Control device for filter installations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553537-B2
Application number	US-202218684849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2022
Priority date	Aug 23, 2021
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

The invention relates to a flow control device ( 10 ) for industrial filter installations, said flow control device comprising: a valve device ( 20 ) which is located in a flow line to, in or from a filter installation, the valve device ( 20 ) having a closed-loop control section ( 23 ) which is connected to the flow line and which can be controlled in a closed-loop manner via at least one deformable membrane ( 30 ); a hydraulic device ( 40 ) which controls the pressure in a hydraulic duct ( 32, 46 ) in a closed-loop manner by means of an actuator ( 42 ), the hydraulic duct ( 32, 46 ) being connected to the valve device ( 20 ) in such a way that the membrane ( 30 ) increases or reduces the flow cross-section depending on the pressure in the hydraulic duct ( 32, 46 ); a drive ( 60 ) for driving the hydraulic device; and an open-loop control unit ( 80 ) which controls the flow control device ( 10 ) in an open-loop manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A flow control device comprising:
a valve device that is arranged in a flow line that leads to, is in, or leads from a filter system, wherein the valve device has a control section that is connected to the flow line and can be controlled via at least one deformable diaphragm; a hydraulic device that uses an actuator to regulate pressure in a hydraulic channel, wherein the hydraulic channel is connected to the valve device in such a way that the diaphragm increases or decreases a flow cross-section depending on the pressure in the hydraulic channel; a drive for driving the hydraulic device; a control unit that controls the flow control device; and an expansion tank having a predetermined volume of air that is configured to be introduced into the hydraulic channel.

2 . A flow control device comprising:
a valve device that is arranged in a flow line that leads to, is in, or leads from a filter system, wherein the valve device has a control section that is connected to the flow line and can be controlled via at least one deformable diaphragm; a hydraulic device comprising an actuator, a valve side on one side of the actuator, and a drive side on an opposite side of the actuator, wherein the actuator separates the valve side from the drive side, the actuator is configured to regulate pressure in a hydraulic channel, and the hydraulic channel is connected to the valve device in such a way that the diaphragm increases or decreases in cross-section depending on the pressure in the hydraulic channel; a drive for driving the hydraulic device; a control unit that controls the flow control device; and a pressure transmission device for assisting the drive in driving the hydraulic device, the pressure transmission device comprising a transmission chamber, a transmission diaphragm within the transmission chamber, a tapped pressurized hydraulic line, and a drive side medium line, wherein the transmission diaphragm divides the transmission chamber into a tapped line hydraulic side and a drive medium side, the tapped pressurized hydraulic line is tapped from a pressurized hydraulic line and in fluid communication with the pressurized hydraulic line and with the tapped line hydraulic side of the transmission chamber, the drive side medium line is in communication with the drive medium side of the transmission chamber and the drive side of the hydraulic device, the tapped pressurized hydraulic line is configured to feed hydraulic fluid from the tapped pressurized hydraulic line into the tapped line hydraulic side of the transmission chamber, and the drive side medium line is configured to feed a drive side medium from the drive medium side of the transmission chamber into the drive side of the hydraulic device.

3 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the diaphragm of the diaphragm valve is cylindrical.

4 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit measures the pressure in the hydraulic channel or a force acting on the actuator and limits or switches off the drive when a pressure or force limit value is exceeded.

5 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein, in the open state of the valve device, the drive is essentially switched off.

6 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of valve devices arranged in a multifunctional block.

7 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , further comprising a valve chamber and a cover with which the valve chamber can be closed.

8 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein a pressure in the hydraulic channel during operation is at least 50% of a pressure in the flow line.

9 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the control section is designed as a valve chamber with a valve element the valve element has a partition and openings, and the openings lead a working fluid past the partition.

10 . The flow control device according to claim 9 , wherein the valve element is substantially prismatic or cylindrical and has a smaller diameter toward the center than at the edge.

11 . The flow control device according to claim 9 , wherein the openings are elongated holes.

12 . The flow control device according to claim 9 , wherein the valve element is substantially prismatic or cylindrical and has a smaller diameter toward the center than at the edge.

13 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the valve device is continuously adjustable and lockable in any intermediate position.

14 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the drive side medium line is a pneumatic line and the drive medium side of the transmission chamber is a pneumatic side of the transmission chamber.

15 . The flow control device according to claim 14 , wherein the drive side medium is compressed air.

16 . The flow control device according to claim 2 , wherein the tapped pressurized hydraulic line is the hydraulic channel.

17 . A method for operating a flow control device comprising the following steps:
driving a hydraulic device to introduce hydraulic fluid into, or remove hydraulic fluid from, a hydraulic line, the hydraulic device comprising an actuator, a valve side on one side of the actuator, and a drive side on an opposite side of the actuator; opening and closing a diaphragm valve by means of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic line; flowing a feed liquid in a dialysis machine through the diaphragm valve; transmitting hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic line into a hydraulic side of a transmission chamber, wherein the transmission chamber is separated by a transmission diaphragm into the hydraulic side and a drive side chamber, and the transmitting forces the transmission diaphragm toward the drive side chamber; and transmitting a drive medium from the drive side chamber of the transmission chamber into the drive side of the hydraulic device to assist with driving the hydraulic device.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein a force of the actuator of the hydraulic device is measured and the driving of the hydraulic device is limited or switched off when a force limit value is reached.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the diaphragm valve is adjusted continuously and is configured to be held in any intermediate position.

20 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the drive side chamber is a pneumatic chamber and the drive medium is compressed air.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Armbrust Sebastian-Johannes
• Wehmeyer Wolfgang
• Wiesen Gerhard

Classifications

• F16K7/075 Primary

  a rigid body being located within the tubular diaphragm · CPC title

• F16K7/07

  by means of fluid pressure · CPC title

• B01D46/4272

  Special valve constructions adapted to filters or filter elements · CPC title

• B01D35/1573

  Flow control valves · CPC title

• F16K31/124

  servo actuated · CPC title