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US 2010/0059129 A1Published application
Fluid flow control apparatus
AssigneeBifold Fluidposer Limited
InventorsPeter James Hamer, James Fishwick
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AssigneeBifold Fluidposer Limited
InventorsPeter James Hamer, James Fishwick
Estimating the term…
A main control valve is actuated by a pilot fluid control signal between open and closed positions to supply fluid to an actuator such as a valve actuator. A stack of logic control valves is supported on the main valve- and controls the flow of the pilot signal. Each of the logic control valves has a housing of common design. Intermediate flow-directing plates of different designs provide fluid communication between adjacent housings. The stack has a common pilot feed passage and a common exhaust passage that are each defined by an annular clearance around supporting tie bars that pass through bores in the stack. Each plate has apertures that form part of the exhaust and pilot feed passages and an aperture that interconnects the returning pilot signal with the pilot inlet of the next valve in the stack. The arrangement allows for simplification of the design of the apparatus with a single housing design and multiple plate designs.
Fluid flow control apparatus comprising a plurality of stacked valves with one or more intermediate flow-directing plates, the valves comprising a main valve having a housing defining an inlet and an outlet for connection into a fluid flowline and a pilot inlet for receipt of a pilot control fluid from a pilot control fluid flowline, the main valve being operable to open or close the fluid flowline in response to the pilot control fluid pressure, and at least one pilot-operated logic control valve having a housing for connection into the pilot control fluid flowline, the stack of valves defining a pilot feed passage of the pilot control fluid flowline for receipt of incoming pilot control fluid, and a pilot return passage of the pilot control fluid flowline that is selectively closable by operation of the logic control valve, the logic control valve being connected to the housing of the main control valve via a first intermediate flow-directing plate, the plate being perforated by a first aperture that interconnects the pilot return passage of the logic control valve and the pilot inlet of the main valve.
A method for controlling flow of pilot control fluid for a main control valve, comprising arranging at least one logic control valve in a stack on the main control valve with an intermediate flow-directing plate between the, or each, valve, passing a pilot feed signal through a feed passage in the stack, the feed passage being defined by bores in the valve housings and an aperture in the, or each, plate, redirecting the pilot signal down through a pilot return passage in the stack to a pilot inlet in the main control valve, operating the logic control valve(s) to selectively open or close the return passage in accordance with predetermined requirements.
A method according to claim 25, further comprising using a plurality of logic control valves in the stack and using intermediate flow-directing plates between each logic control valve to direct the pilot feed signal from one logic control valve to another and to direct the redirected pilot signal from the pilot return passage of one valve to a pilot inlet of the next valve in the stack.
(canceled)
Fluid flow control apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.