Patent ID: 11867589
Assignee: SWAGELOK COMPANY
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  F | IPC F  G

Claim 17:
18. An actuated valve system comprising:
a valve including a flow controlling valve element;
an actuator assembled with the valve and including a fluid driven actuator member operatively connected with the valve element and movable from a normal position to an actuated position in response to pressurization of an inlet port of the actuator during a first time period;
a pilot valve connected with the actuator inlet port by an actuator supply line, the pilot valve being operable to supply pressurized gas to the actuator supply line in a first position, and to exhaust pressurized gas from the actuator supply line in a second position;
a sensor connected with the actuator supply line, the sensor being configured to measure pressure changes corresponding to a fluid flow condition in the actuator supply line during the first time period, the measured pressure changes defining a valve cycle pressure profile including a first inflection point corresponding to movement of the actuator from the normal position to the actuated position; and
a controller in circuit communication with the sensor, the controller being configured to analyze the valve cycle pressure profile to identify a non-compliant condition in at least one of the valve and the actuator, and to generating an output communicating the identified non-compliant condition; and
a backpressure device configured to retain a non-actuating positive pressure in the actuator supply line when the pilot valve is in the second position, wherein the backpressure device includes a valve element with a cracking pressure configured to release excess pressure greater than the non-actuating positive pressure.