Fluid control apparatus having variable area flow restrictor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317917-B2
Application number	US-201815945311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2018
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A fluid regulator having a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, a loading port, an access port, and a loading chamber disposed within the valve body and coupled to the loading port. A valve assembly is at least partially disposed between the inlet and the outlet and in communication with the loading chamber and is adapted to cooperate with the loading chamber to adjust fluid flow at the outlet by adjusting a fluid flow rate between the inlet and the outlet. A restrictor is at least partially disposed within the access port and the loading chamber and the valve assembly are adapted to be responsive to a change in loading pressure such that a modified rate is achieved and the restrictor is adapted to adjust a response speed in which the modified rate is achieved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid regulator comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, a loading port, and an access port;
a loading chamber disposed within the valve body and coupled to the loading port, the loading chamber in fluid communication with the loading port through a loading fluid pathway and through an exhaust passageway;
a valve assembly at least partially disposed between the inlet and the outlet and in communication with the loading chamber, the valve assembly adapted to cooperate with the loading chamber to adjust fluid flow at the outlet by adjusting a fluid flow rate between the inlet and the outlet;
a check valve disposed within the exhaust passageway; and
a restrictor at least partially disposed within the access port and the loading fluid pathway;
wherein the loading chamber and the valve assembly are adapted to be responsive to a change in loading pressure such that a modified rate is achieved and the restrictor is adapted to adjust a response speed in which the modified rate is achieved.

2. The fluid regulator of claim 1 , wherein the restrictor comprises a tapered end that is adjustable to obtain a plurality of response speeds.

3. The fluid regulator of claim 2 , wherein the restrictor further comprises a threaded portion adapted to be threadably inserted into the access port.

4. The fluid regulator of claim 3 , wherein upon the loading pressure changing, the loading chamber is adapted to experience a change in pressure which causes the valve assembly to cause the modified rate to be achieved.

5. The fluid regulator of claim 1 , further comprising a transition portion positioned between a first portion and a second portion of a loading fluid pathway, wherein the restrictor is adapted to be at least partially disposed within the transition portion to adjustably restrict a flow rate of fluid propagating through the loading fluid pathway.

6. The fluid regulator of claim 1 , wherein the restrictor comprises a threaded portion.

7. The fluid regulator of claim 1 , further comprising a diaphragm at least partially disposed within the loading chamber, wherein the diaphragm is adapted to move in response to the change in loading pressure to equalize the loading pressure in the loading chamber with a force exerted by a biasing element.

8. The fluid regulator of claim 2 , wherein the restrictor includes a seal for sealing the restrictor within the access port.

9. A fluid regulator comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet and an outlet;
an actuator that is coupled to the valve body and includes:
a diaphragm that forms a loading chamber;
a loading fluid pathway that extends between a loading fluid inlet port and the loading chamber;
an exhaust pathway that extends between the loading chamber and the loading fluid pathway;
an access port that extends between an outer surface of the actuator and the loading fluid pathway;
a restrictor within the access port and extending at least partially into the loading fluid pathway; and
a check valve within the exhaust pathway.

10. The fluid regulator of claim 9 , wherein a position of the restrictor within the access port is adjustable to adjust a flow rate of a loading fluid between the loading fluid inlet port and the loading chamber.

11. The fluid regulator of claim 9 , wherein the diaphragm is operatively coupled to a flow control member that is positioned within the valve body.

12. The fluid regulator of claim 11 , wherein a fluid pressure within the loading chamber operates on the diaphragm to adjust a position of the flow control member between an open position in which fluid is enabled to flow between the inlet and the outlet and a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing between the inlet and the outlet.

13. The fluid regulator of claim 12 , wherein the restrictor and the check valve are configured to provide a first duration of a transition from the closed position to the open position and a second duration of a transition from the open position to the closed position.

14. The fluid regulator of claim 13 , wherein the first duration is longer than the second duration.

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Kotragouda Basappa Madhusudhan Reddy
• Michnevitz Mark A
• Buford Jake

Classifications

• F23K2400/201

  Control devices · CPC title

• F23N2235/20

  Membrane valves · CPC title

• F23N2235/24

  Valve details · CPC title

• F23N2235/16

  variable flow or proportional valves · CPC title

• F16K1/02

  with screw-spindle (F16K1/12 - F16K1/28 take precedence; actuating mechanisms with screw-spindles F16K31/50) · CPC title