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US 8,413,677 B1Granted
System for accelerating relief valve opening
AssigneeExpro Americas, LLC
InventorsWilliam Paul Coffman, Charles Leland Patrick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure relief valve control system provides a method and apparatus for rapidly closing a relief valve in response to excess fluid pressure. The system uses a programmable controller to rapidly communicate pressure changes to a solenoid actuated valve and two control valves. The solenoid actuated valve has a dedicated accumulator and the two control valves have another dedicated accumulator.
Claims20
A pressure relief valve control system comprising:
- (a) a normally closed relief valve having a selectably operable double acting cylinder with a first port and a second port, wherein the cylinder moves to a first position or a second position in response to changes in measured fluid pressure changes, wherein increased fluid pressure in the first port moves the cylinder to the first position to open the relief valve and increased fluid pressure in the second port moves the cylinder to the second position to close the relief valve;
- (b) a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic reservoir;
- (c) a first accumulator and a second accumulator charged by the hydraulic pump from fluid in the reservoir;
- and
- (d) a valve control system including
- (i) a pressure sensing device for monitoring the fluid pressure changes,
- (ii) a solenoid controlled valve responsive to the pressure sensing device and in fluid communication with the first accumulator, the reservoir, and a pilot pressure line;
- (iii) a first control valve connected to a first side of the cylinder, wherein the first control valve is in fluid communication with the second accumulator, the pilot pressure line, the reservoir, and the first port;
- and
- (iv) a second control valve connected to a second side of the cylinder, wherein the second control valve is in fluid communication with the second accumulator, the pilot pressure line, the reservoir, and the second port;
- whereby whenever the pressure sensing device senses a fluid pressure greater than a predetermined pressure an electronic signal is sent to the solenoid operated valve that opens the pilot pressure line to a fluid pressure in the second accumulator thereby activating the first and second control valves to open the relief valve.
8 more elements
A pressure relief valve control system comprising:
- (a) a normally closed relief valve having a selectably operable double acting cylinder with a first port and a second port, wherein the cylinder moves to a first position or a second position in response to changes in measured fluid pressure changes, wherein increased fluid pressure in the first port moves the cylinder to the first position to open the relief valve and increased fluid pressure in the second port moves the cylinder to the second position to close the relief valve;
- (b) a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic reservoir;
- (c) a first accumulator and a second accumulator charged by the hydraulic pump from fluid in the reservoir;
- and
- (d) a valve control system closely coupled to the relief valve, the hydraulic pump and reservoir, and the first and second accumulators, wherein the valve control system includes
- (i) a pressure sensing device for measuring fluid pressure changes,
- (ii) a programmable logic controller for monitoring the fluid pressure changes and sending out an electronic signal whenever the measured fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined desirable pressure,
- (iii) a solenoid controlled valve responsive to the electronic signal from the programmable logic controller and in fluid communication with the first accumulator and a pilot pressure line;
- (iv) a first control valve connected to a first side of the cylinder, wherein the first control valve is in fluid communication with the second accumulator, the pilot pressure line, the reservoir, and the first port;
- and
- (v) a second control valve connected to a second side of the cylinder, wherein the second control valve is in fluid communication with the second accumulator, the pilot pressure line, the reservoir, and the second port;
- whereby whenever the solenoid operated valve responds to the electronic signal to open the pilot pressure line to a fluid pressure in the second accumulator thereby activating the first and second control valves to open the relief valve.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.