Wireless valve actuator system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958880-B2
Application number	US-201514933918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline. The system includes a gas-over-oil actuator and a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator. The wireless position monitor includes an integral opened spool valve and is adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation via a wireless network and a wireless gateway. At least one switching relay is operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor. Upon receiving a wireless command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a pressure signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage high pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and move the valve to a desired position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline, the system comprising:
a gas-over-oil actuator;
a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral opened center spool valve and adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation;
at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a signal from the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor; and
at least one torque limiting device disposed between the wireless position monitor and the at least one switching relay to prevent excess torque from the gas-over-oil actuator;
wherein, upon wirelessly receiving a command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and to move the valve to a desired position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first gas/oil tank, a second gas/oil tank, and a manual override system disposed adjacent to and between the first and second gas/oil tanks.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an open switching relay and a closed switching relay, the open and closed switching relays operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first tank and a second tank, the first tank in communication with the open switching relay and the second tank in communication with the closed switching relay.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the open and closed switching relays includes a vent.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal from the opened center spool valve driven to the at least one switching relay is a low pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is a high pressure supply.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal from the opened center spool valve driven to the at least one switching relay is a high pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is the same pressure level as the high pressure signal.

8. The system of claim 1 , further including a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor, the pressure regulator having a relief valve and for limiting the inlet pressure from the natural gas pipeline to the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor.

9. The system of claim 1 , further including at least one solenoid valve disposed external to the wireless position monitor, the at least one solenoid valve driven by the wireless position monitor to provide high pressure gas supply from the natural gas pipeline through the opened center spool valve and into the at least one switching relay.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a bleed valve for maintaining the at least one switching relay in an open position for a time required by the valve to complete a desired travel distance, the bleed valve having a locking nut to prevent tampering and disposed within a lockable cabinet.

11. A process control system comprising:
a valve installed in a natural gas pipeline;
a gas-over-oil actuator system operatively coupled to the valve, the gas-over-oil actuator system including;
a gas-over-oil actuator;
a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral pneumatic pilot valve;
at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a signal from the pneumatic pilot valve of the wireless position monitor; and
a bleed valve for maintaining the at least one switching relay in an open position for a time required by the valve to complete a desired travel distance, the bleed valve having a locking nut to prevent tampering and disposed within a lockable cabinet;

a workstation having a controller communicatively coupled to the wireless position monitor via a wireless network;
wherein, upon receiving a command from the controller via the wireless network, the wireless position monitor drives a signal from the pneumatic pilot valve to the at least one switching relay to manage pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and move the valve to a desired position.

12. The process control system of claim 11 , the workstation further comprises one or more of a network gateway communicatively coupled to the controller, a laptop coupled to the network gateway, a control panel operatively coupled to the controller, and an LCD screen operatively coupled to the controller.

13. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising an open switching relay and a closed switching relay, the open and closed switching relays operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor.

14. The process control system of claim 13 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first tank and a second tank, the first tank in communication with the open switching relay and the second tank in communication with the closed switching relay.

15. The process control system of claim 11 , wherein the pneumatic pilot valve is an opened center spool valve, the signal driven to the at least one switching relay is a low pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is a high pressure supply.

16. The process control system of claim 11 , further including a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor, the pressure regulator having a relief valve and for limiting the inlet pressure from the natural gas pipeline to the pneumatic pilot valve of the wireless position monitor.

17. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising a differential pressure transmitter operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator to measure one or more of a differential pressure across the gas-over-oil actuator or an operating torque of the valve, the differential pressure transmitter communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network and a gateway to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the differential pressure across the gas-over-oil actuator or the operating torque of the valve.

18. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising a first pressure transmitter disposed within the natural gas pipeline upstream the valve to measure pressure upstream the valve, and a second pressure transmitter disposed within the natural gas pipeline downstream the valve to measure pressure downstream the valve, the first and second pressure transmitters communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the pressure in the natural gas pipeline upstream and downstream the valve.

19. A wireless actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline, the wireless actuator system comprising:
an actuator adapted to be operatively coupled to a valve disposed in a natural gas pipeline;
a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral opened center spool valve and adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation via a wireless network;
at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the actuator and the wire

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Tarantino Andrea
• Mastropietro Federico Luigi
• Dordoni Filippo

Classifications

• F15B11/0725 Primary

  with the driving energy being derived from a pneumatic system, a subsequent hydraulic system displacing or controlling the output element · CPC title

• F15B2211/216

  the pressure sources being pneumatic-to-hydraulic converters · CPC title

• F15B2211/6355

  having valve means · CPC title

• F15B11/072

  Combined pneumatic-hydraulic systems (F15B11/032 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F15B21/08

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