Fisher Controls International LLC

Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc

Julian Adin Mann, Iii

Christopher L Baszczynski

Terry EuClaire Meyer

Thomas Nelson Gabriel

Ted Dennis Grabau

Shannon Eugene Jelken

Katherine N Bartels

Roberto Barreiro

Lawrence Martin

Adam Taylor Boyle

Yanning Shen

Ashli J Armstrong

Jessica Dawn Myers

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture for reducing noise and/or cavitation in valves are disclosed. An example disclosed herein includes a valve including a valve body including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passageway extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and a valve trim apparatus disposed in the fluid passageway, the valve trim apparatus including a plug and a cage, the plug circumscribing the cage, the plug including first openings, the cage including second openings, the plug movable relative to the cage between a first position to enable fluid communication between the first openings of the plug and the second openings of the cage, and a second position to prevent fluid communication between the first openings of the plug and the second openings of the cage.

Valve trim apparatus for use with control valves

A modular valve assembly can include a core spool module and a plurality of end connection modules. The end connection modules can be configured to be secured to the core spool module at one or more of a core inlet or a core outlet of the core spool module to provide one or more respective, different flow configurations for the modular valve assembly. The core spool module can include a bonnet portion that is integrally formed with the core inlet and the core outlet and a seat ring configured to provide a seal against flow of process fluid through the modular valve assembly.

Modular valve assembly

An example valve includes a valve body, a cage, and a plug. The valve body includes a fluid passageway extending between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The cage and the plug are disposed in the fluid passageway. The cage includes a first annular sidewall having an inner layer and an outer layer that circumscribes the inner layer. The inner layer includes first openings extending through the inner layer. The outer layer includes second openings extending through the outer layer. The second openings are in fluid communication with the first openings. The second openings are smaller than the first openings. The plug includes a second annular sidewall circumscribed by the first annular sidewall. The second annular sidewall includes third openings extending through the second annular sidewall. The plug is movable relative to the cage to selectively place the third openings in fluid communication with the first openings.

Apparatus for reducing noise and cavitation in valves

Pressure-reduction devices for fluid systems are disclosed. An example device includes a housing defining an axial fluid passageway between an inlet and an outlet. A first plate is fixed to the housing and positioned in the axial fluid passageway. A second plate is positioned adjacent the first plate in the axial fluid passageway. The second plate is moveable relative to the first plate between a first position to move the pressure-reducing device to a closed position to restrict or prevent fluid flow through the axial fluid passageway and a second position to move the pressure-reducing device to an open position to allow fluid flow through the axial fluid passageway.

Pressure-reduction devices for fluid systems

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor a condition of a structure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an operational collection engine to measure first operational acceleration information from a first sensor installed at a first location and second operational acceleration information from a second sensor installed at a second location on a structure, a first vibration model response calculator to calculate a first vibration model response by entering the measured first and second operational acceleration information into a first vibration model, a second vibration model response calculator to calculate a second vibration model response by entering a calculated number of operational cycles into a second vibration model, a deviation threshold analyzer to determine a difference between the first vibration model response and the second vibration model response and an alert generator to generate an alert to identify a condition of the structure based on the difference between the first vibration model response and the second vibration model response.

Methods and apparatus to monitor a condition of a structure

Valve plugs having curved notches are described herein. An example valve plug includes a first section defining a first end, a second section defining a second end opposite the first end, and a third section located between the first and second sections, the third section including a curved notch formed inwardly from a periphery of the third section toward a longitudinal axis of the valve plug defined by the first, second and third sections.

Valve plugs having curved notches

Example composite valve plugs and related methods are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a valve plug tip, a valve plug body, and an additively deposited material. The valve plug tip includes a head portion and a tail portion extending from the head portion. The valve plug body includes a cavity extending from a first end of the valve plug body toward a second end of the valve plug body. The cavity matably receives the tail portion of the valve plug tip. The additively deposited material is bonded to the valve plug body to retain the tail portion of the valve plug tip in the valve plug body.

Composite valve plugs and related methods

The present device enables measurement of the susceptibility of corn plants to root lodging. The device is used to push over a corn stalk and the force used to push over the stalk, and the vibration of the stalk caused by the push are recorded. As material breaks in the stalk, an accelerometer, measures stalk vibration response to the breaking events; the data is then recorded to allow quantitative measurements of the susceptibility of corn plants to root lodging. This allows meaningful comparisons of various hybrids at early stages of hybrid evaluation and advancement.

Growing community of inventors

Ames, IA, United States of America

Julian Adin Mann, Iii