Valve signature diagnosis and leak test device
AssigneeGeneral Equipment and Manufacturing Company, Inc.
InventorsBruce R. Penning, Jingli Li, Bruce Rigsby, Robert L. LaFountain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve signature diagnosis and leak testing device includes a spool valve operatively connected to a pilot valve, the pilot valve being configured to position the spool valve to one of an open position and a closed position. A blocker valve is fluidly connected to a control fluid outlet of the spool valve. An electrical module is operatively connected to the pilot valve, a supply of control fluid, and the blocker valve, the electrical module being capable of sending pulsed electrical signals to the pilot valve and the blocker valve to selectively position the spool valve and the blocker valve to an open or closed position.
Claims6
A method of producing a valve signature graph of a control valve without a positioner, the method comprising:
- connecting a valve signature diagnosis and leak testing device to a control valve, the valve signature diagnosis and leak testing device including a spool valve operatively connected to a pilot valve, the pilot valve being configured to position the spool valve to one of an open position and a closed position, the spool valve including a first control fluid inlet, a first control fluid outlet, and a second control fluid outlet, the first control fluid inlet being fluidly connected to a supply of control fluid and the first control fluid outlet being configured to be connected to a valve actuator, a blocker valve fluidly connected to the second control fluid outlet of the spool valve, and an electrical module operatively connected to the pilot valve, the supply of control fluid, and the blocker valve,
- sending an electrical signal from the electrical module to the blocker valve that positions blocker valve to a closed position;
- sending an electrical pulse signal from the electrical module to the pilot valve that positions the spool valve to an open position, which connects the supply of control fluid with the first control fluid outlet;
- measuring pressure within an actuator;
- measuring a position of a control element within the control valve;
- and
- plotting the measured pressure and position to produce a valve signature graph.
A method of performing a leak test on a control valve, the method comprising:
- connecting a valve signature diagnosis and leak testing device to the control valve, the valve signature diagnosis and leak testing device including a spool valve operatively connected to a pilot valve, the pilot valve being configured to position the spool valve to one of an open position and a closed position, the spool valve including a first control fluid inlet, a first control fluid outlet, and a second control fluid outlet, the first control fluid inlet being fluidly connected to a supply of control fluid and the first control fluid outlet being configured to be connected to a valve actuator, a blocker valve fluidly connected to the second control fluid outlet of the spool valve, and an electrical module operatively connected to the pilot valve, the supply of control fluid, and the blocker valve,
- sending an electrical signal from the electrical module to the blocker valve that positions blocker valve to a closed position;
- sending an electrical signal from the electrical module to the pilot valve that positions the spool valve to a closed position, which disconnects the supply of control fluid with the first control fluid outlet;
- measuring a pressure within an actuator for a specified period of time;
- measuring a position of a control element within the control valve for a specified period of time;
- and
- comparing measured positions of the control element over the specified period of time to determine whether a leak exists in the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.