Failsafe actuated valve
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsGraham Peter BAKER, Parag MORE, Daniel PECK, Abhijit Shrikrishna BORAWAKE, Jason Robert MINER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A failsafe valve system configured to bring the valve to a predefined state (e.g., fully opened, fully closed) if the actuator fails (e.g., loss of power). The failsafe system of the present disclosure is energy efficient and reliable.
Claims18
A failsafe valve comprising:
- a valve assembly including an input shaft that rotates to control fluid flow through the valve;
- an actuator that rotates the input shaft;
- a failsafe drive adapter that interfaces between the actuator and the input shaft;
- wherein the failsafe drive adapter is configured to drive the rotation of the input shaft in a failsafe state to a predetermined fluid flow state;
- wherein the failsafe drive adapter is configured such that it does not require electrical power to function;
- and
- wherein the failsafe drive adapter is in a dormant state when the actuator receives electrical power;
- and
- wherein the failsafe drive adapter automatically activates in the event of a power failure to the actuator.
A failsafe drive adapter for a valve, the failsafe drive adapter configured to selectively decouple an actuator from an input shaft of a valve and engage a drive assembly of the failsafe drive adapter with the input shaft of the valve, the failsafe drive adapter comprising:
- a control system, the control system configured to activate the failsafe drive adapter in the event of a power failure;
- and
- a torsion spring configured to provide the rotational energy needed to drive the valve in a failsafe mode;
- wherein the failsafe drive adapter is configured to automatically preload the torsion spring.
A failsafe valve comprising:
- a pedestal ball valve, the pedestal ball valve including:
- a pedestal including a first end and a second end;
- a ball valve housing mounted to the second end of the pedestal;
- a plug rotatably mounted in the ball valve housing;
- and
- an input shaft that extends through the pedestal that is configured to rotate the plug;
- an actuator that is configured to drive the pedestal ball valve between a closed position to an open position, the actuator including an actuator output drive;
- a failsafe drive adapter mounted to the first end of the pedestal, the failsafe drive adapter including:
- a failsafe drive adapter housing including a base portion;
- a failsafe drive adapter housing cover connected to the base portion;
- an actuator plate located within the housing, the actuator plate being mated with the actuator output drive such that the actuator plate rotates with the output drive of the actuator;
- a valve plate located within the housing, the valve plate being mated with the input shaft of the pedestal ball valve such that the valve plate rotates with the input shaft;
- wherein the actuator plate and the valve plate are selectively engaged such that in a first state they rotate together and in a second state they can rotate independent of each other;
- and
- a failsafe plate located within the housing, the failsafe plate being spring loaded to rotate and drive the valve plate in the event of an actuator failure, the failsafe plate being selectively engaged and disengaged with the valve plate.
A method of providing failsafe protection to an actuated valve, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a failsafe that activates automatically upon loss of electrical power;
- and
- providing a failsafe that engages when a solenoid is de-energized thereby allowing a spring to disengage the actuator from a ball screw drive train and for a torsional spring loaded failsafe drive plate to engage the ball screw drive train and override the driving of the ball screw and to bias the ball screw into a predetermined desired failsafe position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.