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US 11,953,118 B2Granted
Sensors for valve systems, valve systems including sensors and related methods
AssigneeFlowserve Pte. Ltd.
InventorWilliam T. Dolenti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Valve systems and related methods include at least one component comprising a conductive material and at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) configured to wirelessly sense a position of the portion of the conductive material.
Claims21
A valve system comprising:
- at least one shaft comprising at least one conductive material, the at least one conductive material having an annular shape extending along an axis of movement of the at least one shaft and radially surrounding the at least one shaft to define an outer surface of a portion of the at least one shaft;
- and
- at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor separated from the at least one conductive material of the at least one shaft, the at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor comprising an inductor and configured to wirelessly sense an axial position of any portion of an outer circumference of the annular shape the at least one conductive material, wherein the valve system is configured to determine an axial position of the at least one shaft in response to the wirelessly sensing of the axial position of the portion of the at least one conductive material, and wherein the annular shape of the at least one conductive material varies in thickness along a length of the axis of the at least one shaft such that the at least one conductive material includes at least one ramped portion.
A valve system comprising:
- at least one shaft comprising at least one conductive material, the at least one conductive material extending along an axis of movement of the at least one shaft and radially surrounding the at least one shaft to an outer surface of a portion of the at least one shaft and
- at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor separated from the at least one conductive material of the at least one shaft, the at least one inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor comprising an inductor and configured to wirelessly sense an axial position of a portion of the at least one conductive material, wherein the valve system is configured to determine an axial position of the at least one shaft in response to the wirelessly sensing of the axial position of the portion of the at least one conductive material, wherein the at least one conductive material varies in thickness along a length of the axis of the at least one shaft such that the at least one conductive material includes two or more ramped portions with at least one of a peak or a valley positioned between the two or more ramped portions along the length of the axis of the at least one shaft.
A valve system comprising:
- at least one component comprising at least one conductive material;
- and
- a sensor system comprising an inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor separated from the at least one conductive material of the at least one component, the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor comprising an inductor and configured to wirelessly sense a position of a portion of the at least one conductive material, the sensor system to compare the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material to a known position of the portion of the at least one conductive material based on a previously sensed position from the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor to determine a deviation of the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material from the known position, wherein the sensor system is configured to indicate a deformation in the at least one component based on the determined deviation of the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material.
A valve system comprising:
- at least one shaft comprising at least one conductive material, the at least one conductive material extending along an axis of movement of the at least one shaft and radially surrounding the at least one shaft to an outer surface of a portion of the at least one shaft;
- and
- a first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor and a second inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor separated from the at least one conductive material of the at least one shaft, the first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor comprising an inductor and configured to wirelessly sense a position of a portion of the at least one conductive material, wherein the second inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor to sense another position of another portion of the at least one conductive material, and wherein the valve system is configured to compare the another position to a known position of the at least one conductive material based on the sensed position from the first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor, wherein the valve system is configured to determine a deviation of the another position of the another portion of the at least one conductive material from the known position, and wherein the valve system is configured to indicate a deformation in the at least one shaft based on the determined deviation of the another position of the another portion of the at least one conductive material.
A method of monitoring a valve system, the method comprising:
- positioning a sensor system including a first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor and a second inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor proximate at least one conductive material of a component of the valve system;
- wirelessly sensing a position of a portion of the at least one conductive material with the first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor;
- determining an expected position of another portion of the at least one conductive material based on the sensed position of the portion of the at least one conductive material sensed with the first inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor;
- wirelessly sensing another position of the another portion of the at least one conductive material with the second inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor;
- and
- comparing the another position of the another portion of the at least one conductive material to the determined expected position of another portion of the at least one conductive material to determine a deviation of the another position of the another portion of the at least one conductive material from the expected position.
3 more elements
A method of monitoring a valve system, the method comprising:
- positioning an inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor comprising an inductor of a sensor system proximate at least one conductive material of a component of the valve system;
- wirelessly sensing a position of a portion of the at least one conductive material of the component of the valve system with the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor of the sensor system, the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor being separated from the at least one conductive material of the component;
- comparing, with the sensor system, the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material to a known position of the portion of the at least one conductive material based on a previously sensed position from the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor to determine a deviation of the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material from the known position;
- determining a displacement of the at least one conductive material with the inductance-to-digital converter (LDC) sensor;
- and
- indicating, with the sensor system, at least one of an internal force, a stress, a strain, or a deformation in the component of the valve system based on the determined deviation of the position of the portion of the at least one conductive material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.