Valve system
AssigneeGammon Technical Products, Inc.
InventorJames H. Gammon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve system for monitoring and controlling a flow of a fluid additive into a main fluid line is disclosed. The system includes a pump that provides a constant flow of the additive from a fluid reservoir through a supply conduit into the main fluid line. A portion of the fluid additive may be diverted into one or more return conduits leading back to the reservoir by opening a solenoid actuated valve in the return conduit. Flow meters are employed to detect the flow rates of the fluids in the supply conduit and the main fluid line. The flow meters provide signals to a control system, which are effective to control the operation of the solenoid actuated valves to maintain a desired flow of the additive into the main fluid line.
Claims13
A valve system for monitoring and controlling a flow of a fluid additive into a main fluid line comprising:
- a fluid reservoir adapted to contain the fluid additive;
- a supply conduit providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the main fluid line;
- a pump adapted to cause a continuous and uninterrupted flow of the fluid additive from the reservoir through the supply conduit to the main fluid line;
- a first valve to selectively prevent the flow of the fluid additive into the main fluid line, the first valve disposed along the supply conduit and being normally opened;
- at least one return conduit providing fluid communication from the supply conduit to the reservoir, the return conduit including an orifice restriction;
- a second valve to selectively prevent the flow of fluid additive through the return conduit, the second valve disposed along the return conduit and being normally closed, the orifice restriction disposed between the supply conduit and the second valve;
- a first flow meter disposed in the supply conduit adapted to detect a flow rate of the fluid additive into the main fluid line;
- a second flow meter disposed in the main fluid line adapted to detect a fluid flow rate within the main fluid line;
- and
- means for controlling the pump, the first valve, and the second valve, wherein a signal from the first flow meter and a signal from the second flow meter are effective to control the operation of the pump, the first valve, and the second valve to maintain a desired flow of the fluid additive into the main fluid line.
A valve system for monitoring and controlling a flow of a fluid additive into a main fluid line comprising:
- a fluid reservoir adapted to contain the fluid additive;
- a supply conduit providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the main fluid line;
- a pump adapted to cause a continuous and uninterrupted flow of the fluid additive from the reservoir through the supply conduit to the main fluid line;
- a first solenoid actuated valve to selectively prevent the flow of the fluid additive into the main fluid line, the first solenoid actuated valve being normally open;
- a first return conduit providing fluid communication from the supply conduit to the reservoir, the return conduit including a first orifice restriction, and a second solenoid actuated valve to selectively prevent the flow of the fluid additive through the first return conduit, the second solenoid actuated valve being normally closed, the first orifice restriction disposed between the supply conduit and the second solenoid actuated valve;
- a second return conduit providing fluid communication from the supply conduit to the reservoir, the return conduit including a second orifice restriction, and a third solenoid actuated valve to selectively prevent the flow of the fluid additive through the second return conduit, the third solenoid actuated valve being normally closed, the second orifice restriction disposed between the supply conduit and the third solenoid actuated valve;
- a first flow meter disposed in the supply conduit adapted to detect a flow rate of the fluid additive into the main fluid line;
- a second flow meter disposed in the main fluid line downstream form the supply conduit adapted to detect a fluid flow rate within the main fluid line;
- and
- a programmable logic controller for controlling the pump and the solenoid actuated valves, wherein a signal from the first flow meter and a signal from the second flow meter are employed to control the operation of the pump and the solenoid actuated valves to maintain a desired flow of the fluid additive into the main fluid line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.