Combination diaphragm piston actuator

• US 9,568,117 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vault Pressure Control LLC
• Original Assignee: GE Oil & Gas Pressure Control LP (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Adams, Keith M., Cheatham, Lloyd R., McEvoy, Travis Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): JELLETT, MATTHEW WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US14/673,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 251 61- 636, 251/291, 137/551, 137/553
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/10 the motor being of diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/1447 Pistons; Piston to piston rod assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/1457 Piston rods F15B15/1447 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 20/00 Safety arrangements for fluid actuator systems; Applications of safety devices in fluid actuator systems; Emergency measures for fluid actuator systems
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/003 Systems with different interchangeable components, e.g. using preassembled kits
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/864 Failure of an output member, e.g. actuator or motor failure
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/8757 using redundant components or assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1221 one side of the piston being spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1262 one side of the diaphragm being spring loaded

Abstract

An apparatus for actuating a valve includes an actuator with a cap. A plate that engages the inner diameter of the actuator housing is positioned within the actuator housing. A pressure chamber is located within the actuator housing between the plate and cap. A cap seal fluidly seals the pressure chamber between the cap and the actuator housing. The pressure chamber is fluidly sealed at the plate by one of a first plate seal assembly and a second plate seal assembly. The first plate seal assembly is formed by the diaphragm being secured between a seal nut and the plate. The second plate seal assembly is formed by an outer diameter sidewall seal located between the inner diameter of the actuator housing and the outer diameter of the plate and a retainer seal located between an outer diameter of the seal nut and an inner diameter of the plate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for actuating a valve, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator housing having a valve end, a cap end, a central axis, and a sidewall defining an inner diameter of the actuator housing;

a cap connected to the cap end of the actuator housing;

a plate positioned within the actuator housing, the plate having a center portion and an outer diameter that slidingly engages the inner diameter of the actuator housing;

a pressure chamber located within the actuator housing between the plate and the cap, the plate moving between a plate-up position and a plate-down position in response to pressure media injected into the pressure chamber, the plate being nearer the valve end in the plate-down position than in the plate-up position;

a seal nut connected to the plate, the seal nut operable to engage a central opening of a diaphragm; and

a cap seal fluidly sealing the pressure chamber between the cap and the actuator housing;

wherein

the pressure chamber is fluidly sealed at the plate by one of a first plate seal assembly and a second plate seal assembly; and

wherein

the first plate seal assembly is formed by the diaphragm being secured between the seal nut and the plate;

the second plate seal assembly is formed by an outer diameter sidewall seal located between the inner diameter of the actuator housing and the outer diameter of the plate and a retainer seal located between an outer diameter of the seal nut and an inner diameter of the plate; and

wherein

the diaphragm moves between a shortened position when the plate is in a plate-up position and the diaphragm has a bellows shape in cross section the bellows shape having at least one inner loop with an inner loop inner diameter and at least one outer loop having an outer loop outer diameter, and an extended position when the plate is in a plate-down position, by expanding the bellows shape axially and reducing a radial distance between the inner loop inner diameter and the outer loop outer diameter, measured relative to the central axis such that one or more of the at least one inner loops contacts the sidewall of the actuator housing, and wherein the at least one outer loop and the at least one inner loop are spaced axially apart.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first plate seal assembly and the second plate seal assembly are redundant seal assemblies fluidly sealing the pressure chamber.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer seal circumscribes the outer diameter of the seal nut and is spaced axially apart from the diaphragm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the diaphragm has a diaphragm lip circumscribing the central opening of the diaphragm;

the seal nut has a ring shaped nut lip; and

the first plate seal assembly is defined by the diaphragm lip retained by the nut lip.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm has an outer diameter portion, and wherein the cap seal includes the outer diameter portion of the diaphragm located between the cap and the actuator housing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the outer diameter portion has a ring shaped seal lip that engages an annular seal lip groove located between the cap and the actuator housing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealant injection port extending into the pressure chamber, the sealant injection port selectively directing sealant into the pressure chamber and into sealing contact with a damaged region of the diaphragm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap is detachably connectable to the actuator housing by locating the cap on the actuator housing and rotating the cap from a released position to a locked position, the cap rotating less than one full revolution between the released and locked positions.

9. An apparatus for actuating a valve, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator housing having a valve end, a cap end, a central axis and a sidewall defining an inner diameter of the actuator housing;

a cap connected to the cap end of the actuator housing;

a plate positioned within the actuator housing, the plate having a center portion and an outer diameter that slidingly engages the inner diameter of the actuator housing;

a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber located within the actuator housing between the plate and the cap;

wherein

the first pressure chamber is defined at least in part by a diaphragm supported by the plate such that the diaphragm moves between a shortened position when the plate is in a plate-up position and the diaphragm has a bellows shape in cross section, the bellows shape having at least one inner loop with an inner loop inner diameter and at least one outer loop having an outer loop outer diameter, and an extended position when the plate is in a plate-down position, by expanding the bellows shape axially and reducing a radial distance between the inner loop inner diameter and the outer loop outer diameter, measured relative to the central axis such that one or more of the at least one inner loops contacts the sidewall of the actuator housing, and wherein the at least one outer loop and the at least one inner loop are spaced axially apart;

the second pressure chamber is defined by the plate, the actuator housing, and the cap, the second pressure chamber having a plate seal assembly including an outer diameter sidewall seal located between the inner diameter of the actuator housing and the outer diameter of the plate; and

a fluidly sealed region between the cap and the plate is formed by at least one of the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber and the plate moves between the plate-up position and the plate-down position in response to pressure media injected into the fluidly sealed region, the plate being nearer the valve end in the plate-down position than in the plate-up position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a cap seal fluidly sealing between the cap and the actuator housing.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the diaphragm has an outer diameter portion, and wherein the cap seal includes the outer diameter portion of the diaphragm located between the cap and the actuator housing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the outer diameter portion of the diaphragm includes a seal lip and the cap seal comprises the seal lip being located in an annular seal lip groove located between the cap and the actuator housing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber are redundant pressure chambers fluidly sealing the fluidly sealed region.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a seal nut connected to the plate, the seal nut operable to engage a central opening of the diaphragm.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second pressure chamber includes a retainer seal that circumscribes an outer diameter of the seal nut and is spaced axially apart from the diaphragm.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the diaphragm has a diaphragm lip circumscribing the central opening of the diaphragm;

the seal nut has a ring shaped nut lip; and

the first pressure chamber is defined at least in part by the diaphragm lip retained by the nut lip.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a sealant injection port extending into the first pressure chamber, the sealant injection port selectively directing sealant into the first pressure chamber and into sealing contact with a damaged region of the diaphragm.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the cap is detachably connectable to the actuator housing by locating the cap on the actuator housing and rotating the cap from a released position to a locked position, the cap rotating less than one full revolution between the released and locked positions.

19. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the diaphragm does not extend axially past the plate in each of the plate-up and plate-down positions.