Control Valve Pressure Boundary Integrity Diagnostic Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control valves face challenges in predicting remaining life and determining maintenance needs due to accelerated wear and corrosion from high fluid velocities, which conventional testing methods cannot effectively address, especially in irregularly shaped valve bodies.
Innovation Solution
A control valve with pressure boundary diagnostic capabilities is manufactured by forming pads on the exterior or interior surfaces at areas of high velocity, allowing for the use of testing devices to measure wall thickness over time, providing a reference for assessing pressure boundary integrity and predicting maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional testing techniques such as ultrasonic testing are used, then measurement capability is limited, but the irregular shape of the valve body prevents effective testing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating flat test surfaces (pads) at specific locations on the valve body where thickness measurement is critical. These pads provide localized flat areas that enable ultrasonic testing devices to make proper contact with the irregular valve body surface, allowing precise measurement at high-velocity areas without requiring the entire valve body to be flat or accessible.
2Productivity
If high fluid velocities are maintained for effective control valve operation, then control performance is improved, but wear and corrosion are accelerated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and establishing reference thickness values at high-velocity areas during manufacturing or initial installation. This allows for the detection of material loss over time by comparing future measurements against these pre-established references, enabling proactive maintenance scheduling before critical wear occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a monitoring system where wall thickness is periodically measured at critical high-velocity locations and compared against reference values. This feedback mechanism tracks material loss progression, allowing operators to assess remaining valve life and schedule maintenance based on actual wear rates rather than fixed time intervals.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the valve body is designed with complex irregular shape for functional requirements, then valve performance is improved, but accessibility for testing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality - creating flat test pads only at specific locations where thickness measurement is needed, rather than requiring the entire valve body to be flat or accessible. This allows the valve body to maintain its complex irregular shape for functional performance while providing localized flat surfaces that enable ultrasonic testing device contact at critical high-velocity areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables accurate measurement of wall thickness changes, allowing for the prediction of remaining valve life and timely maintenance, thereby extending the useful life of the control valve by detecting wear and corrosion effectively.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a reference thickness of a wall of the valve body through the pad using the testing device
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of diagnosing pressure boundary integrity of a control includes choosing a control valve (10) having a valve body (12), determining a velocity profile within the control valve (10), choosing an area of the velocity profile, choosing a surface on an exterior of the valve body (12) at or adjacent to the area, forming a pad (24) on the exterior surface overlying the point, applying a testing device (30, 36) to the pad (24), and measuring a reference thickness of a wall (26) of the valve body (12) through the pad (24) using the testing device. The method further includes applying the testing device (30, 36) to the pad (24) at a time subsequent to measurement of the reference thickness, measuring a first thickness, and comparing the first thickness to the reference thickness. The comparison of the first thickness to the reference thickness can be used to calculate the amount of valve body wall lost during using and the remaining life of the control valve (10).