Deaerating valve with integrated indicator of operation thereof

The deaerating valve with an integrated indicator and control unit addresses operational failures by monitoring air flow and pressure, ensuring reliable and remote detection of anomalies to maintain water quality.

WO2025226225A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2025-10-30IMP ARMATURE D O O +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/SI2025/000005
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-04-23
Filing Date
2025-04-07
Publication Date
2025-10-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing deaerating valves in drinking water pipelines are prone to operational failures due to impurities and pressure changes that cannot be visually detected, leading to irregularities and potential contamination of drinking water.

Method used

A deaerating valve with an integrated indicator and control unit that monitors air flow direction and intensity, equipped with a sensor system to detect and transmit operational data, allowing for remote monitoring and feedback.

Benefits of technology

Enables reliable and remote monitoring of pipeline conditions, preventing air intrusion and maintaining water quality by detecting and responding to operational anomalies.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention refers to a deaerating valve with integrated indicator (4) of operation thereof. Such valve is suitable for being mounted into a drinking water supplying pipeline for the purpose of deaeration thereof, which is its main purpose, but in the need it is generally also able to take care about aeration of the pipeline. In this, the invention is rest on a problem, how to conceive a deaerating valve, which should be mountable into a fresh water supplying pipeline and should at least in principle also enable aeration of such pipeline, so that at least occasional or permanent indication of operation of the valve should be enabled, depending on each circumstance, in particular with regard to pressure conditions within the interior of the pipeline, so that upon integration of such valve into a pipeline intensity of deaeration, or aeration when required, during operation of the pipeline could be occasionally or permanently monitored and reactions of the valve to potential pressure differences within said pipeline during operation thereof would be detectable from outside, and could also be monitored remotely, if required. The valve according to the invention comprises an indicator (4) of operation of the valve, which is mounted within the interior of said housing (1), namely within said outlet channel (13), and is adjusted for detecting and either occasionally evaluating or permanently monitoring of a direction and intensity of the air flow through the outlet channel (13), and in addition to that, said valve is also furnished with a control unit (5), which is adjusted for receiving, storing, processing and transmission of data, received from said indicator (4).
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Description

[0001] Deaerating valve with integrated indicator of operation thereof

[0002] The present invention refers to a deaerating valve with integrated indicator of operation thereof. Such valve is suitable for mounting into a pipeline, in particular into a pipeline for supplying fresh water to households in urbanized areas, and is primarily intended for deaerating of such pipelines in cases, in which certain quantity of air remains present within the pipeline, wherein a predictable quantity of air is during the operation of the pipeline quite normally released from the water, but in certain circumstances, like leakage or a serious failure of the pipeline, an essentially enlarged quantity of the air may be present within the pipeline. In general, such valve should in fact also enable aerating of the pipeline, which however occurs in a failure, e.g. if an essential quantity of water would be released from the pipeline within a relatively short time period, which invokes an essential underpressure within the pipeline and soaking of the air into the pipeline interior.

[0003] Such inventions belong to mechanical engineering, namely to usual measures for establishing and maintaining of conditions for efficient operation of machines and installations, and in particular to valves and other accessories for performing aeration and deaeration, where a casing as such is a valve, namely to the IPC class F 16 K 24 / 02, or also to special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling alarm to be given, and in such case the invention may also belong to the IPC class F 16 K 24 / 37. In this, the invention is rest on a problem, how to conceive a deaerating valve, which should be mountable into a drinking water supplying pipeline and should at least in principle also enable aeration of such pipeline, so that at least occasional or permanent indication of operation of the valve should be enabled, depending on each circumstances and in particular also with regard to pressure conditions within the interior of the pipeline, so that upon integration of such valve into a pipeline intensity of deaeration, or aeration when required, during operation of the pipeline could be occasionally or permanently monitored and reactions of the valve to potential pressure differences within said pipeline during operation thereof would be detectable from outside, and could also be monitored remotely, if required.

[0004] A deaerating valve is usually located at the highest area of a pipeline, namely in the area where the air is collected, which is either released from water or is for various reasons sucked from the exterior towards the interior of the pipeline, upon which it is gradually displaced towards the highest area of the pipeline. During operation of a water supply pipeline, the pressure therein should normally be around 5 bar. As soon as a sufficient quantity of air is collected in the area of the deaerating valve, the last should temporarily open in order to allow releasing of the air out from the pipeline, upon which the valve is immediately closed. Inactivity of the valve during a longer time period may lead to conclusion that floating impurities might be present within the valve, which may hinder regular operation of the valve and may of course have also serious impact on operation of the pipeline as such, and consequently requires revision and cleaning. On the other hand, sudden aeration of the pipeline in the area of the deaerating valve is normally a consequence of releasing of an essential quantity of water out from the pipeline, which is usually connected with damages on the pipeline, e.g. due to a broken pipe or due to leakage in the area of anyone of controlling or regulating components of the pipeline.

[0005] An aerating or deaerating valve is disclosed in prior art, namely in EP 0 096 107 Al, which comprises a tubular housing and is furnished with an inlet opening, which is with regard to position of the valve during its operation located in its bottom area and is surrounded by a flange, by means of which the valve is in a detachable manner and properly sealed mountable onto each disposable pipeline. An operational chamber with a float inserted therein is available within said housing above said inlet opening. The housing is in the area above said float furnished with a separating wall, in which there is an outlet opening, which is on its side, which is facing towards the float, furnished with a sealing seat. The float is in its side, which is facing towards said separating wall, furnished with a closing member, which is insertable into said outlet opening and is furnished with a sealing member, which is suitable for cooperation with said sealing seat around the outlet opening. On the other side of said separating wall, which is facing apart from the float, said outlet opening is expanded to form an outlet chamber, which is adjusted for enabling freely forwarding of the air, released from the housing, towards the exterior atmosphere. As soon as such valve is by means of said flange attached to the pipeline in the top area thereof, and the pipeline is filled with water, water may flow into the valve through the inlet opening, wherein the float is displaced synchronously with changing of the water level and closes the valve via the closing member. As soon as the air is present within the pipeline, it is gradually collected in the top area of the pipeline, namely in the operational chamber of the valve. Despite to the fact that there is some pressure within the pipeline, such collected air gradually pushes the water level downwardly, namely towards the inlet opening. The float is displaced in dependence on the water level, and by sufficiently decreased water level temporarily opens the outlet opening, by which the air is released into the outlet chamber and then out of the valve towards the exterior. By such releasing the air, the water level within the valve can simultaneously be raised, which forces the float to close the outlet opening by means of the closing member. During regular operation of the valve and the pipeline, such deaerating is performed efficiently and without any problems. However, various situations may occur in practice, since impurities like sand, micro-plastics or plants, may be introduced into the pipeline together with water as such. Sand and not-floating impurities are usually collected in suitable collectors, which are also integrated within such pipelines. Micro-plastics and other floating impurities are however, similarly like the air, gradually collected on the top area of the pipeline, namely in the area of the deaerating valve, which may result e.g. in irregular operation of the float, or in problems connected to sealing of the outlet opening sealing area, or even in blocking of the air-releasing path as a precondition for deaerating. In such circumstances, operation of the deaerating valve may become unreliable or quite impossible, which however cannot be visually detected on the basis of external supervision. In such case, enormous quantity of air may remain jammed within the pipeline, which leads to serious disturbances in operation thereof, due to which the drinking water consumers, or their household machines, may be exposed to serious problems. In practice it may also happen that a pipe is broken, or that sealing of anyone of the components within the pipeline is imperfect. In such situations, uncontrolled leakage of essential amount of water out from the pipeline may occur. Underpressure, which occurs, is the compensated with uncontrolled and undesired aeration of the pipeline through aerating valve, which cannot be detected just on the basis of just external visual control. Such uncontrolled aeration may lead to essential changes in quality of drinking water, and serious problems may arise. The present invention refers to a deaerating valve with integrated indicator of operation thereof. Terminology, as used in a further description of the invention and the embodiments, takes into account a position of the valve during its operation, namely upon being mounted into a pipeline. This means that the inlet opening, through which water with admixed air may flow into the valve, is arranged on the bottom side of the valve, where the valve is also connectable to the pipeline, while the outlet opening, through which the air may be released, is located on the top area of the valve housing. Horizontal direction is defined by position of the water level within the valve, wherein said level as such may be changed in the vertical direction, in which also the float, which is embedded within the interior said housing, is freely displaceable upwardly or downwardly.

[0006] A deaerating valve with integrated indicator of operation thereof, to which the present invention generally refers, is generally suitable for being mounted into a drinking water supplying pipeline and mainly for the purpose of deaerating of such pipeline. Such valve comprises a housing which is, with regard to position of the valve upon integration into said pipeline and during operation thereof, on its bottom terminal portion furnished with an inlet opening, which is surrounded by a flange, which is adjusted for establishing of a sealed detachable interconnection between said housing and the belonging pipeline. Moreover, said housing is on its top terminal portion furnished with an outlet channel, which comprises an outlet opening. Said outlet channel is hydraulically connected with a deaerating member, which protrudes outwardly from said housing and is protected against intrusion of mechanical particles or meteorologic precipitations there-into. Furthermore, said housing comprises an operational chamber, which is arranged in the interior thereof, and which is, on the one hand, located adjacent to said inlet opening on the bottom terminal portion and is, on the other hand, in the area of the top terminal portion of the housing closed with a separating wall, in which said outlet opening, surrounded by a sealing seat, is arranged. Accordingly, said operational chamber is arranged below said separating wall, and said outlet channel is arranged above said separating wall and is via said outlet opening hydraulically connectable with said operational chamber. Still further, a float is embedded within the interior of said housing, namely within said operational chamber, and is furnished with two apart from each other protruding vertical pins, namely with a guiding pin, which protrudes downwardly towards said inlet opening, as well as with an operational pin, which protrudes upwardly towards said outlet opening and on which a closing member of the valve is mounted, which is in the area of its sealing seat tightly matching placeable onto said sealing seat of said outlet opening, and within which a deaerating outlet for gradually releasing of just small quantity of air is embedded.

[0007] Moreover, a bearing member with a vertically extending guide is arranged within said operational chamber, so that said guiding pin of the float is freely displaceable in a direction vertically upwards and downwards inserted within said guide, and the float is within said operational chamber together with said closing member displaceable upwards and downwards, depending on level of the water within the operational chamber of the valve.

[0008] In the context of resolving the previously mentioned technical problem, the invention proposes that an indicator of operation of the valve is mounted within the interior of said housing, namely within said outlet channel, and is adjusted for detecting and either occasionally evaluating or permanently monitoring of a direction and intensity of the air flow through the outlet channel, and in addition to that, said valve shall also be furnished with a control unit, which is adjusted for receiving, storing, processing and transmission of data, received from said indicator.

[0009] In accordance with the invention, said indicator comprises an elastically deformable cantilevered flap, which is fixed on the internal wall of said outlet channel and extends over an essential portion of the cross-section thereof, and is in its initial position directed transversely with regard to longitudinal direction of said outlet channel and with regard to direction of the air flow passing there-through, wherein a reference member is mounted on the free terminal area of said flap, and wherein a sensor unit is also mounted within said outlet channel, which is adjusted for detecting position of said reference member, depending on declination of said flap with regard to its initial position in the transversal plane of the outlet channel, wherein said sensor unit is electrically connected with said control unit.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said reference member is a permanent magnet, and said sensor unit within the outlet channel comprises two sensors, which are spaced about each other in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel and are adjusted for detecting of changes of a magnetic field, wherein said sensors are, when observed in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel, each per se located on both opposite sides of said flap and at equal distances apart from the initial position of said flap, so that each one of said sensors is adjusted for monitoring of position of said reference member on the free terminal area of said flap, and moreover, each one of said sensors is electrically connected with said control unit.

[0011] In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, said valve also comprises a pressure measuring unit, which is arranged in the area of said separating wall within the valve housing, and is on the one hand hydraulically connected with said operation chamber and on the other hand also electrically with said control unit.

[0012] In accordance with a still further embodiment of the invention, said control unit comprises a communication module, via which said control unit is due to transmission of information either via wires, or wireless, connectable with a remote control unit or with a remote computer.

[0013] The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of embodiments and in connection with the attached drawings, in which

[0014] Fig. 1 presents a deaerating valve according to the invention in its operational position, in front view and in cross-section along the line I - 1;

[0015] Fig. 2 presents the valve according to Fig. 1 in top view; and

[0016] Fig. 3 presents a detail A according to Fig. 1.

[0017] A a deaerating valve with integrated indicator 4 of operation is in a cross-section presented in Fig. 1, and is shown in a position, in which the valve should be maintained during its regular operation. In general, such valve is suitable for being mounted into a drinking water supplying pipeline, upon which the valve should serve for deaerating of such a pipeline, and for this reason the valve should be located within the highest area of the pipeline, or of a particular section of the pipeline, where the air is gradually collected, which is either released from the water, or may also in the case of a failure intrude into a pipeline beyond any control. Such valve comprises a housing 1 which is, with regard to position of the valve upon integration into said pipeline and during operation thereof, on its bottom terminal portion 1’ furnished with an inlet opening 11, which is surrounded by a flange 12, which is adjusted for establishing of a sealed detachable interconnection between said housing 1 and the belonging pipeline. To this aim, the belonging pipeline shall also be furnished with a flange suitable for interconnection with the flange 12 of the valve. When mounting the valve on the pipeline, a suitable gasket is inserted between the flange of the pipeline and the flange 12 of the valve, upon which both flanges are tightly interconnected by means of suitable screws.

[0018] Said housing 1 is on its top terminal portion 1 ” furnished with an outlet channel 13 which ends with an outlet opening 130, wherein said channel 13 is generally intended for enabling the air to flow from the interior of the housing 1 towards the exterior atmosphere, although the channel 13 as such allows the air to flow in opposite direction. Said outlet channel 13 is hydraulically, namely in the sense of enabling to hydraulic media, incl. the air, flowing there-through, connected with a deaerating member 14, which protrudes outwardly from said housing 1 and is protected against intrusion of meteorologic precipitations and mechanical particles, like plants or the like, into the outlet channel 13 and potentially further towards the other components within the housing 1.

[0019] Said housing 1 of the valve according to the invention comprises an operational chamber 15, which is arranged in the interior thereof, which is on the one hand located adjacent to said inlet opening 11 on the bottom terminal portion 1 ’ of the housing 1, and which is on the other hand in the area of the top terminal portion 1 ” of the housing 1 closed with a separating wall 16, in which said outlet opening 130 is arranged, which is surrounded by a sealing seat 131. Said operational chamber 15 is therefore arranged below said separating wall 16, while the outlet channel 13 is arranged above said separating wall 16 and is via said outlet opening 130 hydraulically connectable with said operational chamber 15.

[0020] Moreover, a float 2 is embedded within the interior of said housing 1, namely within said operational chamber 15, and is furnished with two apart from each other protruding vertical pins 21, 22, namely with a guiding pin 21, which protrudes downwardly towards said inlet opening 11, as well as with an operational pin 22, which protrudes upwardly towards said outlet opening 130 and on which a closing member 3 of the valve is mounted, which is in the area of its sealing seat 31 tightly matching placeable onto said sealing seat 131 of said outlet opening 130, and within which a deaerating outlet 33 for gradually releasing of small quantity of air is embedded.

[0021] Furthermore, a bearing member 17 with a vertically directed guide 170 is arranged within said operational chamber 15, into which said guiding pin 21 of the float 2 is inserted freely displaceable in a direction vertically upwards and downwards, so that the float 2 is within said operational chamber 15 together with said closing member 3 displaceable upwards and downwards, depending on level of the water within the operational chamber 15 of the valve.

[0022] As soon as the valve is in a previously mentioned manner mounted into a pipeline on the utmost location thereof, and after said valve is being filled with water, e.g. by means of a pipeline pump, a desired pressure is established within the pipeline and also within the valve. Water may flow into the valve throughout the inlet opening 11 and partially surrounds the float 2, which is correspondingly to the level of water within the operational chamber 15 raised, by which the closing member 3 is displaced towards the outlet opening 130 until the sealing seat 31 of the closing member 3 is rest onto the sealing seat 131 of the outlet opening 130, upon which the water is prevented from flowing through said outlet opening 130 towards the outlet channel 13. During the time, the air may release from the water and is collected within the operational chamber 15 within the interior of the housing 1 of the valve, which is located at the very top point of the pipeline. Since the float is raised and the outlet opening 130 s closed by means of the closing member 3, an essential amount of the air cannot be fluently released from the interior of the housing 1 , and is therefore collected within the operational chamber. Such collected air prevents additional water to flow through the inlet opening 11 into the operational chamber 15, and during the time the pressure of the air may increase still further, so that the air returns some water back to the pipeline. In such situation the float is promptly reacting to the change of the water level and is displaced some lower, by which however the force is released, by which the float 2 has pressed the closing member 3 towards the outlet opening 130. Consequently, the float 2 opens the outlet opening 130, through which then the air is released into the outlet channel 13, from which it may then flow through the deaerating member 14 towards the external atmosphere. Such, deaeration of the pipeline is performed, by which the pressure within the operational chamber 15 is properly reduced. Upon said normalization of pressure within the operational chamber, the water may enter again through the inlet opening 11 and an additional quantity of water may flow into the operational chamber 15, by which the water level is raised and the float 2 is together with the closing member 3 displaced upwardly towards the outlet opening 130, which is then closed again.

[0023] For the purposes of fluent releasing of relatively small amount of air from the pipeline, an air-releasing member 33 is embedded within said closing member 3 of the valve according to the invention, which is together with said closing member 3 connected with the float 2 and via which said operational chamber 15 is hydraulically connectable with the outlet channel 13, wherein however the crosssection of the opening for releasing the air through said air-releasing member 33 is essentially smaller, e.g. 200-times smaller, than the cross-section of the outlet opening 130, by which the closing member 3 as such may cooperate. Said airreleasing member 33 may react to minimal displacements of the float 2, which occur due to minor changes of the water level within the operational chamber 15, and may by its opening and closing allow only small quantity of the air to be released from the operational chamber 15 through the outlet opening 130 and towards the outlet channel 130. However, as soon as e.g. by filling of the pipeline, for any other reason, some more air is delivered into the operational chamber 15, the quantity of air therein becomes too high for fluently releasing of the air through said air-releasing member 33, which results in dropping of the water level within the operational chamber 15 and to correspondingly longer displacement of the float 2 together with the closing member 3, upon which the complete outlet opening 130 is opened.

[0024] Whenever a failure would occur in the pipeline, e.g. due to a broken pipe or due to a pump failure, an essential amount of the water might be released from the pipeline, which would then involve an essential drop of pressure within the interior of the pipeline. In such case, water is released from the operational chamber 15, and due to lowering of the water lever also the float 2 is displaced to correspondingly lower position, by which the closing member 3 opens the outlet opening 130. In such situation, due to decreased pressure within the pipeline and also within the housing 1 of the valve according to the invention as such, the air from the external atmosphere may enter the valve through the deaerating member 14, the outlet channel 13 and the operational chamber 15 and to flowing thereafter also into the pipeline as such. This of course means an inadmissible intrusion of the surrounding air, together with potential impurities, towards the interior of the pipeline which may later-on results in irregularities by operation of the valve according to the invention and also of the other components of the pipeline, and which may in particular also have an essential influence on quality drinking water as supplied throughout the pipeline. The main problem is, that such irregularities cannot be detected by just visual periodical monitoring, and cannot be permanently and remotely monitored.

[0025] Contrary to that, the present invention proposes that an indicator 4, which indicates operation of the valve, is mounted within the interior of said housing 1, namely within said outlet channel 13, and is adjusted for detecting and either occasionally evaluating or permanently monitoring of a direction and intensity of the air flow through the outlet channel 13, and in addition to that, said valve is also furnished with a control unit 5, which is adjusted for receiving, storing, processing and transmission of data, received from said indicator 4.

[0026] As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, said indicator 4 comprises an elastically deformable cantilevered flap 40, which is fixed on internal wall of said outlet channel 13 and extends over an essential portion of the cross-section thereof, and is in its initial position directed transversely with regard to longitudinal direction of said outlet channel 13 and therefore also to direction of the air flow passing there-through. Said flap 40 may consist e.g. of rubber or plastics, and is within said outlet channel 13, depending on a direction and intensity of the air flow there-through, more or less deflected in one or another direction from its initial position in said transversal plane of the outlet channel 13, but when there is no, or almost no, air flow through the channel 13, it returns back to its initial position. Besides, a reference member 41 is mounted on the free terminal area 40’ of said flap 40, which is during operation of the valve, again depending on a direction and intensity of the air flow throughout the outlet channel 13, displaced in one or another direction together with said free terminal area 40’ of said flap 40. A sensor unit 42, which is also mounted within said outlet channel 13, is adjusted for detecting of a current position of said reference member 41, depending on declination of said flap 40 apart from its initial position in the transversal plane of the outlet channel 13. Said sensor unit 40, is electrically connected with said control unit 5 so that every information about any deflection of the free terminal area 40’ of said flap 40 and consequently of the reference member 41 is forwarded to the control unit 5.

[0027] In the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 3, said reference member 41 is a permanent magnet and said sensor unit 42 arranged within the interior of the outlet channel 13 comprises two sensors 421, 422, which are spaced about each other in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel 13. Said sensors 421, 422 are adjusted for detecting of changes of a magnetic field, and are, when observed in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel 13, each per se located on both opposite sides of said flap 40 and at equal distances apart from the initial position of said flap 40 in the transversal plane of said outlet channel 13. Consequently, each one of said sensors 421, 422 is adjusted for monitoring of position of said reference member 41 on the free terminal area 40’ of said flap 40, and moreover, each one of said sensors 421, 422 is electrically connected with said control unit 5.

[0028] Such concept of the indicator 4 for indicating operation of the valve according to invention allows occasional or permanent detecting of a direction of the air flow throughout the outlet channel 13, and simultaneously also evaluation of intensity of said air flow, which leads to possibility of providing information about operation of the pipeline during the time. Air flow along the outlet channel 13 in a direction from the outlet opening 130 towards the deaerating member 14, by occasionally deflecting the reference member 41 in a direction towards said deaerating member 14 indicates that both the valve and the pipeline are operating properly. However, the absence of any deflection of the reference member 41 during a long time period usually means a failure in the valve and / or in the pipeline. Change of direction of the air flow throughout the outlet channel 13, when air flows from the deaerating member 14 towards the outlet opening 130, leads to deflection of the reference member 41 towards the interior of the valve, which means that the pipeline is actually not deaerating, but aerating.

[0029] In order to establish efficient monitoring situation within the interior of the valve, and also within the pipeline, the valve according to the invention also comprises a pressure measuring unit 6, which is arranged in the area of said separating wall 16 within the valve housing 1 and is on the one hand hydraulically connected with said operation chamber 15 and on the other hand also electrically with said control unit 5. Such concept enables efficiently monitoring of parameters, e.g. at which pressure within the operational chamber 15 the outlet opening 130 is actually opened, by which operation of the valve is still better monitored.

[0030] Efficient remote monitoring of conditions within the deaerating valve and consequently also within the pipeline, in which said valve is integrated, is enabled by a still further embodiment of the invention, in which said control unit 5 comprises a communication module 7, via which said control unit 5 of the valve according to the invention is due to transmission of information either via wires, or wireless, connectable with a remote control unit or with a remote computer.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS1. Deaerating valve with integrated indicator (4) of operation thereof, namely a valve, which is suitable for being mounted into a drinking water supplying pipeline for the purpose of deaerating of such pipeline, wherein such valve comprises a housing (1) which is, with regard to position of the valve upon integration into said pipeline and during operation thereof, on its bottom terminal portion (1’) furnished with an inlet opening (11), which is surrounded by a flange (12), which is adjusted for establishing of a sealed detachable interconnection between said housing (1) and the belonging pipeline, wherein said housing (1) on its top terminal portion (1”) comprises an outlet channel (13) with an outlet opening (130), wherein said channel (13) is hydraulically connected with deaerating member (14), which protrudes outwardly from said housing (1) and is protected against intrusion of mechanical particles or meteorologic precipitations there-into, and wherein said housing (1) comprises an operational chamber (15) arranged in the interior thereof, which is on the one hand located adjacent to said inlet opening (11) on the bottom terminal portion (1 ’) of the housing (1) and is on the other hand in the area of the top terminal portion (1”) of the housing (1) closed with a separating wall (16), in which said outlet opening (130) is arranged, which is surrounded by a sealing seat (131), so that said operational chamber (15) is arranged below said separating wall (16), and said outlet channel (13) is arranged above said separating wall (16) and is via said outlet opening (130) hydraulically connectable with said operational chamber (15), and wherein a float (2) is embedded within the interior of said housing (1), namely within said operational chamber (15), and is furnished with two apart from each other protruding vertical pins (21, 22), namely with a guiding pin (21), which protrudes downwardlytowards said inlet opening (11), as well as with an operational pin (22), which protrudes upwardly towards said outlet opening (130) and on which a closing member (3) of the valve is mounted, which is in the area of its sealing seat (31) tightly matching placeable onto said sealing seat (131) of said outlet opening (130), and within which a deaerating outlet (33) for gradually releasing of small quantity of air is embedded, and wherein a bearing member (17) with a vertically extending guide (170) is arranged within said operational chamber (15), so that said guiding pin (21) of the float (2) is freely displaceable in a direction vertically upwards and downwards inserted within said guide (170), and the float (2) is within said operational chamber (15) together with said closing member (3) displaceable upwards and downwards, depending on level of the water within the operational chamber (15) of the valve, characterized in that an indicator (4) of operation of the valve is mounted within the interior of said housing (1), namely within said outlet channel (13), and is adjusted for detecting and either occasionally evaluating or permanently monitoring of a direction and intensity of the air flow through the outlet channel (13), and in addition to that, said valve is also furnished with a control unit (5), which is adjusted for receiving, storing, processing and transmission of data, received from said indicator (4).

2. Valve according to Claim 1, characterized in that said indicator (4) comprises an elastically deformable cantilevered flap (40), which is fixed on internal wall of said outlet channel (13) and extends over an essential portion of the cross-section thereof, and is in its initial position directed transversely with regard to longitudinal direction of said outlet channel (13) and to direction of the air flow passing there-through, wherein a reference member (41) is mounted on the free terminal area (40’) of said flap (40), and wherein a sensor unit (42) is mountedwithin said outlet channel (13), which is adjusted for detecting position of said reference member (41), depending on declination of said flap (40) with regard to its initial position in the transversal plane of the outlet channel (13), and which is electrically connected with said control unit (5).

3. Valve according to Claim 2, characterized in that said reference member (41 ) is a permanent magnet, and that said sensor unit (42) within the outlet channel (13) comprises two sensors (421, 422), which are spaced about each other in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel (13) and are adjusted for detecting of changes of a magnetic field, and which are, when observed in the longitudinal direction of said outlet channel (13), each per se located on both opposite sides of said flap (40) and at equal distances apart from the initial position of said flap (40), so that each one of said sensors (421, 422) is adjusted for monitoring of position of said reference member (41) on the free terminal area (40’) of said flap (40), and that each one of said sensors (421 , 422) is electrically connected with said control unit (5).

4. Valve according to anyone of Claims 1 - 3, characterized in that said valve also comprises a pressure measuring unit (6), which is arranged in the area of said separating wall (16) within the valve housing (1) and is on the one hand hydraulically connected with said operation chamber (15) and on the other hand also electrically with said control unit (5).

5. Valve according to anyone of Claims 1 - 4, characterized in that said control unit (5) comprises a communication module (7), via which said control unit (5) is due to transmission of information either via wires, or wireless, connectable with a remote control unit or with a remote computer.

Citation Information

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