Patent Description:
<CIT> describes a flow-control valve system and a respective method. The method includes computing a plurality of iso-curves in a non-transitory computer media associated with an electronic controller. An external control signal is provided to an electronic controller, which translates this signal to a desired flow rate based on the original iso-curve and automatically establishes a flow rate set point based on any desired variable such as temperature. The flow control valve system controls a flow of fluid through a conduit irrespective of system pressure fluctuations and particular flow characteristics of the system. It uses a flow metering control valve, which uses electronic software to control algorithms to model the behavior of a conventional mechanical pressure-independent control valve.

<CIT> describes a control gain automation having a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve body with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, a valve member with a closed position blocking the fluid path and an open position, a sensor and an actuator, wherein the actuator is coupled to the valve member. A controller controls the actuator using a set point value and a default flow rate indicating of nominal flow through the fluid path. The controller communicates with the sensor, calculates the flow rate and compares the flow rate to a threshold value indicative of substantial zero flow rate. If the measure of the flow rate is below the threshold value, a position of the valve member is calculated directly from the set point value and the default flow rate. A control signal is produced from the calculated position and communicated to the control signal to the actuator.

A valve arrangement is used to control a flow of a fluid through a pipe or another fluid conducting system. The flow through the valve arrangement depends basically on the pressure over the valve arrangement and on the opening degree. The higher the pressure and the larger the opening degree, the larger is the flow.

In many cases a precise control of the flow is required. In such a case it is known to determine in advance a relation between the opening degree of the valve arrangement and a desired flow. Such a relation can be represented by a basic characteristic curve. The basic characteristic curve represents a relation between the flow and the opening degree. Thus, when a specific set-value of the flow is given, the valve arrangement is adjusted to the opening degree which according to the basic characteristic curve belongs to this set-point flow. The basic characteristic curve may have different forms and can be, for example, linear, equal percentage, square root, modified parabolic, hyperbolic, etc..

Unfortunately, the actual flow or flow rate through the valve arrangement does not always correspond to the flow set-value although the opening degree of the valve arrangement corresponding to the flow set-value has been adjusted. To increase accuracy in such a case, it is known to connect the valve to a flow sensor to correct the setting, i.e. the valve arrangement is part of a closed loop control and can respond to the differences between the flow set-value and the actual flow in real time. This, however, increases significantly the power consumption and wear of a valve arrangement due to repeated adjustments.

It is also possible to perform a calibration which is based on changing the actuator to control according to another of a plural of characteristic curves which is stored in control means at periodical intervals, when the actual flow which is measured does not correspond to the flow set-value. This has the disadvantage, that the respective characteristic curve may not be the most suitable over the whole range of valve opening degrees.

The object underlying the invention is to increase the flow accuracy over a valve arrangement without feedback in a simple manner.

This object is solved with a valve arrangement according to claim <NUM>.

Inter alia, the valve arrangement comprises a flow control section having a basic characteristic curve representing a relation between a flow and an opening degree of the flow control section, a pressure control section keeping constant a pressure over the flow control section, control means having a flow set-value input and controlling an opening degree of the flow control section depending on a flow set-value received via the flow set-value input, and a flow meter measuring an actual value of flow through the flow control section, wherein the basic characteristic curve is modified by the control means to become a modified characteristic curve when a difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

In this case the pressure difference over the flow control section is kept constant. Thus, one parameter determining the flow through the valve arrangement is kept constant, so that changes of the pressure over the valve arrangement can no longer influence the actual flow through the valve arrangement. Furthermore, a flow, i.e. the actual flow, through the valve arrangement is measured and compared to the flow set-point, so that it is possible to detect whether the actual opening degree of the flow control section leads to the desired flow. If this in not the case, the basic characteristic curve of the flow control section is readjusted, so that the flow control section is operated according to a modified characteristic curve. However, such an adjustment is not made permanently, but only when the difference between the flow set-value and the actual flow exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Thus, the opening degree of the valve adjustment is only sometimes readjusted.

In an embodiment of the invention the valve arrangement comprises a timer initiating a comparison between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow at predetermined time intervals. Thus, the comparison between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow is not made permanently, but only from time to time. This again saves energy and reduces wear, since the chances that the valve arrangement has to be readjusted are again lowered.

In an embodiment of the invention the modified characteristic curve is a function of the basic characteristic curve. In other words, the modified characteristic curve is derived from the basic characteristic curve. It is not necessary to again completely calibrate the valve arrangement or the flow section of the valve arrangement.

In an embodiment of the invention the control means determine a factor representing a relation between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow and modifies the characteristic curve to the modified characteristic curve using the factor. This is a simple way to modify the basic characteristic curve to the modified characteristic curve. In this case it is assumed that at least for a part of the basic characteristic curve around the flow set-value the opening degree of the flow control section and the flow set-value are related by the same function, so that a simple factor is sufficient to modify the basic characteristic curve to the modified characteristic curve.

In an embodiment of the invention the modified characteristic curve is obtained by multiplying the basic characteristic curve by the factor. The basic characteristic curve is represented by a number of pairs of values. One value of each pair is the opening degree and the other value is the flow. It is for example possible to multiply in each pair of values the flow with the factor to obtain the modified characteristic curve.

In an embodiment of the invention the basic characteristic curve is modified by the control means only in a section of the basic characteristic curve, wherein the set-value belongs to this section. Such a way is in particular of advantage when the basic characteristic curve is a non-linear curve. In this case the non-linearity can be taken into account, so that the basic characteristic curve is only modified in the neighbourhood of the flow set-value.

The control means comprise a storage storing data of the basic characteristic curve. The control means may change data stored in the storage to obtain the modified characteristic curve. As mentioned above, the basic characteristic curve can be represented by a number of pairs of values. The corresponding values can be stored in the storage. This is a simple way to replace some of the values by other values to obtain the modified characteristic curve.

In an embodiment of the invention the basic characteristic curve is a linear or non-linear curve. A linear curve has a constant slope. A non-linear curve can basically be of any kind, for example, equal percentage, square root, modified parabolic, hyperbolic, n'th power or n'th root, logarithmic, exponential etc. In all cases it is possible to modify the basic characteristic curve when the actual flow does not correspond to the flow set-value.

In an embodiment of the invention the modified characteristic curve is obtained by changing a slope of the basic characteristic curve. When the basic characteristic curve is a linear curve, the slope is changed for the whole curve. When the basic characteristic curve is a non-linear curve, the slope of the curve can be changed for each curve section, even for each incremental curve section.

In an embodiment of the invention the control means comprises an actuator and a controller, the controller operating the actuator. The actuator is a mechanical drive for a valve of the flow section. The controller can be part of the actuator or it can be arranged remote from the actuator. In the last case, it can be connected to the actuator by a signal line or wireless.

The object is further solved with a method with the features of claim <NUM> for operating a valve arrangement by controlling an opening degree in dependency of a flow set-value, wherein a relation between the opening degree and the flow set-value is represented by a basic characteristic curve.

Inter alia, the valve arrangement comprises a flow control section and a pressure control section with which a pressure over the flow control section is kept constant, wherein the flow set-value is inputted and an actual flow through the flow section is measured, wherein the basic characteristic curve is modified to become a modified characteristic curve when a difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Again, in this method the pressure drop over the flow control section is kept constant to remove the influence of varying pressures over the valve arrangement to the flow. Furthermore, a readjustment is made only when the difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow exceeds the predetermined threshold value. Thus, the occurrences of a readjustment are kept low.

In an embodiment of the invention the modified characteristic curve is a function of the basic characteristic curve. In other words, the basic characteristic curve is not obtained by recalibrating the valve, but only by changing the basic characteristic curve.

In an embodiment of the invention the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow are compared at predetermined time intervals. Thus, such a comparison does not take place permanently, but only at the predetermined time intervals. This again keeps the occurrences of a readjustment low.

In an embodiment of the invention a factor representing a relation between the set-value and the actual value is determined and the basic characteristic curve is modified to the modified characteristic curve using the factor. As described above, the factor can be, for example, multiplied with values of the basic characteristic curve to obtain the modified characteristic curve.

In an embodiment of the invention the modified characteristic curve is obtained by changing a slope of the basic characteristic curve. This is a simple way to obtain the basic characteristic curve in particular when using a linear basic characteristic curve.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, in which:.

<FIG> shows schematically a valve arrangement <NUM> mounted in a flow conduit <NUM> for controlling the fluid flow through said conduit <NUM>. The conduit <NUM> could form part of a heating and/or cooling system including heat exchanging devices such as radiators, floor heating systems, fluid-to-fluid heat exchangers etc. The conduit <NUM> may connect to such a heat exchanging device as supply or return conduit of fluid.

The valve arrangement <NUM> comprises a flow control section <NUM> and a pressure control section <NUM>. The pressure control section <NUM> keeps constant a pressure over the flow control section <NUM>. The pressure control section is in the preferred embodiment a mechanical unit (using no electrical power) with a valve, valve seat and a diaphragm/membrane. The pressures in the points <NUM> and <NUM> in the conduit <NUM> are working on each side of the diaphragm and the diaphragm is connected together with the valve element and thus controlling the distance between the valve element and the valve seat as for example described in <CIT> or <CIT>. To this end the pressure control section <NUM> is connected to a point <NUM> upstream the flow control section <NUM> in the conduit <NUM> and to a point <NUM> downstream the flow control section <NUM> in the conduit <NUM>.

The flow control section <NUM> comprises a valve which is operated by control means <NUM> having a flow set-value input <NUM>. The control means <NUM> control an opening degree of the flow control section using a flow set-value inputted via the flow set-value input as parameter.

A flow meter <NUM> is arranged in the conduit <NUM> measuring an actual value of flow through the conduit <NUM> and thus through the flow control section <NUM>.

The control means <NUM> are shown with more details in <FIG>.

The control means <NUM> comprise an actuator <NUM> which is the part influencing the opening degree of the flow control section <NUM>.

In a simple way, the opening degree of the flow section <NUM> is determined by a distance between a valve element and a valve seat of the valve of the flow control section <NUM>, as it is known in the art. It is also possible, to use a valve which is completely open over a fraction of a time period and completely closed over the remaining fraction of the time period. In this case the opening degree of the flow valve section <NUM> is determined by the duty cycle of opening and closing.

In the present example the actuator <NUM> is shown as part integrated into the control means <NUM>. However, the actuator <NUM> can be arranged remote from the control means <NUM>. In this case a connection between the actuator <NUM> and the control means <NUM> can be made by means of a signal line or wireless.

The flow meter <NUM> is connected to the control means <NUM> via an actual value input <NUM>. Thus, the control means <NUM> have the information about the intended value (via the set-value input <NUM>) and the actual value (via the actual value input <NUM>).

These two values are compared in a comparator <NUM>. However, such a comparison in the comparator <NUM> is made only from time to time. The times at which such a comparison is made in the comparator <NUM> is given by a timer <NUM> defining predetermined time intervals. These time intervals can be all the same or they can be different depending on the intended use of the valve arrangement.

The comparison in the comparator <NUM> is made in two steps. In a first step, a difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow is determined. In a second step it is checked whether this difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Only, when the difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow exceeds this predetermined threshold value, further steps are necessary.

The control means <NUM> comprise a storage <NUM> in which a relation between a flow set-value and an opening degree of the flow control section <NUM> is stored. The storage <NUM> can be in form of a look-up table. However, other kinds of storage are possible as well, for example, the storage can be a function generator generating for each input a specific output. Thus, the information stored in the storage <NUM> can simply be named "characteristic curve". In the initial condition of the valve arrangement <NUM> the storage <NUM> shows a "basic characteristic curve". The basic characteristic curve is the relation between a flow set-value and an opening degree of the flow control section <NUM>, so that the storage <NUM> can transmit a corresponding signal to the actuator <NUM> once it receives a flow set-value.

When the evaluation of the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow shows that the actual value does not match the flow set-value, a correction is necessary.

To this end, the basic characteristic curve in the storage <NUM> is replaced by a modified characteristic curve. The modified characteristic curve is then available from the storage <NUM>. The modified characteristic curve is a function of a basic characteristic curve, i.e. the basic characteristic curve is only slightly modified. It is not necessary to recalibrate the whole valve arrangement. In an example the control means <NUM>, in particular the comparator <NUM>, determines a factor representing a relation between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow. The basic characteristic curve is modified using this factor. The modified characteristic curve can be obtained, for example, by multiplying the basic characteristic curve by the factor.

When, for example, the basic characteristic curve is stored in form of a look-up table, the opening degrees belonging to each of the flow set-values are multiplied with the factor.

This amendment of the basic characteristic curve to obtain the modified characteristic curve can be made, for example, by means of a controller <NUM> receiving output signals of the comparator <NUM> and modifying the characteristic curve in the storage <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example for modifying a basic characteristic curve 16B (<FIG>) to a modified characteristic curve <NUM> (<FIG>). In this case both characteristic curves are linear curves. This example is chosen to make the explanation simple. However, also non-linear characteristic curves can be modified in the same or similar manner.

<FIG> shows that the basic characteristic curve 16B would - for a flow set-value of <NUM>/h - require an opening degree of the flow control section of <NUM>. However, with an opening degree of <NUM> the actual flow is <NUM> I/h.

When such a difference remains for more than a predetermined time, for example more than <NUM> minutes, and it is larger than a predetermined difference of ± <NUM> %, then the controller <NUM> is activated and modifies the basic characteristic curve 16B to the modified characteristic curve <NUM>. To this end the controller <NUM> calculates a factor as so called "correction factor" by dividing the flow set-value by the actual flow, i.e. <NUM>/<NUM> = <NUM>,<NUM>. The controller <NUM> multiplies the opening degree in the storage <NUM> of <NUM> by the factor <NUM>,<NUM> and obtains - for a flow set-value of <NUM> I/h - an opening degree of <NUM>,<NUM>.

It can be seen that for lower flow set-values the opening degree is reduced accordingly.

If the basic characteristic curve is just given by a function (without storing specific values) the modification can be simply to change the slope of the basic characteristic curve 16B to obtain the modified characteristic curve <NUM>.

If a non-linear characteristic curve is used, the modification can be limited to a certain section of the basic characteristic curve.

In the example mentioned above the predetermined threshold value which must be exceeded by the difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow has been defined in percentage of the flow set-value. It is, however, also possible to define the predetermined threshold value in an absolute size.

The flow sensor <NUM> can be arranged upstream or downstream the flow control section <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Valve arrangement (<NUM>) comprising
a flow control section (<NUM>) comprising a valve operated by a control means (<NUM>),
the control means (<NUM>) having a flow set-value input (<NUM>), wherein the control means (<NUM>) comprises a memory (<NUM>) storing data of a basic characteristic curve (16B), wherein the basic characteristic curve (16B) represents a relation between a flow and an opening degree of the flow control section (<NUM>) and wherein the control means (<NUM>) is configured to control the opening degree of the flow control section (<NUM>) depending on a flow set-value received via the flow set-value input (<NUM>) using the flow set-value inputted via the flow set-value input (<NUM>) as parameter, and
a flow meter (<NUM>) measuring an actual value of flow through the flow control section (<NUM>),
wherein the basic characteristic curve (16B) is modified by the control means (<NUM>) to become a modified characteristic curve (<NUM>) when a difference between the flow set-value and the actual value of the flow exceeds a predetermined threshold value,
characterized in that the valve arrangement (<NUM>) comprises a pressure control section (<NUM>) keeping constant a pressure difference over the flow control section (<NUM>)