Gas valve with communication link

摘要

This disclosure relates generally to valves, and more particularly, to gas valve assemblies. In one example, the valve assembly may include a valve body with an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid path extending between the inlet and outlet ports, one or more valves situated about the fluid path, one or more valve actuators for selectively moving respective valves, one or more sensors for sensing one or more parameters within the fluid path, and a controller secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the one or more sensors for determining one or more valve assembly conditions based on the one or more sensed parameters. Illustratively, the controller may be configured to communicate information from the valve assembly to a combustion appliance controller that is located remotely from the valve assembly through a communications interface of the controller and across a communications bus.

主权项

1. A valve assembly for controlling flow of a fuel to a combustion appliance, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port; a first valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port; a first valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the first valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position; a second valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port; a second valve actuator, secured relative to the valve body, for selectively moving the second valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position; one or more sensors in communication with the fluid path for sensing one or more parameters within the fluid path of the valve body; a controller secured to the valve assembly and in communication with the one or more sensors, the controller determining one or more valve conditions based on the one or more sensed parameters and being configured to initiate an opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve; and the controller having a communications interface that is compatible with a predetermined bi-directional communication protocol, the communication interface for communicating one or more of the valve conditions determined by the controller to a device that is located remotely from and not secured to the valve assembly using the predetermined bi-directional communication protocol.