Boots – shoes – and leggings
Patent
1982-01-22
1986-04-08
Krass, Errol A.
Boots, shoes, and leggings
364510, 73861, G01F 100
Patent
active
045817073
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device for ascertaining the flow rate through at least one valve, which is capable of continuously monitoring and controlling the flow rate through several valves simultaneously.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At present, a range of mechanical, magnetic and electronic switches may be provided on or attachable to valves to provide an indication as to when a valve is fully open or fully closed, however, it has not been possible to accurately indicate intermediate positions of the valve stroke in a simple and economical way.
For instance, different types of valve have different flow characteristic curves relating percentage flow through the valve against percentage opening of the valve, so that even if the percentage opening of several different types of valve was the same, then widely differing flow rates result and thus make it extremely difficult for simple mechanical, magnetic and electronic devices, which measure the actual opening of the valve, to give a precise indication of the flow rate through the valve.
Further, for a given pressure and valve opening, changes in the temperature and viscosity of the fluid alter the flow performance which is difficult to compensate for with simple arrangements, and with very viscous fluids, if the temperature drops below a certain critical point, then viscosity may increase to an extent at which flow will cease altogether.
The aim of the present invention it to provide a device capable of ascertaining flow rate through at least one valve simultaneously and displaying said flow rate or utilising said flow rate to control said at least one valve.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention a device for ascertaining flow rate through at least one valve comprises a transducer connectable to said at least one valve to be monitored, for providing a first signal representative of the position of the valve member of said at least one valve, electronic processing means receiving said first signal and having means enabling input of the information and/or further signals representing factors influencing the flow rate, said electronic processing means being capable of calculating flow rate through said at least one valve from said first signal and said input information and/or said further signals, the output of said electronic processing means being connected to a display means for displaying said calculated flow rate and/or to control means for adjusting said at least one valve to regulate the flow rate.
Preferably, the electronic processing means comprises a microprocessor programmed to calculate the flow rate through said at least one valve from equations representing the characteristic curve of said at least one valve which are stored in read-only memory (ROM) associated with the microprocessor. The various factors influencing the flow rate include the pressure drop across said at least one valve and the temperature of the fluid and these may be input to the microprocessor either via a keyboard or diectly from respective pressure and temperature sensing devices. A further factor influencing the flow rate is the viscosity of the fluid and information regarding the viscosity is input to the microprocessor via the keyboard as an initial condition when setting up. The input information can be displayed on the display means for an operator to check its accuracy prior to input of the information to the microprocessor to minimise the possibility of errors and additionally, with direct input of information relating to temperature and pressure, information regarding these values can be supplied by the microprocessor to the display to enable an operator to check that the temperature and pressure are at the required levels.
Since viscosity of the fluid varies with temperature, data regarding this variation for each type of fluid to be monitored is also stored in read-only memory associated with the microprocessor to enable the microprocessor to compensate for changes in viscosity due to variations in temperature
REFERENCES:
patent: Re29383 (1977-09-01), Gallatin et al.
patent: 3701280 (1972-10-01), Stroman
patent: 3729995 (1973-05-01), Kovacs et al.
patent: 3871214 (1975-03-01), Masaki et al.
patent: 3875955 (1975-04-01), Gallatin et al.
patent: 3888458 (1975-06-01), Bubniak et al.
patent: 4108574 (1978-08-01), Bartley et al.
patent: 4149254 (1979-04-01), Molusis
Cosimano Edward R.
John Millar (U.K.) Limited
Krass Errol A.
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