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US 2022/0178459 A1Published application
Lethal and severe service magnetically actuated valves and retrofit kits
OwnerEdward P. Davisinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Lethal and Severe Service Magnetically Actuated Valves and Retrofit Kits is disclosed. My invention encapsulates a magnetically permeable, but ordinarily non-magnetic piece of metal such as iron, steel, or ferritic stainless inside the exotic alloys and compatible materials such as Monel, Inconel, Hastelloy, Alloy 20, PTFE, TFM or PTA that are necessary to construct modern severe and lethal service valves.
Claims28
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve body defining an enclosure;
- a movable valve member disposed in the enclosure;
- an internal actuation member containing a ferromagnetic portion comprising an impermanent magnet encased in some other material, the internal actuation member operatively coupled to the movable valve member;
- an external actuator attached to an exterior of the valve body, the external actuator comprising:
- a first magnetic pole section adjacent to the valve body;
- a second magnetic pole section adjacent to the valve body, wherein
- when the external actuator is in a first rotational position relative to the internal actuation member there is at least a first magnetic reluctance between the first magnetic pole section, the second magnetic pole section, and the internal actuation member, and when the external actuator is in a second rotational position relative to the internal actuation member there is at least a second magnetic reluctance between the first magnetic pole section, the second magnetic pole section, and the internal actuation member, wherein the second magnetic reluctance is lower than the first magnetic reluctance such that when the external actuator is in the second rotational position, magnetic flux paths from the first magnetic pole section, through the ferromagnetic portion, to the second magnetic pole section have a magnetic field strength sufficient to cause rotation of the internal actuation member when the external actuator is rotated;
- and
- an impermanently magnetic ferromagnetic material completing a return flow path for magnetic flux between the first magnetic pole section and the second magnetic pole section.
6 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having an interior portion and an exterior portion, the interior portion defining a cavity;
- a movable valve member movable between an open position and a closed position;
- an internal actuation member having a ferromagnetic portion comprising an impermanent magnet disposed in the cavity and encased in another material, the internal actuation member operatively coupled to the movable valve member such that rotation of the internal actuation member actuates movement of the movable valve member between the open position and the closed position;
- and
- an external actuator attached to the exterior portion of the valve body, the external actuator comprising:
- a first magnetic pole section adjacent to the exterior portion of the valve body;
- a second magnetic pole section adjacent to the exterior portion of the valve body, wherein magnetic flux flows from the first magnetic pole section through the ferromagnetic portion to the second magnetic pole section in a magnetic flux path through the interior portion of the valve, the magnetic flux having a magnitude sufficient to cause movement of the internal actuation member in response to rotation of the external actuator, wherein the external actuator and the internal actuation member are configured to remain adjacent to one another during rotation of the external actuator;
- and
- an impermanently magnetic ferromagnetic material completing a return flow path for the magnetic flux between the first magnetic pole section and the second magnetic pole section.
6 more elements
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve bonnet;
- a valve stem disposed in the valve bonnet;
- a valve member coupled to a distal end of the valve stem, the valve member movable between a first position in which the valve assembly is closed and a second position in which the valve assembly is open;
- a first internal ferromagnetic actuation member coupled to the valve stem and encased in another material;
- a second internal ferromagnetic actuation member coupled to the valve stem and encased in another material, wherein the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member and the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member are disposed in a spaced relationship along the valve stem;
- and
- an external actuator slidably engaged to an exterior surface of the valve bonnet, the external actuator comprising:
- a first magnet magnetically coupled to the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member through the valve bonnet;
- and
- a second magnet magnetically coupled to the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member through the valve bonnet;
- wherein linear translation of the external actuator in a first direction causes the first magnet to apply a first force on the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the first direction and causes the second magnet to apply a second force on the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the first direction, wherein the first force and the second force are effective to linearly translate the valve stem, causing linear translation of the valve member into the first position;
- and
- wherein linear translation of the external actuator in a second direction causes the first magnet to apply a third force on the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the second direction and causes the second magnet to apply a fourth force on the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the second direction, wherein the third force and the fourth force are effective to linearly translate the valve stem, causing linear translation of the valve member into the second position.
10 more elements
A method of actuating a valve, the method comprising:
- moving an external actuator slidably engaged to an exterior surface of a valve bonnet in a first direction, the external actuator comprising:
- a first magnet magnetically coupled to a first internal ferromagnetic actuation member encased in another material disposed within the valve bonnet;
- and
- a second magnet magnetically coupled to a second internal ferromagnetic actuation member encased in another material disposed within the valve bonnet;
- wherein linear translation of the external actuator in a first direction causes the first magnet to apply a first force on the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the first direction and causes the second magnet to apply a second force on the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the first direction, wherein the first force and the second force are effective to linearly translate a valve stem, causing linear translation of a valve member into a first position;
- and
- wherein linear translation of the external actuator in a second direction causes the first magnet to apply a third force on the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the second direction and causes the second magnet to apply a fourth force on the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member in the second direction, wherein the third force and the fourth force are effective to linearly translate the valve stem, causing linear translation of the valve member into a second position.
4 more elements
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve bonnet;
- a valve stem disposed in the valve bonnet;
- a valve member coupled to a distal end of the valve stem, the valve member movable between a first position in which the valve assembly is closed and a second position in which the valve assembly is open;
- a first internal ferromagnetic actuation member encased in another material coupled to the valve stem;
- a second internal ferromagnetic actuation member encased in another material coupled to the valve stem, wherein the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member and the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member are disposed in a spaced relationship along the valve stem;
- and
- an external actuator slidably engaged to an exterior surface of the valve bonnet, the external actuator comprising:
- a first magnet magnetically coupled to the first internal ferromagnetic actuation member through the valve bonnet;
- and
- a second magnet magnetically coupled to the second internal ferromagnetic actuation member through the valve bonnet.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.