Autonomous valve control and monitoring

摘要

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an autonomous controllable valve system for providing turbulent flow to a cleaning solution during a valve-cleaning operation, the valve system includes a valve and a valve controller, the valve has an MR sensor array arranged to receive a magnetic field from a magnet coupled to the valve stem, the MR sensor array generating signals indicative of a valve stem position, the valve controller receiving the position signals and generating a control signal for a valve actuator to move the valve stem to a cleaning position between a closed position and a maximal-open position. The cleaning position may be less than twenty percent of a distance between the closed position and the maximal open position. In an illustrative embodiment, the cleaning position may be predetermined to cause a turbulent flow of the cleaning solution.

主权项

1. An autonomously-controllable valve system for providing turbulent flow of a cleaning solution during a valve-cleaning operation, the autonomously-controllable valve system comprising:
a valve comprising:
a valve seat;a valve disc configured to provide a sealed closure against the valve seat;a valve stem coupled to the valve disc, the valve stem and a valve stem base rotatably coupled along a longitudinal axis to the valve stem such that the orientation of the valve stem is decoupled from an orientation of the valve stem base, the valve stem base providing a mechanical coupling between a valve-actuating member and the valve disc, wherein the valve-actuating member is adapted to move the valve stem along a valve-stem path between a closed position and a maximal-open position;a magnet coupled to the valve stem providing a magnetic field; anda plurality of magnetic-field detectors arranged adjacent to the valve stem to provide signals indicative of the position of the valve stem along the valve-stem path; and, a valve controller disposed proximate the valve, the valve controller comprising:
a processor;a plurality of data-memory locations; anda plurality of program-memory locations,wherein the plurality of program-memory locations contains instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:(a) receiving, from the plurality of magnetic-field detectors, the signals indicative of a current position of the valve stem along the valve-stem path;(b) calculating a velocity of the valve stem using the received signals indicative of the position of the valve stem along the valve-stem path;(c) receiving, from a data-memory location, a cleaning position between the closed position and the maximal-open position,(d) determining a position/time profile to move the valve stem to the cleaning position from the current position;(e) generating a control signal that, when received by the valve-actuating member, causes the valve-actuating member to move the valve stem to the cleaning position according to the determined position/time profile; and,(f) sending the generated control signal to the valve-actuating member.