly isolated from the fluid path by the valve body, and radially spaced from the first axis, where the first sensor senses whether the first valve is in the closed position;

a second sensor fluidly isolated from the fluid path by the valve body, and radially spaced from the second axis, where the second sensor senses whether the second valve is in the closed position;

a first switch having a first switched signal path and a first control input, wherein the first control input sets the state of the first switched signal path to either a first state or a second state; and

a controller coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor and the control input of the switch, the controller sends a signal to the first control input of the first switch to set the state of the first switched signal path to the first state in response to the controller receiving a signal that indicates the first sensor senses that the first valve is not in the closed position.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the state of the first switched signal path to the first state when the second sensor senses that the second valve is not in the closed position.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second switch having a second switched signal path and a second control input, wherein the second control input sets the state of the second switched signal path to either a first state or a second state;

the controller is configured to set the state of the second switched signal path to the first state when the second sensor senses that the second valve is not in the closed position.

4. The valve assembly of claim 3, wherein the first switch is a first relay and the second switch is second relay.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first switch is a relay.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve includes a magnet, and the first sensor includes a magnetic field sensor.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve includes a ferrous core, and the first sensor includes a Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT).

8. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes an optical sensor.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve actuator selectively moves the first valve longitudinally along the first axis.

10. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve actuator selectively rotates the first valve about the first axis.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is concentrically positioned about the first axis.

12. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve has a range of travel, and wherein the first sensor is configured to sense a current position of the first valve anywhere along the range of travel of the first valve.

13. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual position indicator; and

the controller causes the visual position indicator to visually indicate when the first valve is not in the closed position.

14. A valve, comprising:

a valve body having an interior and an exterior, the interior defining a fluid channel;

a valve having a valve stem, the valve positioned in the fluid channel of the valve body, the valve translatable along or about an axis between a closed position and an open position;

a sensor element secured relative to the valve stem, the sensor element translates within the fluid channel and with the valve stem;

a magnetic field sensor positioned outside the interior of the valve body and spaced from the valve stem;

wherein the magnetic field sensor is configured to detect a position of the sensor element through the valve body, and thus the position of the valve along or about the axis within the valve body;

a switch having a switched signal path and a control input, wherein the control input sets the state of the switched signal path to either a first state or a second state; and

a controller coupled to the magnetic field sensor and the control input of the switch, wherein the controller sends a signal to the control input of the switch to set the state of the switched signal path to the first state in response to the controller receiving a signal that indicates the magnetic field sensor senses that the valve is not in the closed position.

15. The valve of claim 14, wherein:

the magnetic field sensor is a linear variable differential transformer, and is positioned concentrically around and radially spaced from the valve stem.

16. The valve of claim 14, further comprising:

an electronic circuit board positioned adjacent the exterior of the valve body; and

a communication link providing communication between the magnetic field sensor and the electronic circuit board.

17. A method of detecting a position of a valve of a valve assembly having a valve body that defines a fluid channel with the valve enclosed within an interior of the valve body and in fluid communication with the fluid channel, the valve translatable with respect to the valve body along a translation axis, the method comprising:

positioning the valve at a first position within the interior of the valve body along the translation axis, the first position is one of an open position and a closed position;

sensing a location of the valve along the translation axis with a position sensor positioned exterior to the valve body and spaced from the valve;

wherein sensing the location of the valve along the translation axis includes sensing the location of a sensor element that is secured relative to the valve at a position that is within the fluid channel defined by the valve body;

sending a signal from a controller to a control input of a switch having a switched signal path in response to the controller receiving a signal that indicates the sensed location of the valve is not at the closed position, wherein the control input sets a state of the switched signal path to either a first state or a second state; and

setting the state of the switched signal path of the switch to the first state in response to the control input of the switch receiving the signal that indicates the sensed location of the valve is not at the closed position.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sending the sensed location of the valve to a valve controller via a communications link; and

wherein the valve controller and the communications link are located exterior of the valve body.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

electronically calibrating the closed position of the valve using the controller.