Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Armin Wiegand

Martin Wetzel

Rainer Lochschmied

Thomas Gnoss

Bernd Schmiederer

Mike Schmanau

Klaus Obrecht

Anton Pallek

Nils Cooper

Michael Heger

Dominik Bartnick

Thomas Preiß

Toni Plakinger

A valve assembly () comprising: a common housing having a first side (), a second side (), an inlet port () and an outlet port (); the valve assembly () comprising a first pair of valve members or poppets () and a second pair of valve members or poppets (), a first pair of valve seats () for cooperation with the first pair of valve members or poppets (), and a second pair of valve seats () for cooperation with the second pair of valve members or poppets (); a central flow diverter () disposed in between the first pair of valve members or poppets () and the second pair of valve seats (), the central flow diverter () defining a first side () of the valve assembly () and a second side () of the valve assembly ().

Valve assembly

An example control unit may include: a processor; an output device; a valve element; an actuator; and a sensor for the position of the valve element. The valve cycles and the processor records a first signal to measure a position of the valve element. The valve cycles and the processor records a second signal to measure a position of the valve element. The processor calculates a degree of wear based on the first value and the second value and the second number of valve cycles. The processor compares the degree of wear to a predefined threshold value and generates an output signal if the degree of wear exceeds the predefined threshold value.

Determining and accounting for wear on a valve

A method is disclosed for diagnosing a valve assembly having valve members serially arranged along a flow channel of the valve assembly connecting at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the valve assembly. All of the serially arranged valve members of the valve assembly are opended to allow fluid to flow through the flow channel. The flow of fluid through the flow channel is measured by at least one sensor. At least one of the valve members is openend, and at least one sensor checks for fluid leakage caused by at least one faulted valve member. The at least one sensor may include a flow sensor, e.g., a mass flow sensor.

Valve operation and diagnosis

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Lichtenau-Muckenschopf, Germany

Armin Wiegand