FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to control valves; more particularly, the present

invention pertains to control valves which include a fluid pressure monitoring system.

BACKGROUND

In recent years it has become extremely important for control valve manufacturers to develop valve positioning mechanisms that can accurately sense fluid pressures at both

the valve inlet and the valve outlet. The sensed pressures may then be used for various

purposes to include adjusting fluid flow through the control valve. Thus, accurate fluid

pressure measurement is critical.

Detracting from the accuracy of fluid pressure measurements through control

valves are complex fluid flow components such as swirl, secondary or counter-rotational

vortex flow, boundary layer flow and/or high-core velocity flow. Accordingly, an

accurate measurement of fluid pressure at both the inlet and the outlet of a control valve can only be obtained by minimizing those components of fluid flow which detract from

the accuracy of fluid pressure measurement.

Therefore, a need exists in the art to provide a system by which those components

of fluid flow which detract from the accuracy of fluid pressure measurement in a control

valve are minimized to increase the accuracy of fluid pressure measurement.

SUMMARY

The improved fluid pressure measuring system for control valves ofthe present

invention minimizes those aspects of fluid flow which detract from the accuracy of fluid

pressure measurement in control valves.

Specifically, a fluid flow conditioner is placed upstream and inboard of a

substantially circular averaging channel. Once having passed through the fluid flow conditioner and into the averaging channel, fluid is conducted from the averaging channel to a fluid pressure measuring device. Thus, those components of fluid flow which detract

from an accurate pressure measurement are removed by the fluid flow conditioner before

the fluid ever enters the averaging channel on its way to the pressure measuring device.

In the preferred embodiment, a fluid flow conditioner is located upstream ofthe flow path

into the averaging channel on both the inlet and outlet sides of the control valve.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A better understanding ofthe improved fluid flow pressure measuring system for

control valves of the present invention may be had by reference to the figures wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a control valve incoφorating the improved

fluid pressure measuring system ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofthe valve inlet;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve outlet;

FIGURE 4 is an end view ofthe valve inlet;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a control valve, including an external

manifold block; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view ofthe control valve shown in Figure 5 showing

the attachment ofthe external manifold block to a flange ofthe control valve.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

By refeπing to Figure 1, it will be seen that the improved fluid pressure

measurement system 10 of the present invention is used in conjunction with a globe type

control valve assembly 100. While illustrated and described for use with a globe type

control valve assembly 100, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the present invention may be used with a wide variety of different types of control valves.

The control valve assembly 100 includes an inlet flange 102 which has a plurality

of axial bolt holes 104 for connecting the control valve assembly 100 to a flange on

another valve or to a fluid conduit such as a pipe, elbow or tee (not shown). A central opening 106 within the inlet flange 102 allows fluid to pass into the interior of the control

valve assembly 100.

Located downstream from the inlet flange 102 is the body 110 ofthe control valve

assembly 100. On the opposite end ofthe body 110 ofthe control valve assembly 100

from the inlet flange 102 is an outlet flange 1 12. Similar to the inlet flange 102, the

outlet flange 112 includes a plurality of bolt holes 114 which surround a central opening

116. Note that an inlet fluid flow conditioner 12 and an outlet fluid flow conditioner 52

are placed within the openings 106 and 116 in the flanges 102 and 112, respectively.

In Figure 2 it may be seen how the improved pressure measuring system 10 is

positioned on the inlet side ofthe control valve assembly 100. A similar arrangement for

the outlet side of the control valve assembly 100 is shown in Figure 3. A fluid flow

conditioner 12 is fitted to mount within the opening 106. As shown in Figure 4, in the preferred embodiment, the fluid flow conditioner 12 includes thirty-five openings 14

within a plate portion 16 sized to fit within the opening 106 in the inlet flange 102.

Extending downstream from the plate portion 16 on the inlet side is a short cylindrical

section 18 which both provides a radial fluid flow path 38 and a distal end 20 which positions the fluid conditioner 12 by abutting a shoulder 39 within the control valve

housing 1 10.

In Figure 3 it may be seen that on the outlet side ofthe control valve assembly

100 is a second fluid flow conditioner 52. The thirty-five openings 54 are in a plate

portion 56 which abuts a shoulder 55 within the control valve housing 110. Extending

downstream from the plate portion 56 is is a short cylindrical section 58 which both

provides a radial flow path 38 and a distal end 60 with an external rim 62 to engage the

opening 1 16 in the flange 1 12 on the outlet side ofthe control valve assembly 100.

The thirty-five openings aπanged in a predetermined pattern in each ofthe inlet

fluid flow conditioner 12 and the outlet fluid flow conditioner 52 minimize those fluid

flow components which detract from accurate pressure measurement.

As previously indicated, both the short cylindrical section 18 on the inlet side of

the valve 100 and the short cylindrical section 58 on the outlet side of the valve 60

include a plurality of radial fluid flow paths 38.

Outboard of the fluid flow paths 38 on both the inlet and the outlet sides of the

control valve 100 is an averaging channel into which the flow conditioned fluid passes.

Fluid flow to the averaging channel on either the inlet or outlet sides ofthe valve 100 is

substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow through the flow conditioner on either side

ofthe control valve 100.

Flow conditioned fluid is collected in the inlet averaging channel 42 before

passing on to a fluid pressure measuring device 48. By refeπing again to Figures 1 and 2, it may be seen that, on the inlet side, flow conditioned fluid passes through the fluid

flow paths 38 formed in the short cylindrical section 18 ofthe flow conditioner 12, thence

through a radial passage 44 formed in the inlet flange 102 to a set of either tapered or

straight pipe threads 46 formed in the inlet flange 102 at the end ofthe radial passage 44. Such configuration may be used on either the inlet or the outlet side ofthe control valve

assembly 100.

By referring to Figures 1 and 3, it may be seen that on the outlet side of the

control valve assembly 100 is an alternate configuration for the opening 84 leading away

from the averaging chamber 82 and on to a fluid pressure measuring device 88. Instead of passing directly through the outlet flange 1 12, an axial passage 84 extends from the

averaging chamber 82. This axial passage 84 then turns a right angle and terminates at

a set of tapered or straight pipe threads 86 formed in the valve body 110. Such

configuration may be used on either the inlet or outlet side ofthe control valve assembly

100.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown yet another configuration of a control valve assembly

100 incorporating the improved fluid pressure measuring system ofthe present invention.

Specifically, a manifold block 60 is bolted to both the inlet flange 102 and the outlet

flange 1 12. The fluid flow configuration from the averaging chambers 42 and 82 is like

that shown in Figure 2. To assure a leak-proof connection between one or both ofthe flanges on either end ofthe control valve assembly 100, a variety of different arrays of

hardware may be used. Shown in Figure 6 is but one example of a hardware connection

utilizing a small connecting collar 62 encircled by two O-rings 64. A valve manifold 68 is sealingly connected to the manifold block 60 which extends between the two flanges

on either end ofthe control valve assembly 100.

A differential pressure transmitter 69 may be sealingly connected to the valve

manifold 68.

Inlet and outlet pressures may be blocked by closing valves 66. A third valve 67

may be opened to equalize pressure to the differential pressure transmitter for calibration.

There is provided by the present invention a system for improving fluid pressure

measurement at either the inlet side of a control valve, the outlet side of a control valve,

or both.

While the preferred embodiments of invention have been explained in the

foregoing description, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that variations to

the disclosed embodiments are possible. Such variations shall fall within the scope and

meaning ofthe appended claims.