Local emergency isolation valve controller with diagnostic testing and trouble indicator
US8072343B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/86397
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A local logic solver that operates with a local smart valve controller to control, test and monitor performance characteristics of a local field-mounted emergency isolation valve device, outputting a local indication of trouble on the device, which is mounted in the field away from the facility's central control panel for the process. The local logic solver includes a recording function and memory for retrieval of detected faults that are time-stamped and recorded locally to generate documentation and to track the elapsed time, starting when the degraded state of the device was detected and first signaled as a problem; other performance data is also recorded. Accordingly, the operation of the overall system is simplified by eliminating the need for an external computer to diagnose any problems. A local control panel preferably includes pushbuttons and lights used during routine operations of the valve and a fault indicator light substantially adjacent to or in close proximity to the device being monitored to alert personnel of detected faults.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.