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US 2011/0067766 A1Published application
Vacuum actuated fluid delivery
AssigneeEvoqua Water Technologies LLC
InventorsKevin W. Kinback, James W. Stannard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to fluid delivery systems comprising valve assemblies that provide for a more stable and reliable delivery system for a fluid, for example a gaseous fluid, from a tank by utilizing vacuum to open the normally closed valves assemblies. The present invention also relates to methods of delivering a fluid from a tank, assembling and operating the valves assemblies, as well as retrofitting existing tanks with such systems.
Claims24
An assembly for delivering fluid from a tank comprising:
- a valve assembly having
- a channel in communication with an interior volume of the tank at a first channel end of the channel;
- a regulating assembly coupled to the channel at a second channel end that is distal from the first channel end, the regulating assembly having
- a seat assembly having an aperture defined by an aperture seating surface;
- a seating member having a sealing surface, a displacer head, and a biasing end that is distal from the displacer end;
- and
- a biasing member coupled to the seating member at the biasing end thereof, the biasing member disposed to position the sealing surface of the seating member against the aperture seating surface of the seat assembly, and fluidly isolate the aperture from the channel;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the valve assembly, and having
- a vacuum port connectable to a vacuum source, and capable of being in fluid communication with the channel through the aperture;
- a diaphragm having
- a first side in communication with the vacuum port;
- and
- a displacer having a first displacer end and a second displacer end, the displacer coupled at the first displacer end to the diaphragm, the displacer further coupled at the second displacer end to the displacer head of the seating member.
11 more elements
A fluid delivery system, comprising:
- a tank;
- a valve assembly having
- a channel having a first channel end and a second channel end, the channel in fluid communication with an interior volume of the tank at the first channel end;
- a regulating assembly coupled to the channel at the second channel end, the regulating assembly having
- a seat assembly having an aperture defined by an aperture seating surface, the aperture in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank through the channel;
- a seating member having a sealing surface, a displacer head, and a biasing end that is distal from the displacer end;
- and
- a biasing member coupled to the seating member at the biasing end thereof, the biasing member configured to position the sealing surface of the seating member toward the aperture seating surface of the seat assembly;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the valve assembly, and having
- a vacuum port connected to a vacuum source with a vacuum pressure, the vacuum source in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank through the aperture and the channel;
- a diaphragm having
- a first side in communication with the vacuum port, and a second side that is exposed to a pressure greater than the vacuum pressure;
- and
- a displacer having a first displacer end and a second displacer end, the displacer coupled at the first displacer end to the diaphragm, the displacer further coupled at the second displacer end to the displacer head of the seating member.
12 more elements
A method of delivering fluid from a tank, comprising:
- providing a valve assembly having a channel in communication with an interior volume of the tank at a first channel end of the channel;
- a regulating assembly coupled to the channel at a second channel end that is distal from the first channel end, the regulating assembly having a seat assembly having an aperture defined by an aperture seating surface;
- a seating member having a sealing surface, a displacer head, and a biasing end that is distal from the displacer end;
- and a biasing member coupled to the seating member at the biasing end thereof, the biasing member disposed to position the sealing surface of the seating member against the aperture seating surface of the seat assembly, and fluidly isolate the aperture from the channel;
- and an actuator coupled to the valve assembly, and having a vacuum port, and capable of being in fluid communication with the channel through the aperture;
- and a diaphragm having a first side in communication with the vacuum port;
- and a displacer having a first displacer end and a second displacer end, the displacer coupled at the first displacer end to the diaphragm, the displacer further coupled at the second displacer end to the displacer head of the seating member;
- connecting a vacuum source to the vacuum port;
- creating a differential pressure between the first side of the diaphragm and an opposite side of the diaphragm thereby linearly displacing the displacer along a displacement axis and further displacing the sealing surface of the seat assembly from against the aperture seating surface.
6 more elements
A method of assembling a vacuum actuated valve comprising:
- providing a valve body having a channel defined therein, the channel having a first end and a second end;
- securing a seat assembly in the valve body, the seat assembly having an aperture defined by an aperture seating surface;
- securing a seating member in the valve body, the seating member having a sealing surface, a displacer head, and a biasing end that is distal from the displacer end;
- providing a biasing member having a first mounting end and a second mounting end;
- coupling the seating member at the biasing end thereof to the first mounting end of the biasing member;
- installing the biasing member in the valve body in a configuration that creates a biasing force directed to the seating member along a direction that positions the sealing surface of the seating member along the aperture seating surface;
- providing an actuator having a vacuum port;
- and a diaphragm having a first side in communication with the vacuum port, and a second side that is open to atmospheric pressure;
- and a displacer having a first displacer end and a second displacer end;
- coupling the displacer at the first displacer end to the diaphragm;
- and
- coupling the displacer at the second displacer end to the displacer head of the seating member.
9 more elements
A method for retrofitting a tank comprising:
- installing a valve assembly into a port of the tank, the valve assembly having
- a channel in communication with an interior volume of the tank at a first channel end of the channel;
- a regulating assembly coupled to the channel at a second channel end that is distal from the first channel end, the regulating assembly having
- a seat assembly having an aperture defined by an aperture seating surface;
- a seating member having a sealing surface, a displacer head, and a biasing end that is distal from the displacer end;
- and
- a biasing member coupled to the seating member at the biasing end thereof, the biasing member disposed to position the sealing surface of the seating member against the aperture seating surface of the seat assembly, and fluidly isolate the aperture from the channel;
- and
- coupling a valve assembly to an actuator having
- a vacuum port connectable to a vacuum source, and capable of being in fluid communication with the channel through the aperture;
- a diaphragm having
- a first side in communication with the vacuum port;
- and
- a displacer having a first displacer end and a second displacer end, the displacer coupled at the first displacer end to the diaphragm, the displacer further coupled at the second displacer end to the displacer head of the seating member.
11 more elements
A fluid delivery system comprising:
- a vacuum source;
- a source of fluid to be delivered;
- flow regulating means fluidly connected to the source of fluid to be delivered, the flow regulating means having a first configuration that fluidly isolates the source of fluid to be delivered from the vacuum source;
- and
- actuating means having a diaphragm operatively coupled to and capable of reconfiguring the flow regulating means into a second configuration that creates a flow path fluidly connecting the source of fluid to be delivered to the vacuum source.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.