Apparatus for fluid control device leak detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255649-B2
Application number	US-201213568992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2012
Priority date	Aug 7, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus for fluid control device leak detection are disclosed. An example apparatus in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure includes a plurality of ports. One of the ports is to receive a supply pressure to drive an actuator and another of the ports to be fluidly coupled to a purge port of a fluid control device. The apparatus includes a sensor to measure a value at the purge port and a processor to compare the value to a predetermined value or a previously measured value to identify if the value is outside of a predetermined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a valve controller, including:
a housing;
a plurality of ports defined by the housing, one of the ports to receive a supply pressure to drive an actuator and another of the ports to be fluidly coupled to a purge port of a fluid control device;
a sensor to measure a value at the purge port, the sensor disposed in the housing; and
a processor to compare the value to a reference value or a previously measured value to identify if the value is outside of a threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the value being outside of the threshold is associated with a bellows leak in the fluid control device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to generate an alert if the value is outside of the threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to automatically communicate an alert to a remote monitoring system based on the processor identifying that the value is outside of the threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to generate a report if the value is outside of the threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the report comprises a time stamp.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the value comprises a pressure value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bellows positioned between a flow aperture of the fluid control device and the purge port to substantially prevent process fluid from flowing to the purge port.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulator fluidly coupled between the purge port and the sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is integral to the valve controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when the other of the ports is not coupled to the purge port, the other of the ports is couplable to a double-acting actuator to control a position of the double-acting actuator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the other of the ports is usable to provide an input to the actuator when the other of the ports is not coupled to the purge port.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the other of the ports is to be coupled to the purge port when the actuator is a single-acting actuator to enable the value at the purge port to be measured.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the other of the ports is to be coupled to the actuator when the actuator is a double-acting actuator to enable an input to be provided to the actuator.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of ports defined by the housing, one of the ports to receive a supply pressure to drive an actuator and another of the ports to be fluidly coupled to a purge port of a fluid control device;
a sensor to measure a value at the purge port, the sensor disposed in the housing, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensing diaphragm assembly; and
a processor to compare the value to a reference value or a previously measured value to identify if the value is outside of a threshold.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the value being outside of the threshold is associated with a bellows leak in the fluid control device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to generate an alert if the value is outside of the threshold.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to automatically communicate an alert to a remote monitoring system based on the processor identifying that the value is outside of the threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to generate a report if the value is outside of the threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the report comprises a time stamp.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a pressure regulator fluidly coupled between the purge port and the sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the value comprises a pressure value.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a bellows positioned between a flow aperture of the fluid control device and the purge port to substantially prevent process fluid from flowing to the purge port.

24. An apparatus, comprising:
a valve controller, including:
a first port to receive a supply pressure to be used to drive an actuator;
a second port; and
a third port, when the valve controller is coupled to a double-acting actuator, the second port is to be coupled to a double-acting actuator to enable a first input to be provided to the double-acting actuator, and the third port is to be coupled to the double-acting actuator to enable a second input to be provided to the double-acting actuator, when the valve controller is coupled to a single-acting actuator, the second port is to be coupled to the single-acting actuator to enable the first input to be provided to the single-acting actuator, and the third port is to be coupled to a purge port of a fluid control device to enable a value at the purge port to be measured via a sensor integral to the valve controller.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , further including a processor to compare the value to a reference value or a previously measured value to identify if the value is outside of a threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the value being outside of the threshold is associated with a bellows leak in the fluid control device.

Assignees

• Coleman Afton Renee
• Coleman Blake Ward
• Hagen Steven William
• Fisher Controls Int

Inventors

• Coleman Afton Renee
• Coleman Blake Ward
• Hagen Steven William

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

• F16K37/0083

  by measuring valve parameters · CPC title

• Y10T137/8158

  With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means · CPC title

• F16K37/0091

  by measuring fluid parameters · CPC title

• Y10T137/0379

  By fluid pressure · CPC title