Emerson Process Management Valve Automation, Inc.

Eric Yuan

Harry Hobert

Edwin Schreuder

Toni Zhang

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically detecting the failure configuration of a pneumatic actuator. A control module is operatively coupled to the actuator, and the actuator is operatively coupled to a valve having a flow control member. When a number of pilot valves included in the control module is indicative of a double-acting actuator, the failure configuration of the actuator is determined based on the number of pilot valves. When the number of pilot valves included in the control module is indicative of a single-acting actuator, the failure configuration of the actuator is determined by comparing a first measurement value obtained in response to moving the flow control member in a first direction to a first position and a second measurement value obtained in response to moving the flow control member in a second direction opposite the first direction to a second position.

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Shenzhen, China

Eric Yuan