Battery-Powered Pilot Valve Control for Remote Pneumatic Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing process control systems are vulnerable to failures of field devices, particularly remote battery-powered valves, which can jeopardize the entire system's operational state due to energy constraints and inefficient energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for controlling a remote pneumatically operated valve assembly using a battery-powered pilot valve assembly that reduces energy consumption by only activating the pilot valves for brief periods, allowing the output valve to maintain its position without continuous power input, leveraging a bistable valve design and position sensors to confirm the intended position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous power input is provided to the remote valve, then the valve can maintain its operational position, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by using a pilot valve that is activated only during brief periods to reposition the output valve when needed, rather than continuous operation. The output valve maintains its position without continuous power input, creating a pulsed rather than continuous energy consumption pattern that extends battery life while preserving operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The output valve is designed to maintain its operational position autonomously without requiring continuous external power input. The valve's mechanical design allows it to hold position through its own structural properties, and position sensors confirm when the intended position is achieved, enabling the system to enter a low-power state while maintaining reliability.
2Measurement precision
If the pilot valve is activated continuously to ensure valve position accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback through position sensors that detect when the output valve has reached its intended position. This feedback mechanism allows the controller to deactivate the pilot valve once positioning is confirmed, rather than maintaining continuous activation. The feedback loop ensures measurement precision while enabling energy savings by stopping the pilot valve operation when the positioning task is complete.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the remote valve is designed for remote operation, then adaptability to distributed process control improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a pilot valve as an intermediary device to control the output valve in remote field applications. The pilot valve receives control signals from the process controller and uses pneumatic pressure to actuate the larger output valve. This intermediary approach enables remote operation and integration into distributed control systems while managing complexity by separating the control signal path from the actuation path.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve assembly in a switch position. A processor energizes a bistable valve of the pilot valve assembly to enable a fluid supply to drive the output valve assembly to a desired switch position, whereupon the pilot valve assembly may be de-energized and the switch position of the output valve assembly maintained.