Dresser, Inc.

Dresser Industries, Inc.

Other

Henry William Boger

James Albert Stares

Larry Gene Schoonover

Christopher Colwell

Chunhe Zhou

Raymond Villier

Sandro Esposito

Peter S Levesque

Denis Auguste Vital

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Azam Mihir Thatte

Xuele Qi

Thomas Henry Cunningham

Nuo Sheng

Denis Vital

Peter Levesque

James Stares

A process control apparatus for the control of an industrial process is disclosed herein. The process control apparatus may include a power supply that supplies electrical power, and a single source disposed about an industrial process, the source in electrical communication with the power supply to receive electrical power therefrom. The source converts the electrical power into a wireless power signal. A number of receivers may be disposed about the industrial process, each receiver adapted to receive the power signal wirelessly, convert the power signal into electrical power, and communicate the electrical power onto a field device. The power signal may include an oscillating magnetic field M or electromagnetic waves that may be generally in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) range. Related methods of process control of an industrial process are also disclosed herein.

Wireless power transfer for process control

An apparatus includes a cage and a main plug disposed in the cage. The main plug is movable between a main plug closed position and a main plug open position. A seal assembly disposed on the main plug, the seal assembly having a seal that is configured to contact the cage when the main plug is in the main plug closed position, and configured to reduce contact with the cage when a pressure differential across the seal is reduced. The apparatus includes a pressure balancing assembly movable between a closed position, an overtravel position and an open position. The pressure balancing assembly is configured to balance the pressure differential across the seal when in the overtravel and open position.

Pressure balanced spring loaded overtravel sealing apparatus

A flow control system includes a pilot driven valve having a pilot assembly and a main valve assembly; a displacement measurement component coupled to the main valve assembly indicating displacement of the main valve assembly; and a proportional solenoid responsive to a signal from the displacement measurement component that displaces the pilot assembly in proportion to the changes in displacement of the main valve assembly. The valve is controlled by sensing a displacement of the main valve assembly; and modulating the proportional solenoid in response to the displacement of the main valve assembly.

Process fluid actuated pilot operated control valve

A fluid regulator characterization system can characterize the flow of a fluid regulator that results in response to a received control signal. The fluid regulator characterization system can use the characterization to achieve a linear fluid regulator flow gain over a full operating range (e.g., zero percent travel to one hundred percent travel) for the fluid regulator relative to the received control signal. A linear fluid regulator flow gain can improve process control and reduce process variability.

Fluid process control

Valve positioning systems may include one or more components and a controller. Components may include one or more electric-to-pressure output converters, relays, gas supplies, and/or actuators. A controller may adjust a position of a valve by sending a signal. The valve positioning system may individually monitor components and determine the condition of each component being individually monitored. The valve positioning system may determine if a component will fail prior to failure and/or determine if a problem will occur in a component prior to the problem occurring.

Control valve and positioner diagnostics

Fluid regulation control may be accomplished by a variety of systems, devices, and techniques. In one application, a fluid regulation control device may include a processor, a fluid control assembly, and a power source. The processor may be adapted to generate a command for controlling a fluid regulator and to adjust a power condition of the device, which may include a low power mode and a high power mode. The device may consume substantially less power in the low power mode than in the high power mode. The fluid control assembly may include a transducer, which may receive a control fluid and adjust it in response to the command during the high power mode. The fluid control assembly may also maintain the adjusted control fluid at a substantially constant value during the low power mode.

Controlling fluid regulation

Fluid regulation may be achieved by a process performed by a controller. The process may include regulating a first fluid with a fluid-driven fluid regulator, receiving a second fluid, receiving electric power generated using the second fluid, and controlling the fluid regulator with the second fluid. The process may also include determining whether wirelessly sent instructions regarding regulation have been received and, if wirelessly sent instructions regarding regulation have been received, adjusting control of the fluid regulator.

Fluid regulation

A noise reduction device for use in a fluid flow system comprises a central section and an outer annular section. The outer annular section is designed to reduce the velocity of an annular fluid flow relative to a central core fluid flow. The central section of the device has a plurality of apertures, while the annular section has upstream apertures communicating with a pressure reduction chamber and downstream apertures. The upstream apertures of the annular section are smaller than, and off set from, the downstream apertures of an annular section to increase the pressure reduction and further reduce the velocity of the fluid flow in an annular section. A method is also described for reducing noise transmissions from a piping system wherein the fluid flow through the piping system is separated into an annular fluid flow and a core fluid flow, and the velocity of the annular fluid flow is reduced relative to the core fluid flow.

Noise reduction device for fluid flow systems

A noise reduction device for use in a fluid flow system includes a central section and an outer section. The outer section is designed to reduce the velocity of an outer fluid flow relative to a central core fluid flow. The central section of the device may have a plurality of apertures, while the outer section may have upstream apertures communicating with a pressure reduction chamber and downstream apertures. The upstream apertures of the outer section may be smaller than, and off set from, the downstream apertures to increase the pressure reduction and further reduce the velocity of the fluid flow. A method is also described for reducing noise transmissions from a piping system wherein the fluid flow through the piping system is separated into an outer fluid flow and a core fluid flow, and the velocity of the outer fluid flow is reduced relative to the core fluid flow.

A valve positioner system that includes one or more unique control methods and devices, including several routines to facilitate the continuous maintenance, calibration and adjustment requirements of the valve. The positioner system may utilize pressure and position feedback signals to monitor the valve. The positioner system may utilize an external controller for various diagnostic and other routines. The positioner system can provide automatic positioning and can operate in a manual operating mode or an automatic operating mode. The positioner system can diagnose the valve while the valve process is running or during a maintenance operation. The positioner system can provide nonlinear control of the valve position. The positioner system can self-tune and self-characterize the valve to assure uniform position control. The positioner system can provide valve control through pressure feedback when a position feedback fails or other diagnosed problems. The positioner system can provide constraints to prevent slope reversal or slope changes in the valve characterization that would produce undesirable valve gain.

Valve positioner system

A valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid through a conduit section having and an inlet and an outlet in which a ball valve having a through bore formed therein is rotatably mounted in the conduit section. The ball valve moves between an open position in which at least a portion of the bore registers with the inlet to permit the flow of the fluid through the ball valve, and a closed position in which fluid flow through the ball valve is prevented. An insert is disposed in the conduit section downstream of the ball valve, and a first series of passages are formed through the insert for receiving the fluid from the ball valve. At least one addition series of passages extend through the insert for receiving fluid from the first series of passages and discharging the fluid to the outlet, with the passages reducing the noise generated by the fluid flow.

Low noise ball valve assembly with downstream insert

A valve assembly and method for controlling the flow of fluid through a conduit in which a ball valve is disposed in the conduit and is provided with a through bore for receiving the fluid. An insert is also disposed in the conduit downstream of the ball valve and has a plurality of relatively small flow passages. A relatively large flow passage is defined by that portion of the conduit not occupied by the insert. The valve is rotatable in the conduit to direct the fluid from its bore through one or more of the flow passages and a portion of the insert forms an airfoil surface to prevent separation of the fluid as it passes through the relatively large flow passage.

Growing community of inventors

Foxboro, MA, United States of America

Henry William Boger