Electronic Regulator With Integral Vent Valve for Pilot Pressure Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic pressure regulators face challenges in releasing trapped pilot pressure during emergency situations or shutdowns, often requiring bulky external vent valves that introduce additional leak points and complex wiring.
Innovation Solution
An electronic regulator with an integral vent valve that operates based on safety control signals to release pilot pressure through a venting port, eliminating the need for external vent valves and minimizing exposed wiring by integrating the vent valve within the regulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an external vent valve is used to release trapped pilot pressure, then the pilot pressure can be released, but the system requires bulky wiring and additional leak points
Solution Approach 1:
The vent valve is integrated directly into the regulator body, merging the venting function with the main regulator structure. This eliminates the need for separate external vent valves and their associated wiring, reducing system complexity and potential leak points while maintaining the ability to release trapped pilot pressure reliably
2Measurement precision
If normally closed inlet and exhaust valves are used in the electronic regulator, then the regulator can precisely control pressure, but pilot pressure becomes trapped during shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The vent valve is designed to open automatically when the regulator shuts down, providing a preliminary action that releases trapped pilot pressure before it can cause problems. This allows the normally closed inlet and exhaust valves to maintain precise pressure control during normal operation while the vent valve prevents pressure trapping during shutdown
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic regulator includes an inlet valve coupled to an inlet port, the inlet port configured to receive a supply pressure, and an exhaust valve coupled to an exhaust port, the exhaust port configured to release a pilot pressure when the exhaust valve is open. The electronic regulator also includes a pilot pressure output pneumatically coupled to the inlet valve and exhaust valve and configured to be coupled to an external process control device to provide the pilot pressure to the external process control device. A setpoint input coupled to both the inlet valve and the exhaust valve receives a setpoint signal indicative of a setpoint value, and the electronic regulator operates the inlet valve and the exhaust valve to control the pilot pressure according to the setpoint value. Further, the electronic regulator includes a vent valve coupled to a venting port and pneumatically coupled to the pilot pressure output. The venting port is configured to release the pilot pressure according to the safety control signal.