Adjustable multistage pressure reducing regulator

A pressure regulating system, for stepped depressurization of a vapor sample, comprising:

• a housing;
• a core disposed generally longitudinally along a central axis of the housing;
• a vapor sample input port connected to a vapor sample passage integrally formed within the housing;
• a plurality of unvented openings on an upper surface of the housing, each unvented opening being peripherally disposed about the core and adjacent to at least one other of said unvented openings, each of the unvented openings having a select cross-sectional dimension and extending substantially in the direction of elongation of the housing, and each of said unvented openings being connected by an interconnect channel integrally formed in said housing and connected to an adjacent ventless opening;
• a plurality of pressure regulating valves each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves having a cross-sectional dimension corresponding to the select cross-sectional dimension of an unvented opening, each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves being switchable between a non-pressure regulating mode and a pressure regulating mode for passing a vapor sample to an adjacent downstream pressure regulating valve at a select regulated pressure via the connected interconnect channel where each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves establishes a pressure reducing stage and includes a valve stem, a sense piston, and sense piston actuator;
• a most downstream regulating valve connected in series to said plurality of pressure regulating valves;
• and
• a reduced vapor sample output port connected to said most downstream pressure regulating valve
• where the housing further comprises:
• an assembly having a base and stem generally disposed orthogonal to the base and extending axially therefrom, the stem being formed so as to generally conform to the dimensions of the core and extending axially from a central portion of the base, and
• wherein the pressure regulating system further includes a heating device disposed within the stem configured to heat a vapor sample passing through the plurality of pressure regulating valves.

A pressure regulating system, for stepped depressurization of a vapor sample, comprising:

• a housing;
• a core disposed generally longitudinally along a central axis of the housing;
• a vapor sample input port connected to a vapor sample passage integrally formed within the housing;
• a plurality of unvented openings on an upper surface of the housing, each unvented opening being peripherally disposed about the core and adjacent to at least one other of said unvented openings, each of the unvented openings having a select cross-sectional dimension and extending substantially in the direction of elongation of the housing, and each of said unvented openings being connected by an interconnect channel integrally formed in said housing and connected to an adjacent ventless opening;
• a plurality of pressure regulating valves each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves having a cross-sectional dimension corresponding to the select cross-sectional dimension of an unvented opening, each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves being switchable between a non-pressure regulating mode and a pressure regulating mode for passing a vapor sample to an adjacent downstream pressure regulating valve at a select regulated pressure via the connected interconnect channel where each of said plurality of pressure regulating valves establishes a pressure reducing stage and includes a valve stem, a sense piston, and sense piston actuator where an upstream one of said at least one of said plurality of pressure regulating valves is a high pressure regulating valve assembly;
• a most downstream regulating valve connected in series to said plurality of pressure regulating valves;
• and
• a reduced vapor sample output port connected to said most downstream pressure regulating valve
• wherein said high pressure regulating valve assembly includes a pair of nested sense piston actuator compression springs, a bifurcated sense piston arrangement with an outer sense piston and a nested inner piston axially slidable relative thereto, a sense piston actuator contact disc disposed between the nested sense piston actuator compression springs and the bifurcated sense piston said contact disk contacting the valve stem to concentrate the force of at least one of the nested sense piston actuator compression springs to provide enhanced pressure reduction.

A pressure regulating system for depressurization of a natural gas vapor sample, comprising:

• a regulator body with a first surface and a second opposite surface and a perimetric surface incorporating a vapor sample input port and a vapor sample output port, a thermal control means for maintaining thermal stability of the regulator body;
• a plurality of unvented openings disposed about the first surface proximate to the perimetric surface, each of the plurality of unvented openings having a select cross-sectional dimension and extending between the first and second surfaces, and each of said unvented openings being connected by a ventless interconnect channel integrally formed in said housing and connected to an adjacent one of said unvented openings;
• and
• adjustable valve assembly means for adjustable pressure regulation dimensioned to be contained within each of the unvented openings to regulate vapor pressure of the vapor sample to a preset maximum and preventing passage of a vapor sample at a pressure outside of a preset range to pass to an adjacent one of said valve assembly means through the ventless interconnect channel to establish a means for serial, staged depressurization of the vapor sample while maintaining the vapor sample in the vapor phase.