Setup of valve controller

A method for controlling a valve that comprises a valve controller, an actuator and a flow controlling unit, the flow controlling unit comprising a first valve seat and a cooperating first disc that is mechanically coupled to the actuator, the flow controlling unit also comprising a second disc mechanically coupled to the actuator and cooperating with a second valve seat, the valve controller comprising:

• a first pilot valve for energizing the actuator by allowing a first pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and for de-energizing the actuator by allowing the first pressurized fluid to leave the actuator, thereby controlling the position of the first disc,
• a second pilot valve for energizing the actuator by allowing a second pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and for de-energizing the actuator by allowing the second pressurized fluid to leave the actuator, thereby controlling the position of the first disc, wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve are configured to move the first disc in opposite directions when the actuator is individually energized by the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve,
• a third pilot valve configured to control the position of the second disc cooperating by way of energizing the actuator that is mechanically coupled to the second disc by allowing a third pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and by way of de-energizing the actuator by allowing the third pressurized fluid to leave the actuator,
• the first, second and third pilot valves being different from one another,
• a first sensor for providing a sensor reading indicative of the position of the first disc,
• a second sensor that provides a sensor reading indicating an open or closed state of the second valve seat and the cooperating second disc,
• an input device for initiating the setup process, and
• a memory unit for storing setup parameter values,
• the method comprising the steps:
• determining parameter values indicative of the functionality of at least one of the valve controller, the actuator and the flow controlling unit, the step of determining parameter values comprising the sub-steps:
• obtaining a first sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the first sensor reading comprises a first parameter value,
• obtaining a second sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the second sensor reading comprises a second parameter value, and
• obtaining a third sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the second pilot valve, wherein the third sensor reading comprises a third parameter value;
• obtaining a fourth sensor reading from the second sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the third pilot valve, wherein the fourth sensor reading comprises a fourth parameter value;
• and
• storing the first, second, third and fourth parameter values as setup parameter values in the memory unit.

A valve controller for controlling a valve, the valve controller being configured to execute a setup process and comprising:

• a first pilot valve that controls a position of a first disc that cooperates with a first valve seat forming part of a flow controlling unit of the valve that is positioned between two spaced apart pipe sections to control fluid flow between the two pipe sections, the first pilot valve energizing an actuator that is mechanically coupled to the first disc to control the position of the first disc by allowing a first pressurized fluid to enter the actuator at a location causing the first disc to move in a first direction, the first pilot valve de-energizing the actuator by allowing the first pressurized fluid to leave the actuator;
• a second pilot valve that controls the position of the first disc, the second pilot valve energizing the actuator to control the position of the first disc by allowing a second pressurized fluid to enter the actuator at a location causing the first disc to move in a second direction opposite the first direction, the second pilot valve de-energizing the actuator by allowing the second pressurized fluid to leave the actuator, the location at which the second pressurized fluid is introduced into the actuator being different from the location at which the first pressurized fluid is introduced into the actuator;
• a third pilot valve that controls the position of a second disc that cooperates with a second valve seat forming part of the flow controlling unit, the third pilot valve controlling the position of the second disc by energizing the actuator that is mechanically coupled to the second disc and by de-energizing the actuator, the third pilot valve energizing the actuator by allowing a third pressurized fluid to enter the actuator at a location that moves the second disc in the first direction, the third pilot valve de-energizing the actuator by allowing the third pressurized fluid to leave the actuator,
• the first, second and third pilot valves being different from one another,
• the flow controlling unit including a passage that connects the two pipe sections, the first valve seat being adjacent one end of the passage and the second valve seat being adjacent an opposite end of the passage, the passage being open and the two pipe sections being in communication with one another in an open state of the first and second valve seats and the cooperating first and second discs respectively in which the first and second discs are spaced from the first and second valve seats respectively, the passage being closed and the two pipe sections being prevented from communicating with one another in a closed state of the first and second valve seats and the cooperating first and second discs respectively in which when the first and second discs cooperate with first and second valve seats respectively,
• a first sensor that identifies the position of the first disc and provides a sensor reading about the position of the first disc;
• a second sensor that provides a sensor reading indicating the open or closed state of the second valve seat and the cooperating second disc,
• an input device configured to initiate the setup process;
• a memory unit for storing setup parameter values;
• the setup process being configured, when the setup process is initiated by way of the input device, to:
• determine parameter values indicative of functionality of at least one of the valve controller, the actuator and the flow controlling unit, the determining of the parameter values comprising:
• obtaining a first sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the first pilot valve, the first sensor reading comprising a first parameter value;
• obtaining a second sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the first pilot valve, the second sensor reading comprising a second parameter value;
• obtaining a third sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the second pilot valve, the third sensor reading comprising a third parameter value;
• obtaining a fourth sensor reading from the second sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the third pilot valve, wherein the fourth sensor reading comprises a fourth parameter value;
• and
• storing the first, second, third and fourth parameter values as setup parameter values in the memory unit.

A valve controller for controlling a valve, the valve controller being configured to execute a setup process and comprising:

• a first pilot valve configured to control the position of a first disc cooperating with a first valve seat to form part of a flow controlling unit of the valve by means of energizing an actuator that is mechanically coupled to the first disc by allowing a first pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and by means of de-energizing the actuator by allowing the first pressurized fluid to leave the actuator,
• a second pilot valve configured to control the position of the first disc by means of energizing the actuator by allowing a second pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and by means of de-energizing the actuator by allowing the second pressurized fluid to leave the actuator, wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve are configured to move the first disc in opposite directions when the actuator is individually energized by the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve,
• the first, second and third pilot valves being different from one another,
• a first sensor for providing a sensor reading indicative of the position of the first disc,
• an input device for initiating the setup process, and
• a memory unit for storing setup parameter values,
• the setup process being configured to perform the following steps whenever the setup process is initiated by way of the input device:
• determining parameter values indicative of the functionality of at least one of the valve controller, the actuator and the flow controlling unit, the step of determining parameter values comprising the sub-steps:
• obtaining a first sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the first sensor reading comprises a first parameter value,
• obtaining a second sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the second sensor reading comprises a second parameter value, and
• obtaining a third sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the second pilot valve, wherein the third sensor reading comprises a third parameter value;
• storing the parameter values as setup parameter values in the memory unit,
• determining that an error condition is fulfilled whenever the first pilot valve is activated before the initiation of the setup process, and
• indicating the error condition to an operator, by way of an indicator, whenever the error condition is determined to be fulfilled.

A valve controller for controlling a valve, the valve controller being configured to execute a setup process and comprising:

• a first pilot valve configured to control the position of a first disc cooperating with a first valve seat to form part of a flow controlling unit of the valve by means of energizing an actuator that is mechanically coupled to the first disc by allowing a first pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and by means of de-energizing the actuator by allowing the first pressurized fluid to leave the actuator,
• a second pilot valve configured to control the position of the first disc by means of energizing the actuator by allowing a second pressurized fluid to enter the actuator and by means of de-energizing the actuator by allowing the second pressurized fluid to leave the actuator, wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve are configured to move the first disc in opposite directions when the actuator is individually energized by the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve,
• the first, second and third pilot valves being different from one another,
• a first sensor for providing a sensor reading indicative of the position of the first disc,
• an input device for initiating the setup process, and
• a memory unit for storing setup parameter values,
• the setup process being configured to perform the following steps whenever the setup process is initiated by way of the input device:
• determining parameter values indicative of the functionality of at least one of the valve controller, the actuator and the flow controlling unit, the step of determining parameter values comprising the sub-steps:
• obtaining a first sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is de-energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the first sensor reading comprises a first parameter value,
• obtaining a second sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the first pilot valve, wherein the second sensor reading comprises a second parameter value, and
• obtaining a third sensor reading from the first sensor when the actuator is energized by the second pilot valve, wherein the third sensor reading comprises a third parameter value;
• storing the parameter values as setup parameter values in the memory unit,
• determining that an error condition is fulfilled whenever one or more sensor readings of the first sensor indicate a change in position of the first disc before the initiation of the setup process, and
• indicating the error condition to an operator, by way of an indicator, whenever the error condition is determined to be fulfilled.