Advanced valve actuator with remote location flow reset

• US 9,534,795 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings Americas Incorporated (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Burt, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/645,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20140097367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 137/486, 137/487, 137/487.5, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 59/466 Electrically operated valves, e.g. using electromagnetic or piezoelectric operating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0623 characterised by the set value given to the control element
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/776 Control by pressures across flow line valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

An fluid control valve and actuator assembly includes a valve configured to control a flow of liquid, and a valve actuator configured to control opening and closing of the valve, and further configured to provide both a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate of the liquid through the valve. In a particular embodiment, the valve actuator has a communications module configured to facilitate communication with the valve actuator over a network, and further configured to allow both remote monitoring of the flow through the valve, and remote control of the valve actuator.

Claims

1. A fluid control valve and actuator assembly comprising:

a valve configured to control a flow of liquid;

a valve actuator configured to control opening and closing of the valve, and further configured to provide both a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate of the liquid through the valve, the valve actuator having a communications module configured to facilitate communication with the valve actuator over a network, the communications module further configured to allow both remote monitoring of the flow through the valve, and remote control of the valve actuator;

wherein the valve and actuator assembly includes two modes of operation such that in one mode of operation the minimum flow rate is a freezing minimum flow rate and in another mode of operation the minimum flow rate is an energy-efficiency minimum flow rate, wherein the freezing minimum flow rate is provided to avoid a freeze condition and wherein the energy efficiency minimum flow rate corresponds to the flow rate of a piece of equipment at that piece of equipment'"'"'s most energy efficient operating point, said freezing minimum flow rate and said energy-efficiency minimum flow rate collectively referred to as “

dual minimum flow rates;

” and

wherein one or both of the dual minimum flow rates and the maximum flow rate can be adjusted either locally or remotely.

2. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the communications module is configured to communicate with a networked control system over a serial communications bus.

3. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 2, wherein the networked control system is a building management system (BMS).

4. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein signals from the BMS are retentively stored by the valve actuator, allowing the valve actuator to function properly if communication with the BMS is lost.

5. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein the valve actuator is configured such that its operation can be synchronized with the BMS, and with a building'"'"'s mechanical heating, cooling, and pumping systems to increase energy efficiency of the building'"'"'s HVAC system.

6. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein one or both of the dual minimum flow rates and the maximum flow rate are adjusted based on the temperature of the liquid being supplied to the valve.

7. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve controls the flow of liquid into an HVAC coil.

8. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the maximum flow rate is maintained via modulation of a valve plug position by the valve actuator, and wherein the maximum flow rate serves to limit the flow rate of liquid through the valve and HVAC coil to allow adequate time for heat transfer between the liquid and the HVAC coil.

9. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the maximum flow rate can be adjusted locally or remotely either to save energy in two-pipe liquid temperature changeover systems, or to compensate for piping and coil degradation.

10. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the maximum flow rate can be adjusted locally or remotely either to facilitate energy synchronization with the chillers and boiler, or to prevent coil overflow and maintain energy-efficient temperature differentials.

11. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the freezing minimum flow rate is provided to avoid a freeze condition in the HVAC coil, and in which the energy-efficiency minimum flow rate is provided for the purpose of synchronizing the flow rate with a boiler or chiller to operate that boiler or chiller at its most energy efficient operating point;

and

wherein each of the dual minimum flow rates is maintained via modulation of a valve plug position by the valve actuator, and wherein the first minimum flow rate serves to prevent the freeze condition while minimizing energy consumption.

12. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the minimum flow rate serves to maintain a minimum temperature differential across an HVAC coil inlet and outlet.

13. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator further comprises a temperature sensor, a flow rate meter, inlet and outlet pressure sensors, and a plug position sensor.

14. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 13, wherein data from the temperature sensor, flow rate meter, inlet and outlet pressure sensors, and plug position sensor is accessible either locally or remotely.

15. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator has a plurality of adjustable operating parameters.

16. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein the plurality of adjustable operating parameters can be adjusted either locally or remotely.

17. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein, for pressure-independent valves, the plurality of adjustable operating parameters comprises one of upper and lower proportional band factors, integral and derivative factors, valve curve adjustment, anti-freeze content for specific gravity adjustment, and upper/lower shift point.

18. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein, for pressure-dependent valves, the plurality of adjustable operating parameters comprises valve curve adjustment.

19. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein the plurality of adjustable operating parameters comprises one of valve-specific cavitation coefficient, anti-freeze content for vapor pressure adjustment, and actuator sensitivity.

20. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein the plurality of adjustable operating parameters comprises an offset for one of a room temperature sensor, a valve flow meter, a valve liquid temperature sensor, a valve inlet pressure sensor, and a valve outlet pressure sensor.

21. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator further comprises an anti-cavitation module configured to determine if the liquid flowing through the valve is likely to cavitate.

22. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 21, wherein the anti-cavitation module determines a likelihood that cavitation will occur based on liquid temperature in the valve, valve inlet pressure, and valve outlet pressure.

23. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 22, wherein the anti-cavitation module is configured to modify its determination of the likelihood that cavitation will occur in the valve based on whether the liquid is water or a water-anti-freeze mixture.

24. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator further comprises a diagnostics module configured to provide diagnostic information on operation of the valve and actuator assembly to a remote location.

25. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 24, wherein the diagnostics module provides diagnostic information regarding a number of cavitation occurrences, and a number of freeze condition occurrences for a predetermined period.

26. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 24, wherein the valve actuator is configured to retentively store the diagnostics information.

27. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator comprises:

a motor and geartrain coupled to the throttling plug by a linkage assembly; and

a circuit board having control circuitry to regulate operation of the motor and geartrain, and communications circuitry to enable the actuator to communicate with a building management system via a serial communications bus.

28. The fluid control valve and actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator is configured to operate the valve as either a pressure-independent valve or a pressure-dependent valve.