System, method, and valve assembly for surge protection

A method for detecting surge conditions in a flow circuit, the method comprising:

• receiving pressure measurements generated by a pressure sensor device of a valve assembly within a flow circuit, wherein the valve assembly includes a valve body that obstructs a flow path through a conduit and a pitot tube integrated onto the valve body, and wherein the pressure sensor device is operably connected to the pitot tube and the pressure measurements represent pressure in the pitot tube over time;
• analyzing, via a controller comprising one or more processors, at least one of (i) the pressure measurements or (ii) flow velocity values derived from the pressure measurements;
• and
• detecting a surge condition in the flow circuit based on oscillations in the at least one of the pressure measurements or the flow velocity values.

A valve assembly comprising:

• a valve body including a front side and a back side opposite the front side, wherein the valve body is configured to be installed in a fluid conduit such that the front side faces upstream and the back side faces downstream relative to a fluid flow direction;
• a pitot tube coupled to the back side of the valve body;
• and
• a pressure sensor device operably connected to the pitot tube and configured to generate pressure measurements representing pressure in the pitot tube over time.