Swivel bearing maintenance indication

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, articles, and methods for swivel bearing maintenance are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid passage; a flow control member located in the fluid channel; a drive shaft coupled to the flow control member, the drive shaft extending through a shaft hole defined in the valve body; and a bearing surrounding at least a portion of the drive shaft. The bearing includes: a first layer including a first material having a first coefficient of friction with the driveshaft when the first material is in contact with the driveshaft; and a second layer including a second material having a second coefficient of friction with the driveshaft when the second material is in contact with the driveshaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to rotary valves, and more particularly, to rotary bearing maintenance indication. BACKGROUND

[0002] Control valves are commonly distributed throughout a process control system to control the flow of various fluids (e.g., liquids, gases, etc.). The size and operating conditions (e.g., operating pressure, operating temperature, operating fluid, etc.) of control valves can vary. Control valves are typically operated by movement of a shaft or stem that extends through a passage in a valve body. Bearings are used to reduce friction and smooth rotation of the shaft. SUMMARY

[0003] Systems, devices, articles of manufacture, and methods for rotary bearing maintenance are disclosed. An example device includes a valve body defining a fluid passage; a flow control member in the fluid passage; a drive shaft coupled to the flow control member, the drive shaft extending through a shaft bore defined in the valve body; and a bearing surrounding at least a portion of the drive shaft. The bearing includes a first layer comprising a first material, the first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material is in contact with the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material, the second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material is in contact with the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

[0004] An example bearing for a drive shaft in a valve is disclosed. The bearing includes a first layer comprising a first material, the first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material is in contact with the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material, the second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material is in contact with the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1A An example control valve system including an example rotary valve in a closed position is shown.

[0006] FIG. 1B An example control valve system is shown FIG. 1A with the rotary valve in an open position.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control valve system taken along line A-A in FIG. 1A

[0008] FIG. 3A is a side view of an example rotary bearing including an example bearing wear indicator in a first wear state.

[0009] FIG. 3B is a side view of an example rotary bearing including an example bearing wear indicator in a second wear state. FIG. 3A ​The side of the rotating bearing, where the bearing wear indicator is in the second wear state.

[0010] FIG. 4A This is a side view of an exemplary rotary bearing including a second exemplary bearing wear indicator in a first wear state.

[0011] FIG. 4B yes FIG. 4A The side of the rotating bearing, where the bearing wear indicator is in the second wear state.

[0012] FIG. 5A This is a perspective view of the sleeve of the third exemplary bearing wear indicator.

[0013] FIG. 5B yes FIG. 5A A side view of an example drive shaft, showing a portion of the sleeve and forming a third bearing wear indicator in the first wear state.

[0014] FIG. 5C yes FIG. 5B The side of the rotating bearing, where the bearing wear indicator is in the second wear state.

[0015] FIG. 5D It forms the third bearing wear indicator in the second wear state. FIGS. 5A-5C A cross-sectional view of the assembled components.

[0016] FIG. 6 This is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a bearing wear indication system.

[0017] FIG. 7 This indicates that it can be executed, instantiated, and / or implemented by an exemplary programmable circuit. FIG. 6 A flowchart of exemplary machine-readable instructions and / or exemplary operations for a wear determination circuit.

[0018] FIG. 8 This is a block diagram of an example processing platform including programmable circuitry configured to execute, instantiate, and / or perform exemplary machine-readable instructions and / or implement... FIG. 7 Exemplary operations to implement FIG. 6 Wear determination circuit.

[0019] Generally, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the accompanying drawings and written description to refer to the same or similar parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the thickness of layers or regions may be enlarged in the drawings. Although the drawings show layers and regions with clean lines and boundaries, some or all of these lines and / or boundaries may be idealized. In reality, boundaries and / or lines may be unobservable, mixed, and / or irregular. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Rotary valves, such as butterfly valves and ball valves, are a common type of valve used in process control systems. A rotary valve typically includes a valve body that defines a fluid passage and a flow control member that can rotate within the fluid passage to allow or block fluid flow. The flow control member is rotated by a drive shaft that extends through a passage or orifice defined in the valve body. Rotary valves include one or more bearings to support and facilitate the rotation of the drive shaft.

[0021] Over time, bearings wear down. Wearing bearings can cause damage if there is metal-to-metal contact between components with tight clearances. Additionally, worn bearings can affect the position of the drive shaft, which can impact the control of flow control components. Taking valves offline to replace bearings incurs production costs.

[0022] This document discloses exemplary bearings that include wear indication features that can be detected to determine the wear condition or state of the bearing. Maintenance, repair, and / or replacement of worn bearings can be predicted and scheduled. Predicting or estimating bearing maintenance minimizes valve downtime, minimizes production costs, minimizes the likelihood of valve damage, and improves valve performance.

[0023] FIG. 1A An exemplary control valve system 100 constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure is shown. The control valve system 100 includes an example rotary valve 102 and an exemplary actuator 104 for operating (e.g., opening or closing) the rotary valve 102. The exemplary control valve system 100 may also be referred to as a control valve assembly or an actuator valve assembly.

[0024] In the example shown, the rotary valve 102 includes a valve body 106 defining a fluid passage 108 and a flow control member 110 disposed within the fluid passage 108 of the valve body 106. The valve body 106 may be coupled between an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe to control the flow of fluid between the pipes. The flow control member 110 may be disposed within the fluid passage 108. FIG. 1A The closing position shown is the same as FIG. 1B The flow control member 110 rotates between the open and closed positions shown. In this example, the flow control member 110 is implemented as a disk. However, in other examples, the flow control member 110 can be implemented by another type of rotatable flow control member (such as a ball). In the closed position, as shown... FIG. 1A As shown, the flow control member 110 blocks the fluid passage 108, thereby preventing fluid flow between the pipes. The flow control member 110 can be rotated to... FIG. 1B The open position shown, in which the flow control member 110 is at least partially angled relative to the valve body 106, allows fluid to flow through the fluid passage 108, thereby flowing between pipes.

[0025] The rotary valve 102 includes a drive shaft 112 and a driven shaft 114 coupled to a flow control member 110. The drive shaft 112 and driven shaft 114 are rotatable about a rotation axis 115. The drive shaft 112 can rotate about the rotation axis 115 to rotate the flow control member 110 between an open position and a closed position. The driven shaft 114 rotates based on the rotation of the drive shaft 112. In some examples, the flow control member 110 can rotate approximately 90° between the fully closed position shown in FIG. 1 and a fully open position in which the flow control member 110 is substantially parallel to the fluid passage 108. The flow control member 110 can also be rotated to any position or angle between the fully closed and fully open positions to allow partial fluid flow.

[0026] In this example, actuator 104 is a linear actuator. Actuator 104 includes linear movement (e.g., in...). FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B The lever of rotary valve 102 is moved up and down as shown in the diagram to control the lever. Actuator 104 has actuator housing 116 that houses the diaphragm and other components for moving the lever. Control valve system 100 has a linkage that converts the linear motion of the lever into rotational motion of drive shaft 112.

[0027] In the example shown, the control valve system 100 includes an exemplary mounting housing 118 coupled between a rotary valve 102 and an actuator 104. Specifically, the mounting housing 118 is coupled to a valve body 106 and an actuator housing 116. Thus, in this example, the mounting housing 118 couples the rotary valve 102 and the actuator 104. In some examples, the mounting housing 118 is a sealed housing or chamber. In some examples, the mounting housing 118 is made of metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0028] FIG. 2 It is along FIG. 1A A partial cross-sectional view of the control valve system 100 taken by line AA. An exemplary bearing 200 surrounds a portion of each of the drive shaft 112 and the driven shaft 114. The drive shaft 112, the driven shaft 114, and the bearing 200 are positioned within the shaft bore 202 of the valve body 106.

[0029] In the illustrated example, bearing 200 is a rotary bearing that holds or supports drive shaft 112 and driven shaft 114 as rotating components. Bearing 200 may be referred to as, for example, a sliding bearing, journal bearing, friction bearing, rotary bearing, etc. In some examples, lubrication is used to reduce friction between drive shaft 112 and driven shaft 114 and bearing 200. In the examples disclosed herein, bearing 200 includes a multi-layered structure serving as a wear indicator. In some examples, bearing 200 includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer comprises a first material, and the second layer comprises a second material different from the first material. In some examples, the first layer contacts drive shaft 112, and the first layer eventually wears down after use of valve system 100. Eventually, the second layer is exposed and contacts drive shaft 112. The contact between the second layer and drive shaft 112 indicates bearing wear. The examples disclosed herein concerning drive shaft 112 are also applicable to driven shaft 114.

[0030] FIG. 2 Examples also include packing 204 positioned around drive shaft 112. In some examples, packing 204 comprises a set of rings, such as O-rings of a resilient material. Packing 204 is positioned between drive shaft 112 and valve body 106. Packing 204 forms a seal to prevent process fluid from leaking from control valve system 100.

[0031] FIG. 3A This is a side view of an exemplary rotary bearing 300 including wear indication functionality. The bearing 300 at least partially surrounds the drive shaft 112. FIG. 3A In the example, drive shaft 112 is carried by force F such that drive shaft 112 contacts the inner diameter of bearing 300 at the top position of bearing 300 (e.g., at the top of the figure). The inner diameter of bearing 300 is spaced apart from drive shaft 112 at the bottom of bearing 300 (e.g., towards the bottom of the figure), as shown in space 302. Bearing 300 itself presses against valve body 106 at the top, which leaves a gap in hole 202 between the bottom of bearing 300 and valve body 106.

[0032] Bearing 300 includes a first exemplary layer 304 and a second exemplary layer 306. In the illustrated example, the first layer 304 is located at the inner diameter of bearing 300, and the second layer 306 is located at the outer diameter of bearing 300. In some examples, the first layer 304 includes a first material, and the second layer 306 includes a second material. In some examples, the first material and the second material are different. In some examples, the first material includes a polymer. In some examples, the first material includes polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), other thermoplastics, and / or combinations of multiple materials. In some examples, the second material includes a metal.

[0033] In the example shown, the first layer 304 and the second layer 306 are mechanically interlocked via finger joints. In some examples, the first layer 304 and the second layer 306 include a plurality of protrusions, fingers, teeth or projections and cavities or recesses, such that the tabs 308 of the first layer 304 engage adjacent to the protrusions 310 of the second layer 306. FIG. 3A Examples show rectangular protrusions 308, 310 forming a tongue and groove joint. In other examples, protrusions 308, 310 and corresponding recesses form dovetail joints, puzzle-shaped joints, lap joints, dowel joints, etc. In some examples, the first layer 304 and the second layer 306 are coupled in a lattice structure, wherein these layers transition from a polymer at the inner portion of the bearing 300 to a metal at the outer portion of the bearing 300. In some examples, the protrusion 310 of the second layer 306 retains a portion of the first layer 304 that flows cold under the load of the drive shaft 112.

[0034] The first layer 304 is a material with lower friction than the second layer 306. Furthermore, the first layer 304 is the primary wear surface against which the drive shaft 112 operates. Over time, the bearing 300 wears, and the thickness of the first layer 304 changes from a first thickness to a second thickness less than the first thickness. In other words, the first layer 304 wears during the use of the bearing 300. Eventually, the first layer 304 wears down to the point where the drive shaft 300 contacts the second layer 306. FIG. 3B When the first layer 304 has worn down to the point where the drive shaft 112 contacts the second layer 306, friction between the drive shaft 112 and the bearing 300 increases. This increased friction results in a greater torque being generated as the drive shaft 112 rotates against the second layer 306 compared to the first layer 304. A first coefficient of friction exists between the drive shaft 112, which may include metal, and the first layer 304, which includes a polymer. A second coefficient of friction exists between the drive shaft 112, which may include metal, and the second layer 306, which includes metal. The first coefficient of friction is lower than the second coefficient of friction. Therefore, a greater torque is required as the drive shaft 112 rotates as the bearing 300 wears.

[0035] The increase in torque during the rotation of drive shaft 112 can be detected by a sensor. For example, FIG. 6 This is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a bearing wear indication system 600. The bearing wear indication system 600 includes an exemplary sensor 602 and an exemplary wear determination circuit 604. In some examples, the sensor 602 includes a torque sensor, a strain gauge, a rotational strain sensor, and / or other types of sensors capable of measuring and / or scanning parameters related to the function of the drive shaft 112 and / or the bearing 300. The wear determination circuit 604 compares the wear parameters measured by the sensor 602 with reference values ​​or thresholds. For example, in… FIG. 3A andFIG. 3B In the example, the wear determination circuit 604 compares the torque measured by sensor 602 during rotation of drive shaft 112 with a threshold. If the torque value reaches, exceeds, or otherwise meets the threshold (e.g., the measured torque is greater than the threshold), the wear determination circuit 604 diagnoses or determines that bearing 300 is worn and requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement. In other words, the wear determination circuit 604 monitors the torque profile and assesses the wear point or wear condition of bearing 300 based on the torque profile. Changes in torque indicate a change in the first layer 304 from a first thickness to a thinner second thickness, where a portion of the first layer 304 has worn.

[0036] In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 compares parameters measured by the sensor 602 over time. For example, the wear determination circuit 604 compares parameters (e.g., torque) at different time points to determine the amount of change between the two time points. In some examples, a step change and / or a threshold difference in torque can indicate the wear condition of the bearing 300.

[0037] In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 compares parameters at different points in time to determine the rate of change of a measured parameter (e.g., torque). The rate of change can be used to indicate the wear condition of the bearing 300 or to predict the wear condition. The predicted wear condition can be used to schedule maintenance before the bearing 300 is worn or fails.

[0038] In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 triggers or causes the actuation of a notification, warning, or alarm 606. In some examples, the alarm 606 includes sound, light, reports, text, and / or other displays indicating the wear of the bearing 300.

[0039] like FIG. 3B As shown, when the first layer 304 has worn down sufficiently to allow the second layer 306 to contact the drive shaft 112, the remaining portion of the first layer 304 remains in contact with the drive shaft. Therefore, the lower coefficient of friction between the first layer 304 and the drive shaft 112 continues to provide some lubrication to the system. The drive shaft 112 continues to rotate against the bearing 300 without damage, but the increased torque based on the higher coefficient of friction between the second layer 306 and the drive shaft 112 indicates that the bearing 300 requires maintenance.

[0040] FIG. 4A This is a side view of an exemplary rotary bearing 400 including a second exemplary bearing wear indicator in a first wear state. FIG. 4BThis is a side view of a rotary bearing 400, with the bearing wear indicator in a second wear state. The bearing 400 includes a first layer 402 and a second layer 404. The first layer 402 forms a ring around a drive shaft 112. The second layer 404 also forms a ring around the drive shaft 112. In the illustrated example, the second layer 404 is located within or between portions of the first layer 402. In other examples, the second layer 404 is located at one end of the first layer 402 (e.g., laterally to one side). The first layer 402 comprises a polymer, and the second layer 404 comprises a metal. The polymer and metal layers operate as described above.

[0041] The first layer 402 has a first thickness, and the second layer 404 has a second thickness. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness. When the drive shaft 112 is in FIG. 4A When the top position of the bearing 400 abuts against the bearing 400 and the first layer 402 bears the load, there is a gap 406 between the second layer 404 and the drive shaft 406. At this time, the bearing 400 is in the first worn state. The load on the drive shaft 112 is still on the opposite side of the drive shaft 112 (i.e., on the side where the bearing 400 is located). FIG. 4A A second gap 408 is created at the bottom.

[0042] As bearing 400 wears, the thickness of the first layer 402 decreases, such as... FIG. 4B As shown. Ultimately, the thickness of the first layer 402 decreases to the thickness of the second layer 404. When the thickness of the first layer 402 decreases to the thickness of the second layer 404, the gap 406 is eliminated, and the second layer 404 contacts the drive shaft 112. As the first layer 402 wears, the second layer 404 provides increased friction. Because the coefficient of friction between the second layer 404 and the drive shaft 112 is greater than that between the first layer 402 and the drive shaft 112, the torque increases during the rotation of the drive shaft 112 when the drive shaft 112 contacts the second layer 404. As described above, the torque curve can be sensed by the sensor 602 and analyzed by the wear determination circuit 604. Therefore, the contact between the second layer 404 and the drive shaft 112 indicates a worn bearing 400.

[0043] The second layer 404 forms a wear ring, and the thickness of the second layer 404 can be determined based on the thickness of the first layer 402 and / or based on the composition of the first layer 402. In some examples, the second layer 404 is pressed into the shaft hole 202.

[0044] FIGS. 5A-5D Another exemplary bearing 500, including a bearing wear indicator, is shown. FIG. 5A This is a perspective view of an exemplary outer sheath, sleeve, or sleeve 502. Sleeve 502 includes an exemplary extension, protrusion, or plate 504. Plate 504 is bent inward toward the inner radial direction of sleeve 502. The interior of sleeve 502 is coupled to an exemplary inner layer 506. FIG. 5B andFIG. 5C As shown, inner layer 506 forms a first layer for engaging drive shaft 112, and sleeve 502 forms a second layer. In some examples, inner layer 506 comprises a polymer, and sleeve 502 comprises metal. Thus, inner layer 506 and sleeve 502 serve as the first and second layers disclosed above. In some examples, sleeve 502 may also comprise a polymer, but a polymer that is harder than the material of inner layer 506.

[0045] Plate 504 extends through inner layer 506. Plate 504 is aligned with knurled, grooved, or toothed surfaces 508 axially positioned around drive shaft 112. In some examples, teeth 508 form a ring around drive shaft 112. FIG. 5B In the first wear state shown, the inner layer 506 has a first thickness, and the plate 504 is positioned away from the tooth 508. As the bearing 500 wears, the thickness of the inner layer 506 decreases, and the plate 504 moves closer to the tooth 508. Finally, after sufficient wear and as... FIG. 5C As shown, the thickness of the inner layer 506 is reduced to the extent that the plate 504 contacts the tooth 508. In some examples, the contact between the plate 504 and the tooth 508 increases the torque generated when the drive shaft 112 rotates. As described above, the torque curve can be sensed by the sensor 602 and analyzed by the wear determination circuit 604. Therefore, the contact between the plate 504 and the tooth 508 indicates worn bearing 400.

[0046] In some examples, the contact between plate 504 and tooth 508 generates vibration. Sensor 602 may include an accelerometer that senses the vibration. Wear determination circuit 604 compares the vibration measured by sensor 602 during rotation of drive shaft 112 with a threshold. If the vibration value reaches, exceeds, or otherwise meets the threshold (e.g., the measured vibration is greater than the threshold), wear determination circuit 604 diagnoses or determines that bearing 500 is worn and requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement. In other words, wear determination circuit 604 monitors the vibration profile and assesses the wear point or wear condition of bearing 500 based on the vibration profile. Changes in vibration indicate a change in the inner layer 506 from a first thickness to a thinner second thickness, where a portion of the inner layer 506 has worn.

[0047] In some examples, the contact between plate 504 and teeth 508 produces tone or sound. In some examples, the sound is produced by a ratcheting effect generated by plate 504 engaging teeth 508. Sensor 602 may include a microphone that senses sound, including, for example, ultrasonic sound. Wear determination circuit 604 compares the sound measured by sensor 602 during rotation of drive shaft 112 with a threshold. If the sound value (e.g., decibel value) reaches, exceeds, or otherwise meets the threshold (e.g., the measured sound is greater than the threshold), wear determination circuit 604 diagnoses or determines that bearing 500 is worn and requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement. In other words, wear determination circuit 604 monitors acoustic profiles and assesses the wear point or wear condition of bearing 500 based on the acoustic profiles. Acoustic changes indicate a change in the inner layer 506 from a first thickness to a thinner second thickness, where a portion of the inner layer 506 has worn.

[0048] FIG. 6 This is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the wear determination circuit 604 of Figure 1, used to determine the wear of bearings in a valve system. FIG. 6 The wear determination circuit 604 can be instantiated by a programmable circuit (such as a central processing unit (CPU)) that executes the first instruction (e.g., creating an instance of it, placing it at any time length, materializing it, implementing it, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, FIG. 6 The wear determination circuit 604 can be instantiated (e.g., instantiated, placed at any time length, materialized, implemented, etc.) by (i) an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or (ii) a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) constructed and / or configured to perform an operation corresponding to the first instruction in response to the execution of the second instruction. It should be understood that... FIG. 6 Some or all of the circuits can therefore be instantiated at the same or different times. FIG. 6 Some or all of the circuitry can be instantiated, for example, in one or more threads that execute concurrently on hardware and / or in series on hardware. Furthermore, in some examples, FIG. 6 Some or all of the circuitry can be implemented by microprocessor circuitry that executes instructions and / or FPGA circuitry that performs operations to implement one or more virtual machines and / or containers.

[0049] In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 is instantiated by a programmable circuit that executes wear determination instructions and / or configured to perform actions such as those by... FIG. 7 The operations represented by one or more flowcharts.

[0050] In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 includes components for determining the condition of the device. In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 may be composed of, for example... FIG. 8An exemplary programmable circuit 812 is instantiated, which performs functions such as at least by FIG. 7 The machine-executable instructions implemented in blocks 702 and 704. In some examples, the wear determination circuit 604 may be instantiated by hardware logic circuitry, which may be implemented by ASIC, XPU, or FPGA circuitry configured and / or constructed to perform operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the wear determination circuit 604 may be instantiated by any other combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, the wear determination circuit 604 may be implemented by at least one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuitry, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuitry, FPGA, ASIC, XPU, comparator, operational amplifier, logic circuitry, etc.) configured and / or constructed to execute some or all of the machine-readable instructions and / or perform some or all of the operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions without executing software or firmware, but other configurations are equally suitable.

[0051] Although FIG. 6 The example shown in Figure 1 illustrates the wear determination circuit 604, but... FIG. 6 One or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices illustrated herein may be combined, divided, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Furthermore, FIG. 6 The example wear determination circuit 604 can be implemented by hardware alone, or by hardware in combination with software and / or firmware. Therefore, for example, the exemplary wear determination circuit 604 can be implemented by programmable circuitry in combination with machine-readable instructions (e.g., firmware or software), processor circuitry, one or more analog circuits, one or more digital circuits, one or more logic circuits, one or more programmable processors, one or more programmable microcontrollers, one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more ASICs, one or more programmable logic devices (PLDs), and / or one or more field-programmable logic devices (FPLDs) such as FPGAs. Furthermore, FIG. 6 The exemplary wear determination circuit 604 may include, in addition to FIG. 6 Those other than or in place of those shown FIG. 6 One or more of the elements, processes and / or devices shown, and / or may include more than one of any or all of the elements, processes and devices shown.

[0052] FIG. 7 The diagram shows one or more flowcharts representing example machine-readable instructions that can be executed by programmable circuitry to implement and / or instantiate them. FIG. 6The wear determination circuit 604 and / or representation can be implemented and / or instantiated by a programmable circuit. FIG. 6 Exemplary operation of the wear determination circuit 604. Machine-readable instructions may be for one or more executable programs or one or more executable program(s) to be executed by programmable circuitry, such as those combined below. FIG. 8 The programmable circuitry 812 shown in the exemplary processor platform 800 discussed may be one or more functions or portions thereof that will be executed by the exemplary programmable circuitry (e.g., FPGA). In some examples, machine-readable instructions cause operations, tasks, etc., to be performed and / or implemented in a real-world manner in an automated manner. As used herein, “automation” means without human intervention.

[0053] The program may be embodied in instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable storage media, such as cache memory, magnetic storage devices or disks (e.g., floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical storage devices or disks (e.g., Blu-ray discs, optical discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc.), redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID), registers, ROM, solid-state drives (SSDs), SSD memory, non-volatile memory (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc.), volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) of any type), and / or any other storage device or disk. The instructions on the non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable media may be programmed and / or executed by programmable circuitry located in one or more hardware devices, but the entire program and / or portions thereof may alternatively be executed and / or instantiated and / or embodied in dedicated hardware by one or more hardware devices other than programmable circuitry. Machine-readable instructions can be distributed across multiple hardware devices and / or executed by two or more hardware devices (e.g., server and client hardware devices). For example, client hardware devices can be implemented by endpoint client hardware devices (e.g., hardware devices associated with human and / or machine users) or intermediate client hardware device gateways (e.g., radio access networks (RAN)) that facilitate communication between the server and endpoint client hardware devices. Similarly, non-transitory computer-readable storage media can include one or more media. Furthermore, although references... FIG. 7The one or more flowcharts shown describe an example program, but many other methods of implementing the example wear determination circuit 604 may be used alternatively. For example, the execution order of the blocks in one or more flowcharts may be changed, and / or some of the described blocks may be changed, eliminated, or combined. Additionally or alternatively, any or all blocks of the flowcharts may be implemented by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuitry, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuitry, FPGAs, ASICs, comparators, operational amplifiers (op-amps), logic circuits, etc.) configured to perform the corresponding operations without executing software or firmware. Programmable circuitry may be distributed across different network locations and / or local to one or more hardware devices (e.g., single-core processors (e.g., single-core CPUs), multi-core processors (e.g., multi-core CPUs, XPUs, etc.)). For example, programmable circuitry may be a CPU and / or FPGA located in the same package (e.g., the same integrated circuit (IC) package or two or more separate housings), one or more processors in a single machine, multiple processors distributed across multiple servers in a server rack, multiple processors distributed across one or more server racks, etc., and / or any combination thereof.

[0054] The machine-readable instructions described herein can be stored in one or more of the following formats: compressed format, encrypted format, segmented format, compiled format, executable format, packaged format, etc. Machine-readable instructions as described herein can be stored as data (e.g., computer-readable data, machine-readable data, one or more bits (e.g., one or more computer-readable bits, one or more machine-readable bits, etc.), bit streams (e.g., computer-readable bit streams, machine-readable bit streams, etc.)) or data structures (e.g., as parts of instructions, code, code representations, etc.). For example, machine-readable instructions can be segmented and stored on one or more storage devices, disks, and / or computing devices (e.g., servers) located in the same or different locations (e.g., in the cloud, at the edge device, etc.) within a network or network set. Machine-readable instructions may require installation, modification, adaptation, updating, combination, supplementation, configuration, decryption, decompression, unpacking, distribution, redistribution, compilation, etc., to make them directly readable, interpretable, and / or executable by computing devices and / or other machines. For example, machine-readable instructions may be stored in multiple parts that are individually compressed, encrypted, and / or stored on separate computing devices, wherein these parts, when decrypted, decompressed, and / or combined, form a set of computer-executable and / or machine-executable instructions that, when implemented together, can form one or more functions and / or operations of a program such as those described herein.

[0055] In another example, machine-readable instructions may be stored in a state where they can be read by programmable circuitry, but require the addition of libraries (e.g., dynamic link libraries, DLLs), software development kits (SDKs), application programming interfaces (APIs), etc., to execute the machine-readable instructions on a specific computing device or other device. In yet another example, the machine-readable instructions may need to be configured (e.g., storage settings, data input, recorded network addresses, etc.) before they can be fully or partially executed. Therefore, machine-readable, computer-readable, and / or machine-readable media as used herein may include instructions and / or programs, regardless of their specific format or state.

[0056] The machine-readable instructions described in this article can be represented by any past, present, or future instruction language, scripting language, programming language, etc. For example, machine-readable instructions can be represented using any of the following languages: C, C++, Java, C#, Perl, Python, JavaScript, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Structured Query Language (SQL), Swift, etc.

[0057] As mentioned above, FIG. 7Exemplary operations can be implemented using executable instructions (e.g., computer-readable and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable media. As used herein, the terms non-transitory computer-readable medium, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium are explicitly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, excluding propagation signals and transmission media. Examples of such non-transitory computer-readable medium, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium include optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, HDDs, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), CDs, DVDs, caches, any type of RAM, registers, and / or any other storage device or storage disk, wherein information is stored for any duration (e.g., extended time period, permanent, transient, for temporary buffering, and / or for caching information). As used herein, the terms "non-transitory computer-readable storage device" and "non-transitory machine-readable storage device" are defined as including any physical (mechanical, magnetic, and / or electrical) hardware designed to retain information for a period of time, excluding the propagation of signals and the transmission medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage devices and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage devices include any type of random access memory, any type of read-only memory, solid-state memory, flash memory, optical disc, hard disk, disk drive, and / or redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system. As used herein, the term "device" means a physical structure, such as mechanical and / or electrical equipment, hardware, and / or circuitry, that can or may not be configured and / or manufactured to execute computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc.

[0058] FIG. 7 This is a flowchart representing exemplary machine-readable instructions and / or example operations 700 that can be executed, instantiated, and / or implemented by a programmable circuit to determine the wear of a bearing. FIG. 7Example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations 700 include wear determination circuit 604 accessing measured parameters (box 702). The measured parameters may be, for example, force, torque, vibration, or sound. Wear determination circuit 604 compares the parameters to a threshold (box 704). Wear determination circuit 604 determines whether the parameters meet the threshold (box 706). If and / or when wear determination circuit 604 determines that the parameters do not meet the threshold (box 706: No), process 700 continues, and wear determination circuit 604 accesses the measured parameters at a later time (box 702). If and / or when wear determination circuit 604 determines that the parameters do meet the threshold (box 706: Yes), wear determination circuit 604 actuates an alarm or other notification indicating that the bearing requires maintenance (box 708).

[0059] FIG. 8 It is constructed to execute and / or instantiate FIG. 7 Example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations to implement FIG. 6 The block diagram of an example programmable circuit platform 800 for wear determination circuit 604 is shown. Programmable circuit platform 800 can be, for example, a server, personal computer, workstation, self-learning machine (e.g., neural network), mobile device (e.g., cellular phone, smartphone, such as iPad). TM Tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), internet devices, or any other type of computing and / or electronic devices.

[0060] The programmable circuit platform 800 shown in the example includes programmable circuitry 812. Programmable circuitry 812 is hardware. For example, programmable circuitry 812 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, FPGAs, microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, and / or microcontrollers from any desired family or manufacturer. Programmable circuitry 812 can be implemented by one or more semiconductor-based (e.g., silicon-based) devices. In this example, programmable circuitry 812 implements wear determination circuitry 604.

[0061] The programmable circuit 812 shown in the example includes local memory 813 (e.g., cache, registers, etc.). The programmable circuit 812 of the example communicates via bus 818 with main memory 814, 816, which includes volatile memory 814 and non-volatile memory 816. Volatile memory 814 may be synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), etc. Dynamic Random Access Memory And / or any other type of RAM device. The non-volatile memory 816 can be implemented by flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory 814, 816 in the illustrated examples is controlled by the memory controller 817. In some examples, the memory controller 817 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microcontrollers, or any other type of circuit from any desired series or manufacturer to manage the flow of data to and from the main memory 814, 816.

[0062] The programmable circuit platform 800 shown in the example also includes interface circuitry 820. Interface circuitry 820 can be implemented in hardware according to any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, etc. Interfaces include Near Field Communication (NFC) interfaces, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interfaces, and / or Peripheral Component Interconnect Fast (PCIe) interfaces.

[0063] In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 822 are connected to interface circuitry 820. The one or more input devices 822 allow a user (e.g., a human user, machine user, etc.) to input data and / or commands into programmable circuitry 812. The one or more input devices 822 may be implemented using, for example, an audio sensor, microphone, camera (still or video), keyboard, buttons, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, trackball, isotope devices, and / or a voice recognition system.

[0064] One or more output devices 824 are also connected to the interface circuitry 820 of the illustrated example. The one or more output devices 824 may be implemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., light-emitting diode (LED), organic light-emitting diode (OLED), liquid crystal display (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT) display, in-situ switch (IPS) display, touchscreen, etc.), haptic output devices, printers, and / or speakers. Therefore, the interface circuitry 820 of the illustrated example typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and / or graphics processor circuitry such as a GPU.

[0065] The interface circuit 820 of the example shown also includes communication devices, such as transmitters, receivers, transceivers, modems, residential gateways, wireless access points, and / or network interfaces, to facilitate data exchange with external machines (e.g., any kind of computing device) via network 826. Communication can be performed via, for example, Ethernet connections, digital subscriber line (DSL) connections, telephone line connections, coaxial cable systems, satellite systems, beyond-line-of-sight wireless systems, line-of-sight wireless systems, cellular telephone systems, optical connections, etc.

[0066] The programmable circuit platform 800 shown in the example also includes one or more mass storage disks or devices 828 for storing firmware, software, and / or data. Examples of such mass storage disks or devices 828 include magnetic storage devices (e.g., floppy disks, drives, HDDs, etc.), optical storage devices (e.g., Blu-ray discs, CDs, DVDs, etc.), RAID systems, and / or solid-state storage disks or devices, such as flash memory devices and / or SSDs.

[0067] It can be by FIG. 7 The machine-readable instructions 832 implemented by the machine-readable instructions can be stored in a mass storage device 828, a volatile memory 814, a non-volatile memory 816 and / or at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a removable CD or DVD.

[0068] "Comprising" and "including" (and all their forms and tenses) are used herein as open-ended terms. Therefore, whenever a claim uses any form of "comprising" or "including" (e.g., including, comprising, containing, having, having, etc.) as a preamble or within any kind of claim statement, it should be understood that additional elements, terms, etc., may be present without exceeding the scope of the corresponding claim or statement. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, for example, in the preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same way that the terms "comprising" and "including" are open-ended. When used, for example, in the form of A, B, and / or C, the term "and / or" refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C, such as (1) A alone, (2) B alone, (3) C alone, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, or (7) A and B and C. As used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, etc., the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, etc., the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0069] As used herein, singular references (e.g., “a,” “an,” “first,” “second,” etc.) do not exclude multiple. As used herein, the term “a” or “an” refers to one or more of those objects. The terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more,” and “at least one” are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although listed separately, multiple means, elements, or actions may be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these features may be combined, and inclusion in different examples or claims does not imply that the combination of features is unfeasible and / or advantageous.

[0070] Unless otherwise expressly stated, descriptors such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used herein without any intention of indicating priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or sorting, but merely as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for the purpose of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor “first” may be used to refer to an element in a particular embodiment, while the same element may be referred to in the claims by different descriptors (such as “second” or “third”). In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used only to clearly identify those elements within the context of the discussion (e.g., within the claims), where elements may otherwise share the same name, for example.

[0071] As used herein, “approximately” and “about” modify their subject matter / value to identify the potential presence of variations that occur in real-world applications. For example, as those skilled in the art will understand, “approximately” and “about” can modify dimensions that may not be precise due to manufacturing tolerances and / or other real-world defects. For example, unless otherwise stated herein, “approximately” and “about” can indicate that such dimensions are within tolerances of + / - 10%.

[0072] Based on the foregoing, it should be understood that exemplary systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods for monitoring the wear condition of bearings in control valve systems to assess, determine, and / or predict bearing maintenance needs have been disclosed. The examples disclosed herein use multiple layers of different materials. As one layer wears, different metrics or parameters, such as force, torque, vibration, and / or sound, can be detected. The curves of these metrics can be used to assess the wear condition of the bearing and create notifications indicating the wear condition. The examples disclosed herein can also be used to assess the wear condition of packing used in sealing valves.

[0073] Exemplary systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods for maintaining rotary bearings are disclosed. Example 1 includes an apparatus comprising: a valve body defining a fluid passage; a flow control member located in the fluid passage; a drive shaft coupled to the flow control member extending through a shaft bore defined in the valve body; and a bearing surrounding at least a portion of the drive shaft. The bearing of Example 1 includes: a first layer comprising a first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material contacts the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material contacts the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

[0074] Example 2 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the first layer is located at the inner diameter of the bearing and the second layer is located at the outer diameter of the bearing.

[0075] Example 3 includes an apparatus of any one of Examples 1-2, wherein the first layer comprises a polymer and the second layer comprises a metal.

[0076] Example 4 includes a device of any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the first layer and the second layer are coupled via finger joints.

[0077] Example 5 includes a device of any one of Examples 1-4, wherein the first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first wear state and a second thickness when the bearing is in a second wear state.

[0078] Example 6 includes the apparatus of Example 5, and further includes a sensor for detecting torque changes during movement of the drive shaft, the torque changes indicating a change in the thickness of the first layer from a first thickness to a second thickness.

[0079] Example 7 includes an apparatus of any one of Examples 1-6, further comprising: a sensor for detecting torque changes during movement of the drive shaft; and programmable circuitry for determining when the torque change meets a threshold torque change.

[0080] Example 8 includes the apparatus of Example 7, wherein the programmable circuitry is used to trigger a notification when the torque change meets a threshold torque change.

[0081] Example 9 includes an apparatus of any one of Examples 1-8, wherein the first layer includes a first ring having a first thickness, and the second layer includes a second ring having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

[0082] Example 10 includes the apparatus of Example 9, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the first ring contacts the drive shaft, wherein when the bearing is in the first wear state, there is a gap between the second ring and the drive shaft, and wherein when the bearing is in a second wear state, the first ring and the second ring contact the drive shaft.

[0083] Example 11 includes the apparatus of Example 10, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the first ring has a thickness between a first thickness and a second thickness, and when the bearing is in a second wear state, the first ring has a second thickness.

[0084] Example 12 includes an apparatus of any one of Examples 1-11, wherein the second layer includes: a sleeve surrounding the first layer; and a plate extending from the sleeve through the first layer.

[0085] Example 13 includes the apparatus of Example 12, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the first layer has a first thickness, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the plate is separated from the drive shaft, wherein when the bearing is in a second wear state, the first layer has a second thickness less than the first thickness, and wherein when the bearing is in a second wear state, the plate engages the drive shaft.

[0086] Example 14 includes a device from any of Examples 12-13, wherein the drive shaft includes a plurality of teeth that engage the plates when the bearings are in a worn state.

[0087] Example 15 includes the device of Example 14, and also includes a sensor for detecting when the plate engages with the teeth.

[0088] Example 16 includes the apparatus of Example 15, wherein the sensor includes a microphone.

[0089] Example 17 includes a device from any of Examples 14-16, wherein teeth form a ring around a drive shaft.

[0090] Example 18 includes a bearing for a drive shaft in a valve, the bearing comprising: a first layer comprising a first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material contacts the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material contacts the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

[0091] Example 19 includes the bearing of Example 18, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the first layer has a first thickness, wherein when the bearing is in a first wear state, the first layer contacts the drive shaft, wherein when the bearing is in a second wear state, the first layer has a second thickness less than the first thickness, and wherein when the bearing is in a second wear state, the first layer and the second layer contact the drive shaft.

[0092] Example 20 includes the bearing of Example 19, wherein the second layer includes: a sleeve surrounding the first layer; and a plate extending from the sleeve through the first layer, wherein the first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first wear state, wherein the plate is separated from the drive shaft when the bearing is in the first wear state, wherein the first layer has a second thickness less than the first thickness when the bearing is in a second wear state, and wherein the plate engages the drive shaft when the bearing is in the second wear state.

[0093] The appended claims are hereby incorporated by reference into this specific embodiment. Although certain exemplary systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods have been disclosed herein, the scope of this patent is not limited thereto. Rather, this patent covers all systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods that fall fully within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a valve body defining a fluid passage; a flow control member positioned in the fluid passage; a drive shaft coupled to the flow control member, the drive shaft extending through a shaft bore defined in the valve body; and a bearing surrounding at least a portion of the drive shaft, the bearing comprising: a first layer comprising a first material, the first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material is in contact with the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material, the second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material is in contact with the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction. the first layer is positioned at an inner diameter of the bearing and the second layer is positioned at an outer diameter of the bearing. the first layer comprises a polymer and the second layer comprises a metal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the first layer and the second layer are coupled via a finger joint.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first wear state and a second thickness when the bearing is in a second wear state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a sensor to detect a change in torque during movement of the drive shaft, the change in torque indicating a change in the first layer from the first thickness to the second thickness.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a sensor to detect a change in torque during movement of the drive shaft; and a programmable circuit to determine when the change in torque satisfies a threshold change in torque. the programmable circuit to trigger a notification when the change in torque satisfies the threshold change in torque. the first layer comprises a first ring having a first thickness and the second layer comprises a second ring having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. the first ring contacts the drive shaft when the bearing is in a first wear state, wherein there is a gap between the second ring and the drive shaft when the bearing is in the first wear state, and wherein the first ring and the second ring contact the drive shaft when the bearing is in a second wear state.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, the first ring has a thickness between the first thickness and the second thickness when the bearing is in the first wear state and the first ring has the second thickness when the bearing is in the second wear state.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the second layer comprises:

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, a sleeve surrounding the first layer; and 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, a plate extending from the sleeve through the first layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first wear state, wherein the plate is separated from the drive shaft when the bearing is in the first wear state, wherein the first layer has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness when the bearing is in a second wear state, and wherein the plate engages the drive shaft when the bearing is in the second wear state. the drive shaft comprises a plurality of teeth, the plate engaging the teeth when the bearing is in a worn state. ​ 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, ​ 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, ​ 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a sensor to detect when the plate is engaged with the teeth.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, The sensor comprises a microphone.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, The teeth form a ring around the drive shaft.

18. A bearing for a drive shaft in a valve, the bearing comprising: a first layer comprising a first material, the first material having a first coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the first material is in contact with the drive shaft; and a second layer comprising a second material, the second material having a second coefficient of friction with the drive shaft when the second material is in contact with the drive shaft, the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

19. The bearing of claim 18, wherein, The first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first state of wear, wherein the first layer contacts the drive shaft when the bearing is in the first state of wear, wherein the first layer has a second thickness less than the first thickness when the bearing is in a second state of wear, and wherein the first layer and the second layer contact the drive shaft when the bearing is in the second state of wear.

20. The bearing of claim 19, wherein, The second layer comprises: a sleeve surrounding the first layer; and a plate extending from the sleeve through the first layer, wherein the first layer has a first thickness when the bearing is in a first state of wear, wherein the plate is separated from the drive shaft when the bearing is in the first state of wear, wherein the first layer has a second thickness less than the first thickness when the bearing is in a second state of wear, and wherein the plate engages the drive shaft when the bearing is in the second state of wear.

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