Heated fluid regulators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10100854-B2
Application number	US-201715463378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Example apparatus for regulator heat transfer are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a housing including an inlet, an outlet, a first valve, and a stem disposed therein. The example apparatus includes a vortex generator disposed in the housing. A fluid is to flow from the inlet through the vortex generator. The example apparatus includes a second valve disposed in the vortex generator. In the example apparatus, the vortex generator is to generate heat prior to the fluid flowing through the second valve to the outlet. The stem is to control the first valve and the second valve to regulate an amount of the heat conveyed to the first valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing including an inlet, an outlet, a first valve, and a stem disposed therein;
a vortex generator disposed in the housing, a fluid to flow from the inlet through the vortex generator, the first valve external to the vortex generator; and
a second valve disposed in the vortex generator, the vortex generator to generate heat prior to the fluid flowing through the second valve to the outlet, the stem to control the first valve and the second valve to regulate an amount of the heat conveyed to the first valve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is to substantially enclose the stem and the vortex generator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a first chamber and a second chamber disposed in the housing, the first valve disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the fluid is to flow from the vortex generator to the first chamber via the second valve.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second chamber includes the outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is a first outlet and the housing includes a second outlet, the second outlet to convey a portion of the fluid away from the first valve via the vortex generator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a detwister disposed in the vortex generator, the fluid to flow through the detwister before flowing through the second valve.

8. The regulator of claim 1 , wherein the stem is to position the first valve in a first position and the second valve in a second position to regulate the amount of heat conveyed to the first valve, the first position different from the second position.

9. A regulator, comprising:
a body having an inlet, an outlet, a first valve, and a stem disposed therein, a fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet;
a vortex tube to heat the fluid prior to the fluid flowing through the first valve, the stem and at least a portion of the vortex tube disposed in an interior of the body, the first valve external to the vortex tube; and
a second valve disposed in the vortex tube, the stem to control the first valve and the second valve to regulate an amount of the fluid flowing from the vortex tube to the first valve.

10. The regulator of claim 9 , wherein the inlet is a first inlet and further including a second inlet, each of the first inlet and the second inlet to provide the fluid to the vortex tube.

11. The regulator of claim 9 , further including a first chamber and a second chamber disposed in the body, the first valve disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, the vortex tube disposed proximate to the first chamber.

12. The regulator of claim 11 , wherein the vortex tube includes a first end and a second end, the first end to provide an inlet for a first portion of the fluid to enter the first chamber, the second end to provide an outlet for a second portion of the fluid.

13. The regulator of claim 9 , wherein the first inlet includes a nozzle to spin the fluid prior to the fluid flowing into the vortex tube.

14. The regulator of claim 9 , wherein the stem is to control the first valve and the second valve based on a pressure at the outlet.

15. The regulator of claim 9 , further including insulation disposed in the body proximate to the vortex tube.

16. An apparatus, comprising:
means for regulating pressure of a fluid;
means for heating the means for regulating pressure;
first means for controlling a first flow of the fluid from the means for heating to the means for regulating pressure;
second means for controlling a second flow of the fluid at the means for regulating pressure, the second means for controlling external to the means for heating; and
means for positioning the first means for controlling and the second means for controlling, the means for positioning to position the first means for controlling and the second means for controlling based on an amount of heat to be conveyed to the second means for controlling, the means for regulating pressure, the means for heating, and the means for positioning disposed in one body.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for heating includes a vortex tube.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first means for controlling is disposed in the vortex tube.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , further including an inlet, the inlet to deliver the fluid to the means for heating and the means for regulating pressure.

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Griffin Jr James Lyman
• Mckinney Harold Joe

Classifications

• F25B9/04

  using vortex effect · CPC title

• F15D1/0015 Primary

  Whirl chambers, e.g. vortex valves · CPC title

• Y10T137/2098

  Vortex generator as control for system · CPC title

• Y10T137/2087

  Means to cause rotational flow of fluid [e.g., vortex generator] · CPC title

• G05D16/0655 Primary

  using one spring-loaded membrane · CPC title