Control valve monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10197185-B2
Application number	US-201615293016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 21, 2011
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A control valve monitoring system is disclosed. The control valve monitoring system includes at least one sensor connected to one of a valve stem or valve shaft, and the at least one sensor detects a change in mechanical integrity of one of the valve stem or valve shaft. A device for providing data regarding the change in mechanical integrity of one of the valve stem or valve shaft is provided, allowing maintenance of the valve shaft or valve stem to be conducted in an efficient manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control valve monitoring system comprising: at least one sensor connected to one of a valve stem or a valve shaft, the sensor for detecting a change in mechanical integrity of one of the valve stem or the valve shaft, wherein the at least one sensor is one of an acoustic emission sensor or an active ultrasonic sensor; and
a device for providing data regarding the change in mechanical integrity of one of the valve stem or the valve shaft,
wherein the one of the acoustic emission sensor or the active ultrasonic sensor is attached to an outer surface of the valve shaft or the valve stem by one of a bonding agent or a soldering agent; and
wherein the at least one sensor includes the active ultrasonic sensor and the active ultrasonic sensor is attached to the outer surface the valve stem or the valve shaft between an end of the shaft connected to a control element and another end of the shaft opposite the control element.

2. The control valve monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor further includes the acoustic emission sensor and the acoustic emission sensor detects cracking in one of the valve shaft or the valve stem through a change in acoustic signature.

3. The control valve monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is wireless.

4. The control valve monitoring system of claim 1 , further including memory and a power source for constant data gathering and reporting of faults in the valve shaft or valve stem.

5. A method of detecting a change in mechanical integrity of a valve shaft of a rotary-shaft control valve or a valve stem of a sliding-stem control valve, the method comprising:
integrating at least one sensor into a valve shaft or a valve stem, wherein the at least one sensor is one of an acoustic emission sensor or an ultrasonic sensor; and
sensing fatigue in the valve shaft or the valve stem,
wherein integrating at least one sensor into the valve shaft or the valve stem comprises attaching, via one of a bonding agent or a soldering agent, the at least one acoustic emission sensor or the ultrasonic sensor to an outer surface of the valve shaft or the valve stem, allowing a change in mechanical integrity of one of the valve shaft or the valve stem to be detected, and
wherein the at least one sensor includes the ultrasonic sensor and integrating at least one sensor to the valve shaft or the valve stem comprises attaching the at least one sensor to the outer surface of the valve stem or the valve shaft between an end of the shaft connected to a control element and another end of the shaft opposite the control element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor further includes the ultrasonic sensor, and sensing fatigue is using ultrasonic Lamb waves and comprises detecting a change in the ultrasonic Lamb waves including pinching the valve stem or the valve shaft material and waiting to record resultant ultrasonic waves propagating through the valve stem or the valve shaft.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising providing data regarding the change in mechanical integrity of the valve shaft or valve stem to one or more of a local digital valve positioner, a stand alone device for data collection and reduction, an asset management software package, or a control system.

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Carder Kenneth Harold
• Anderson Shawn W

Classifications

• G01N29/245

  Ceramic probes, e.g. lead zirconate titanate [PZT] probes · CPC title

• G01N29/14

  using acoustic emission techniques {(echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00)} · CPC title

• G01N29/09

  by measuring mechanical or acoustic impedance · CPC title

• G01N2291/2626

  Wires, bars, rods · CPC title

• F16K37/0083 Primary

  by measuring valve parameters · CPC title