Valve positioner having bypass component and control valve comprised thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258453-A1
Application number	US-201615155129-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A valve positioner that can maintain operation of the control valve despite failures in one or more components. The valve positioner may reduce downtime by allowing in-situ repair to occur on the valve positioner. The valve positioner may incorporate a by-pass component, which can utilize control input signals (e.g., a 4-20 mA signal) to energize one or more components (e.g., a current-to-pressure converter) to cause the control valve to modulate fluid flow without the digital microprocessor and/or related components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve positioner, comprising.
a signal switching component having a first input, a second input, and an output, the signal switching component having a first operating state that couples the first input with the output and a second operating state that couples the second input to the output; a processing component coupled with one of the first input and the second input and forming an operating loop with the signal switching component, wherein the operating loop conducts an operating signal that instructs the signal switching component to change from the first operating state to the second operating state.

2 . The valve positioner of claim 1 , wherein the operating signal has a first level and a second level that is different from the first level, and wherein the first level and the second level correspond to, respectively, the first operating state and the second operating state.

3 . The valve positioner of claim 1 , wherein the signal switching component comprises an operational amplifier, and wherein the operating signal provides power to the operational amplifier.

4 . The valve positioner of claim 3 , wherein the processing component is configured to generate the operating signal in response to a feedback signal with a value that defines an operating parameter for a valve.

5 . The valve positioner of claim 1 , further comprising a signal conditioning component coupled with one of the first input and the second input, wherein the signal conditioning component receives a control input signal, and wherein the signal conditioning component is configured to modify the control input signal from a first protocol to a second protocol.

6 . The valve positioner of claim 1 , further comprising an output range selector coupled with the signal switching component, the output range selector having a first setting and a second setting that is different from the first setting, wherein the first setting and the second setting correspond to different scales for signals that exit the output.

7 . The valve positioner of claim 1 , further comprising a current-to-pressure converter coupled with the signal switching component, the current-to-pressure converter configured to use signals from the signal switching component to generate a pneumatic output that corresponds with a pressure value to operate a pneumatic actuator on a valve.

8 . The valve positioner of claim 7 , further comprising a manifold element comprising a signal connection element, wherein the manifold element has a first position and a second position that correspond to, respectively, the first operating state and the second operating state.

9 . The valve positioner of claim 8 , wherein the first position couples the signal connection element with the processing component and the second position couples the signal connection element with connectors that conduct signals from the signal switching component to the signal connection element.

10 . The valve positioner of claim 8 , wherein the manifold element is configured to permit flow of a fluid between the processing component and the current-to-pressure converter component in the first position and configured to prevent flow of the fluid between the processing component and the converter component in the second position.

11 . A circuit for use in a valve positioner to control operation of a valve, the circuit comprising:
a processor; a switch coupled with the processor; and a current-to-pressure converter coupled to the switch, wherein the processor is operative to:
receive a feedback signal having a value that defines an operating parameter for the valve, and
generate an operating signal having a level corresponding to the value of the feedback signal,
wherein the switch is operative to change between a first state and a second state in response to the level of the operating signal so as to conduct different input signals to the current-to-pressure converter.

12 . The circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a signal conditioning component coupled with the switch, the signal conditioning component operative to, receive a control signal from a remote device; generate a first input signal using the control signal, the first input signal having properties to operate the current-to-pressure converter.

13 . The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the processor is operative to,
receive the control signal; and generate a second input signal using the control signal, the second input signal having properties to operate the current-to-pressure converter.

14 . The circuit of claim 12 , wherein signal conditioning component is configured to modify the control signal so that the first input signal has analog properties.

15 . The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the switch comprises an operational amplifier.

16 . The circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:
circuitry with topology to adjust the input signals from the switch to match an operating range of the valve.

17 . A method for operating a valve positioner to position components on a valve, said method comprising:
receiving a pair of input signals at a switch, the pair of input signals having properties to operate a current-to-pressure converter, at least one of which originates from a processor configured to maintain operation of a valve; and operating the switch in one of a first state or a second state to conduct one of the pair of input signals to the current-to-pressure converter, wherein one of the first state and the second state permits the processor be removed without disrupting operation of the valve.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
configuring the switch between the first state and the second state in response to a feedback signal with a value that defines an operating parameter for the valve.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
setting one of the pair of input signals with a high level or a low level in response to the value of the feedback signal.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
generating one of the pair of input signals with analog properties by modifying parameters of a control signal from a remote device.

Assignees

• Dresser Inc

Inventors

• Esposito Sandro

Classifications

• F15B21/08 Primary

  Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means (F15B21/02, {F15B21/065} take precedence) · CPC title

• F15B15/202

  Externally-operated valves mounted in or on the actuator · CPC title

• F15B5/006 Primary

  with electrical means, e.g. electropneumatic transducer (F15B5/003 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B19/43

  fluidic · CPC title

• Y10T137/7761

  Electrically actuated valve · CPC title