A flow control valve and a valve-position monitoring and control system coupled to the valve member and configured to precisely determine valve conditions related to the rotary position of the valve member. The system has an array of spaced apart transducers in an arcuate arrangement and in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the valve's housing. A magnetic-field source is fixed to and rotates with the valve member as a unit. The magnetic-field source includes magnetic members adjacent to and out of physical engagement with the transducers. The magnetic member moves along an arcuate path parallel to the arcuate arrangement of the transducers as the valve member rotates through the plurality of rotary positions. The magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to precisely determine the rotational position of the magnetic-field source and/or the valve member, and the fluid flow rate through the control valve.
F16K 37/00 - 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
F16K 5/04 - Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary with plugs having cylindrical surfacesPackings therefor
G01D 5/14 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
F24F 11/84 - Control systems characterised by their outputsConstructional details thereof for controlling the temperature of the supplied air by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers using valves
2.
Off-axis position monitoring and control system and related methods
A flow control valve and a valve-position monitoring and control system coupled to the valve member and configured to precisely determine valve conditions related to the rotary position of the valve member. The system has an array of spaced apart transducers in an arcuate arrangement and in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the valve's housing. A magnetic-field source is fixed to and rotates with the valve member as a unit. The magnetic-field source includes magnetic members adjacent to and out of physical engagement with the transducers. The magnetic member moves along an arcuate path parallel to the arcuate arrangement of the transducers as the valve member rotates through the plurality of rotary positions. The magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to precisely determine the rotational position of the magnetic-field source and/or the valve member, and the fluid flow rate through the control valve.
F16K 37/00 - 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
Apparatus, systems, and methods related to a constant-flow control valve and BTU meter assembly that has a pressure independent, constant-flow control valve assembly connectable to the fluid-based heating or cooling system. A valve stem is connected to a valve member and is rotatable as a unit relative to a valve body to change the position of valve member to change a fluid flow rate through the valve. The valve member's position relative to the fluid path is directly related to the fluid flow rate. Pressure sensors measure the pressure of fluid entering and exiting the valve body. A BTU meter assembly is connected to the valve stem, which is rotatable relative to the BTU meter assembly. A position sensor of the BTU meter assembly detects a rotational position of the valve stem relative to the BTU body. A controller of the BTU meter assembly is coupleable to the position sensor, the pressure sensors, and the temperature sensors, and the controller determines the fluid flow rate based upon the pressure drop across the valve assembly and the rotational position of the valve stem. The controller also determines energy usage of the heating or cooling device based upon the flow rate and the temperature change across the heating or cooling device.
F16K 37/00 - 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
F28F 27/00 - Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus
G01F 1/34 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure
G01F 1/36 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
G01F 1/37 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction the pressure or differential pressure being measured by means of communicating tubes or reservoirs with movable fluid levels, e.g. by U-tubes
G01F 1/74 - Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
G01F 1/88 - Indirect mass flowmeters, e.g. measuring volume flow and density, temperature, or pressure with differential-pressure measurement to determine the volume flow
G01F 15/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
G01F 25/00 - Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume
G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
G01K 15/00 - Testing or calibrating of thermometers
G01L 19/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluent medium insofar as such details or accessories are not special to particular types of pressure gauges
G05B 15/02 - Systems controlled by a computer electric
G05D 7/06 - Control of flow characterised by the use of electric means
G05D 16/20 - Control of fluid pressure characterised by the use of electric means
4.
PRESSURE COMPENSATED FLOW RATE CONTROLLER WITH BTU METER
Apparatus, systems, and methods related to a constant-flow control valve and BTU meter assembly that has a pressure independent, constant-flow control valve assembly connectable to the fluid-based heating or cooling system. A valve stem is connected to a valve member and is rotatable as a unit relative to a valve body to change the position of valve member to change a fluid flow rate through the valve. The valve member's position relative to the fluid path is directly related to the fluid flow rate. Pressure sensors measure the pressure of fluid entering and exiting the valve body. A BTU meter assembly is connected to the valve stem, which is rotatable relative to the BTU meter assembly. A position sensor of the BTU meter assembly detects a rotational position of the valve stem relative to the BTU body. A controller of the BTU meter assembly is coupleable to the position sensor, the pressure sensors, and the temperature sensors, and the controller determines the fluid flow rate based upon the pressure drop across the valve assembly and the rotational position of the valve stem. The controller also determines energy usage of the heating or cooling device based upon the flow rate and the temperature change across the heating or cooling device.
F28F 27/02 - Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels
5.
Pressure compensated flow rate controller with BTU meter
A constant-flow control valve and BTU meter assembly that has a pressure independent, constant-flow control valve assembly connectable to the fluid-based heating or cooling system. A valve stem is connected to a valve member and is rotatable as a unit relative to a valve body to change the position of valve member to change a fluid flow rate through the valve. The valve member's position relative to the fluid path is directly related to the fluid flow rate. A BTU meter assembly is connected to the valve stem, which is rotatable relative to the BTU meter assembly. A position sensor of the BTU meter assembly detects a rotational position of the valve stem relative to the BTU body. A controller of the BTU meter assembly determines the fluid flow rate based upon the pressure drop across the valve assembly and the rotational position of the valve stem.
F16K 37/00 - 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
F17D 3/00 - Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
F25B 29/00 - Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g. operating alternately or simultaneously
G01F 1/34 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure
G01F 1/36 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
G01F 1/37 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction the pressure or differential pressure being measured by means of communicating tubes or reservoirs with movable fluid levels, e.g. by U-tubes
G01F 1/74 - Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
G01F 1/88 - Indirect mass flowmeters, e.g. measuring volume flow and density, temperature, or pressure with differential-pressure measurement to determine the volume flow
G01F 15/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
G01F 25/00 - Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume
G01K 13/02 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
G01K 13/10 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring temperature within piled or stacked materials
G01K 15/00 - Testing or calibrating of thermometers
G01L 19/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluent medium insofar as such details or accessories are not special to particular types of pressure gauges
G05B 15/02 - Systems controlled by a computer electric
patents
