Pressure loaded regulator with dual diaphragm and redundant seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877495-B2
Application number	US-201815915676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2018
Priority date	Mar 8, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A fluid regulator includes a regulator body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a fluid flow path, with a portion of the regulator body forming a first chamber, an orifice disposed in the fluid flow path, a seat, and a control element disposed within the fluid flow path and shiftable between an open position spaced away from the seat and a closed position seated against the seat, with the control element arranged to respond to fluid pressure changes to control flow of a process fluid through the orifice. A diaphragm has a radially inner portion that is operatively coupled to the control element and a radially outer portion that is operatively coupled to the regulator body. The diaphragm includes a resilient redundant diaphragm sandwiched between two metal diaphragms, the diaphragm providing two separate seals.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A fluid regulator comprising: a regulator body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a fluid flow path; an orifice disposed in the fluid flow path and leading to a seat; a control element disposed within the fluid flow path and shiftable between an open position spaced away from the seat and a closed position seated against the seat, the control element being arranged to respond to fluid pressure changes to control flow of a process fluid through the orifice; an actuator attached to the regulator body, the actuator being operatively coupled to the control element; wherein the control element is operatively coupled to a first diaphragm, to a second diaphragm, and to a third diaphragm, the first, second, and third diaphragms being stacked upon one another, the first and third diaphragms comprising metal, and the second diaphragm comprising a resilient material, the second diaphragm being disposed between the first and third diaphragms, and the first diaphragm, the second diaphragm, and the third diaphragm each include a substantially planar center portion and an annular planar skirt portion that are connected by a substantially cone-shaped middle portion; an outer gasket located proximate the annular planar skirt portion of the first diaphragm or the third diaphragm; and an inner gasket located proximate the substantially planar center portion of the first diaphragm or the third diaphragm; wherein the outer gasket comprises a radially outer upper gasket located proximate the annular planar skirt portion of the first diaphragm, and wherein the inner gasket comprises a radially inner upper gasket located proximate the substantially planar center portion of the first diaphragm, further comprising a radially outer lower gasket located proximate the annular planar skirt portion of the third diaphragm, and a radially inner lower gasket located proximate the substantially planar center portion of the third diaphragm.

2. The regulator of claim 1 , wherein the resilient material comprises PTFE.

3. The regulator of claim 1 , wherein each of the first diaphragm, the second diaphragm, and the third diaphragm includes a radially inward portion operatively coupled to the control element.

4. The regulator of claim 3 , wherein, the radially inward portion of the first diaphragm is spaced axially from the radially inward portion of the third diaphragm by a radially inward portion of the second diaphragm.

5. The regulator of claim 4 , wherein the radially inward portion of the second diaphragm has a thickness of between 0.010 in and 0.001 in.

6. The regulator of claim 5 , wherein the thickness is between 0.007 in and 0.003 in.

7. The regulator of claim 6 , wherein the thickness is about 0.005 in.

8. The regulator of claim 1 , and including:
a spring bearing against a diaphragm plate, the spring being positioned to bias the control element toward the closed position.

9. A method of reducing leaks in a regulator, the method comprising:
providing a fluid regulator having a regulator body including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a fluid flow path, the regulator further having an orifice disposed in the fluid flow path, and a seat disposed in the orifice, a control element disposed within the fluid flow path, the control element being shiftable between an open position spaced away from the seat and a closed position seated against the seat, the control element being arranged to respond to fluid pressure changes to control flow of a process fluid through the orifice, and the regulator further having an actuator attached to the regulator body;
providing a first metal diaphragm;
coupling a radially inward portion of the diaphragm to the control element;
providing a second resilient diaphragm;
providing a third metal diaphragm;
providing a radially outer upper gasket between the first metal diaphragm and an actuator housing of the actuator;
providing a radially inner upper gasket between the first metal diaphragm and a diaphragm plate coupled to the first metal diaphragm;
providing a radially outer lower gasket between the third metal diaphragm and the regulator body;
providing a radially inner lower gasket between the third metal diaphragm and a diaphragm cap coupled to the third metal diaphragm; and
coupling a radially inward portion of the third diaphragm to the control element,
wherein the second diaphragm comprises a resilient material and the second diaphragm is located between the first diaphragm and the third diaphragm.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the regulator includes a spring bearing against a diaphragm plate, the spring biasing the control element toward the closed position.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the radially outer upper gasket is located proximate an annular planar skirt portion of the first metal diaphragm, the radially outer lower gasket is located proximate an annular skirt portion of the third metal diaphragm, the radially inner upper gasket is located proximate a substantially planar center portion of the first metal diaphragm, and the radially inner lower gasket is located proximate a substantially planar center portion of the third metal diaphragm.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first diaphragm, the second diaphragm, and the third diaphragm each include a substantially planar center portion and an annular planar skirt portion that are connected by a middle portion.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the middle portion is angled relative to the substantially planar center portion and an annular planar skirt portion.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the middle portion is substantially cone-shaped.

15. A method of reducing leaks in a regulator, the method comprising: providing a fluid regulator having a regulator body including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a fluid flow path, the regulator further having an orifice disposed in the fluid flow path, and a seat disposed in the orifice, a control element disposed within the fluid flow path, the control element being shiftable between an open position spaced away from the seat and a closed position seated against the seat, the control element being arranged to respond to fluid pressure changes to control flow of a process fluid through the orifice, and the regulator further having an actuator attached to the regulator body; providing a first metal diaphragm; coupling a radially inward portion of the diaphragm to the control element; providing a second resilient diaphragm; providing a third metal diaphragm; coupling a radially inward portion of the third diaphragm to the control element; providing each of the first diaphragm, the second diaphragm, and the third diaphragm with a substantially planar center portion and an annular planar skirt portion that are connected by a middle portion angled relative to the substantially planar center portion and the annular planar skirt portion; and providing an outer gasket and an inner gasket, the outer gasket being located proximate the annular planar skirt portion and the inner gasket being located proximate the substantially planar center portion, wherein the second diaphragm comprises a resilient material and the second diaphragm is located between the first diaphragm and the third diaphragm; wherein the outer gasket comprises a radially outer upper gasket located proximate the annular planar skirt portion of the first diaphragm, and wherein the inner gasket comprises a radially inner upper gasket located proximate the substantially planar center portion of the first diaphragm, further comprising a radially outer lower gasket located proximate the

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Ackerman Neal A
• Hawkins Timothy R
• Durant Tony A
• Journey Jason D

Classifications

• G05D16/0655 Primary

  using one spring-loaded membrane · CPC title

• G05D16/0669 Primary

  characterised by the loading mechanisms of the membrane · CPC title

• G05D16/0608

  the controller being mounted within the flow path and having slidable elements · CPC title

• F16K35/16

  with locking member actuated by magnet · CPC title

• Y10T137/7781

  With separate connected fluid reactor surface · CPC title