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US 9,316,330 B2Granted
Apparatus for flow regulation
AssigneeTco AS
InventorKeith Donald Woodford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for regulating the flow of a fluid from a source to a target location comprises a housing defining a fluid inlet configured to communicate with a fluid source and a fluid outlet configured to communicate with a target location, and a flow path extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet. An inlet valve assembly is mounted in the flow path and comprises a valve seat and a valve member configured to cooperate with the valve seat to regulate flow through the flow path. A balance arrangement is provided and is configured to balance the effect of fluid pressure acting on the inlet valve assembly.
Claims40
An apparatus for regulating the flow of a fluid from a source to a target location, comprising:
- a housing defining a fluid inlet for communicating with a fluid source and a fluid outlet for communicating with a target location;
- a flow path extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet;
- a valve assembly mounted in the flow path and comprising a valve seat and a valve member which cooperates with the valve seat to regulate flow through the flow path;
- a flow control member moveably mounted within the housing to operate the valve assembly by moving the valve member relative to the valve seat to vary the flow through the flow path, wherein the flow control member comprises an internal conduit defining a portion of the flow path such that fluid flows from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet via the internal conduit of the flow control member;
- a balance arrangement for balancing the effect of fluid pressure acting on the valve assembly;
- and
- wherein the valve assembly and the balance arrangement are exposed to a common fluid pressure.
4 more elements
A method for regulating flow between a source and a target location, comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a fluid inlet for communicating with a fluid source and a fluid outlet for communicating with a target location;
- a flow path extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet;
- a valve assembly mounted in the flow path and comprising a valve seat and a valve member which cooperates with the valve seat to regulate flow through the flow path;
- a flow control member moveably mounted within the housing to operate the valve assembly by moving the valve member relative to the valve seat to vary the flow through the flow path, wherein the flow control member comprises an internal conduit defining a portion of the flow path;
- and
- a balance arrangement,
- wherein the method further comprises:
- delivering fluid into the fluid inlet to flow via the valve assembly and the internal conduit of the flow control member towards the fluid outlet;
- and
- exposing the valve assembly and the balance arrangement to a common fluid pressure to balance the effect of fluid pressure acting on valve assembly.
8 more elements
A method for regulating flow between a source and a target location, comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a fluid inlet for communicating with a fluid source and a fluid outlet for communicating with a target location;
- a flow path extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet;
- a valve assembly mounted in the flow path and comprising a valve seat and a valve member which cooperates with the valve seat to regulate flow through the flow path;
- a flow control member moveably mounted within the housing to operate the valve assembly by moving the valve member relative to the valve seat to vary the flow through the flow path, wherein the flow control member comprises an internal conduit defining a portion of the flow path such that fluid flows from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet via the internal conduit of the flow control member;
- a first fluid chamber located on one side of flow control member for receiving fluid from the fluid inlet, and a second fluid chamber located on an opposite side of the flow control member for communicating fluid to the fluid outlet, wherein the flow control member is displaceable by fluid pressure within the first and second fluid chambers;
- and
- a flow restrictor mounted within the internal conduit of the flow control member and configured to be exposed to a pressure differential across said flow restrictor, wherein the method further comprises:
- flowing a fluid through the apparatus such that the flow control member moves to operate the valve assembly to vary fluid pressure within one of the first and second fluid chambers to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across the flow restrictor.
6 more elements
An apparatus for regulating the flow of a fluid from a source to a target location, comprising:
- a housing defining a fluid inlet for communicating with a fluid source and a fluid outlet for communicating with a target location;
- a flow path extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet;
- a valve assembly mounted in the flow path and comprising a valve seat and a valve member which cooperates with the valve seat to regulate flow through the flow path;
- a flow control member moveably mounted within the housing to operate the valve assembly by moving the valve member relative to the valve seat to vary the flow through the flow path, wherein the flow control member comprises an internal conduit defining a portion of the flow path such that fluid flows from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet via the internal conduit of the flow control member;
- a first fluid chamber located on one side of flow control member for receiving fluid from the fluid inlet, and a second fluid chamber located on an opposite side of the flow control member for communicating fluid to the fluid outlet, wherein the flow control member is displaceable by fluid pressure within the first and second fluid chambers;
- and
- a flow restrictor mounted within the internal conduit of the flow control member and configured to be exposed to a pressure differential across said flow restrictor,
- wherein the flow control member operates the valve assembly to vary fluid pressure within one of the first and second fluid chambers to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across the flow restrictor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.