Wear indication device for a flow control valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608909-B2
Application number	US-202016791074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 14, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A flow control device includes a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet. A flow vane is coupled to the valve body and disposed in the flow path to divide a flow of fluid through the valve body. The flow vane has a first surface, a second surface, and a corrugation formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces. A control element is disposed in the flow path and movable in the valve body between an open position and a closed position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A flow control device comprising:
a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet;
a flow vane coupled to the valve body and disposed in the flow path to divide a flow of fluid through the valve body, the flow vane having a first surface, a second surface, and a corrugation formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces;
a control element disposed in the flow path and movable in the valve body between an open position and a closed position; and
further comprising a sensor coupled to the flow vane to measure wear on the flow vane.

2. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the flow vane is disposed between the control element and the outlet.

3. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the corrugation includes a ridge disposed in parallel relative to the direction of flow.

4. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the corrugation includes a ridge disposed perpendicularly relative to the direction of flow.

5. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the corrugation includes a raised peak.

6. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the corrugation includes an indentation.

7. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the flow vane is integrally formed with the valve body.

8. The flow control device of claim 1 , further comprising an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the valve body and configured to measure a thickness of the flow vane.

9. A flow control device comprising:
a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet;
a flow vane coupled to the valve body and disposed in the flow path to divide a flow of fluid through the valve body, the flow vane having a first surface, a second surface, and a corrugation formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces;
a control element disposed in the flow path and movable in the valve body between an open position and a closed position; and
further comprising a sensor coupled to the control element to measure a distance between the control element and a first end of the flow vane.

10. A valve body comprising:
an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet;
a valve port disposed between the inlet and the outlet;
an outlet passage connecting the valve port and the outlet;
a flow vane coupled to the valve body and disposed in the outlet passage, the flow vane having a corrugation disposed at a first end of the flow vane; and
wherein the flow vane is integrally formed with and fixed with respect to the valve body.

11. The valve body of claim 10 , wherein the corrugation includes a ridge disposed in parallel relative to a direction of flow.

12. The valve body of claim 10 , wherein the corrugation includes a plurality of raised bumps.

13. The valve body of claim 10 , wherein the corrugation includes a ridge perpendicularly disposed relative to a direction of flow.

14. The valve body of claim 10 , wherein the corrugation is formed on a first surface and a second surface of the flow vane.

15. A valve body comprising:
an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet;
a valve port disposed between the inlet and the outlet;
an outlet passage connecting the valve port and the outlet;
a flow vane coupled to the valve body and disposed in the outlet passage, the flow vane having a corrugation disposed at a first end of the flow vane; and
further comprising a sensor coupled to the flow vane to measure a thickness of the flow vane.

16. The valve body of claim 15 , further comprising an array of sensors coupled to the valve body and configured to measure a thickness of the flow vane, wherein each sensor is arranged along a length of the flow vane.

17. A method of determining wear due to cavitation, the method comprising:
providing a flow control device having a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet, a control element disposed in the flow path and movable in the valve body between an open position and a closed position, and a flow vane coupled to the valve body and disposed in the flow path to divide a flow of fluid through the valve body, the flow vane having a first surface, a second surface, and a corrugation formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces;
measuring a dimension of the flow vane at a location along a length of the flow vane;
comparing a first measurement and a second measurement of the dimension of the flow vane taken at the location;
determining wear on flow vane based on comparing the first and second measurements of the dimension.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein measuring a thickness includes using an ultrasonic transducer to measure the thickness of the flow vane at the location.

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Alman Paul T
• Kinser Andrew J
• Collison Randall S

Classifications

• F16K37/00

  Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given · CPC title

• F16K3/32

  Means for additional adjustment of the rate of flow · CPC title

• F16K27/041 Primary

  cylindrical slide valves · CPC title

• G01B17/04

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by vibrating string · CPC title

• F16K3/24

  with cylindrical valve members · CPC title