Actuator assembly for a low flow-restriction shut-off valve with excess flow closure functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344880-B2
Application number	US-201615148372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2016
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

An actuator assembly for use with a shut-off valve in a transport or storage system. The assembly is configured to be operatively coupled to a stem of the valve for controlling fluid flow therethrough. The assembly includes a mounting bracket coupled to the bonnet, a mounting sleeve coupled to the stem and movable relative to the mounting bracket, and an actuator having a body and an inlet formed in the body. The body is defined by a first body portion coupled to the mounting bracket and a second body portion coupled to the mounting sleeve and movable relative to the first body portion to expand or contract the body. The inlet is adapted to receive pressurized fluid; the body expands or contracts responsive to the pressurized fluid, and responsive to the expansion or contraction of the body, the mounting sleeve moves relative to the mounting bracket, thereby moving the stem.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An actuator assembly for use with a shut-off valve comprising a valve body, a bonnet coupled to the valve body, and a movable stem supported by the bonnet for controlling fluid flow through the valve body, the actuator assembly comprising:
a mounting assembly comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to the bonnet of the shut-off valve and a mounting sleeve adapted to be coupled to the movable stem of the shut-off valve, the mounting sleeve being movable relative to the mounting bracket, the mounting assembly further comprising a first arm coupled to the mounting bracket and a second arm directly coupled to and extending outward from the mounting sleeve; and
an actuator configured to be operatively coupled to the shut-off valve via the mounting assembly, the actuator comprising:
a body defined by a first body portion and a second body portion movable relative to the first body portion to expand or contract the body;
a first end coupled to the first body portion and comprising a first opening arranged to receive the first arm of the mounting assembly;
a second end directly coupled and fixed relative to the second body portion, the second end comprising a second opening arranged to receive the second arm of the mounting assembly; and
an inlet formed in the body, the inlet adapted to receive pressurized fluid from a pressure source, wherein the body expands or contracts responsive to the pressurized fluid received from the pressure source, and wherein, responsive to the expansion or contraction of the body, the mounting sleeve moves relative to the mounting bracket, thereby actuating the movable stem,

wherein when the second arm of the mounting assembly is disposed in the second opening, the second arm is fixed relative to the second end.

2. The actuator assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the body comprises a cylindrical body and the second body portion is movable relative to the first body portion along an axis to expand or contract the cylindrical body
and wherein the first end extends outward from the first body portion in a first direction that is parallel to the axis, the second end extends outward from the second body portion in a second direction that is parallel to both the axis and the first direction, and the first and second openings each extend in a third direction that is perpendicular to the axis.

3. The actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second body portion is telescopically engaged in the first body portion.

4. The actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends comprise first and second tubular ends, respectively, and wherein the first and second openings comprise first and second cylindrical openings, respectively.

5. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting sleeve comprises a cylindrical mounting sleeve that is slidable relative to the mounting bracket.

6. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first arm extends outwardly from the mounting bracket in a direction substantially perpendicular to a length of the mounting sleeve.

7. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second arm extends outwardly from the mounting sleeve in a direction substantially perpendicular to a length of the mounting sleeve.

8. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator body is a cylindrical body, and wherein the second body portion is telescopically engaged in the first body portion.

9. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the body expands responsive to the pressurized fluid, the mounting sleeve is driven outward, away from the mounting bracket.

10. A shut-off valve for use in a fluid transport or storage system, comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid flow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet;
a seat arranged in the fluid flow passageway;
a flow control member movable relative to the seat to control fluid flow through the fluid flow passageway;
a bonnet coupled to the valve body;
a stem supported by the bonnet and operatively coupled to the flow control member, the stem being movable to move the flow control member;
an actuator assembly operatively coupled to the stem for controlling the flow control member, the actuator assembly comprising:
a mounting bracket coupled to the bonnet;
a mounting sleeve coupled to the stem, the mounting sleeve being movable relative to the mounting bracket; and
an actuator comprising:
a body defined by a first body portion coupled to the mounting bracket and a second body portion coupled to the mounting sleeve, the second body portion movable relative to the first body portion to expand or contract the body; and
an inlet formed in the body, the inlet adapted to receive pressurized fluid from a pressure source, wherein the body expands or contracts responsive to the pressurized fluid received from the pressure source, and wherein, responsive to the expansion or contraction of the body, the mounting sleeve moves relative to the mounting bracket, thereby moving the stem,

wherein the mounting sleeve is disposed outside of the valve body.

11. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein the stem comprises a sliding stem.

12. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein the mounting assembly further comprises a first arm coupled to the mounting bracket and a second arm coupled to the mounting sleeve, and wherein the first body portion is coupled to the first arm and the second body portion is coupled to the second arm.

13. The shut-off valve of claim 12 , wherein the actuator comprises a first end coupled to the first body portion and a second end coupled to the second body portion, the first end comprising a first opening arranged to receive the first arm, and the second end comprising a second opening arranged to receive the second arm.

14. The shut-off valve of claim 13 , wherein the first and second ends comprise first and second tubular ends, respectively, and wherein the first and second openings comprise first and second cylindrical openings, respectively.

15. The shut-off valve of claim 12 , wherein the first arm extends outwardly from the mounting bracket in a direction substantially perpendicular to a length of the mounting sleeve, and wherein the second arm extends outwardly from the mounting sleeve in the direction substantially perpendicular to a length of the mounting sleeve.

16. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein the mounting sleeve comprises a cylindrical mounting sleeve that is slidable relative to the mounting bracket.

17. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein the mounting sleeve is removably disposed over at least a portion of the stem.

18. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein the actuator body is a cylindrical body, and wherein the second body portion is telescopically engaged in the first body portion.

19. The shut-off valve of claim 10 , wherein when the body expands responsive to the pressurized fluid, the mounting sleeve is driven outward, away from the mounting bracket, thereby driving the stem outward, away from the seat.

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Diaz Juan M
• Pelfrey Roy R
• Nguyen Tung K
• Ahmed Nadim

Classifications

• F16K17/32 Primary

  acting on a servo-mechanism or on a catch-releasing mechanism · CPC title

• F16K31/44

  Mechanical actuating means · CPC title

• F16K1/18 Primary

  with pivoted discs or flaps · CPC title

• F16K1/2021

  with a plurality of valve members · CPC title

• F16K1/2007

  specially adapted operating means therefor (operating means per se F16K31/00) · CPC title