CA1122098A - Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems - Google Patents

Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems

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Publication number
CA1122098A
CA1122098A CA000342749A CA342749A CA1122098A CA 1122098 A CA1122098 A CA 1122098A CA 000342749 A CA000342749 A CA 000342749A CA 342749 A CA342749 A CA 342749A CA 1122098 A CA1122098 A CA 1122098A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
regulator
gas
shell
assembly
pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000342749A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Roger W. Hawkins
Derek Stoves
Arthur B. Smelt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British Gas Corp
Original Assignee
British Gas Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Gas Corp filed Critical British Gas Corp
Priority to CA000342749A priority Critical patent/CA1122098A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1122098A publication Critical patent/CA1122098A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Control Of Fluid Pressure (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
A regulator installation, for controlling the pressure and/or flow in a gas transmission or distribution system, comprising a compact module (10) having an inlet (32) and an outlet (33) adapted to be fitted in a pipeline (1) and containing within its outer shell (21,22,23) a removably assembly secured by locking means (29,30) and which carries the essential elements (2 to 9 and 43 to 45) of the regulator installation such that the gas flow path from the inlet (32) passes through the elements (2 to 5) to the outlet (33). The shell is provided with a removable cover (23) for gaining access to the control elements (6 to 9 and 43 to 45) and to the locking means (30) for enabling the assembly (31) to be removed for servicing and replacement.
Figure 2 is suggested as the drawing to accompany the Abstract.

Description

~ 2~98 -- TIT~E 0~ I~VEMTION: Regulator installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems.

~ his invention relates to regulator installations for controlling the pressure and/or flow of a fluid in a fluid transmission or distribution systems, and particularly to such installations for controlling the pressure and/or flow of gas in a pipeline.

Gas Distribution systems are required to operate so as to ensure that the gas flowing in pipelines to the consumer is maintained at a particular pressure so that appliances using the gas as a fuel can work efficiently and safely.
.

isting regulator inætallations consist of a number of essential control elements, for example, filters, regulators, valves, emergency shut-off devices (commonly known as slam-shut valves), and control means, each of which is housed in separate cast or prefabricated bodies and connected by numerous pieces of pipework using a multitude of hea~y flanges and an even greater number of bolts and nuts. ~he result is a system which is space con~omin~ and requires a large expensive building or kiosk to house the installation, and is complex and difficult to maintain on site, and also -~ is likely to leak from some of the many joints. ~he e tèrnal impulse ~`~ auxillary pipework is vulnerable to accidental or wilful damage, and~pressure ; adjusting mechanisms are easlly tampered with if vandal enter a klosk.
Once a system is installed, there is no way of ~off-site" re-testing after m~;ntenance since the system is a permanent fixture and maintenance would have to be carried out on site, sometimes in severe weather conditions.
~urthermore, the aquisition of sites for erecting the kiosks is a particularly severe problem in built-up residential or industrial æeas where it can be almost impossible to find locations for them. Alternatively, to divert -the gas main to a suitable location for a kiosk i9 very costly.

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~2~g8 The invention as claimed is intended to provide a remedy in -that _t solves the problems of how to overcome the aforesaid disad~antages with known control installations for gas transmission or distribution systems.

~he advantages offered by the invention are mainly that, by reducin~
the size of the installation, enabling it to be buried, if required, below ground level, the problem of obtaining sites and building expensive kioskæ
would be eased with a result that the overall cost of the installation will be less, especially since there will be a reduced necessity to re-route - 10 the gas main to a 9uitable location.` Also, the particular construction - and manner of use of the control systems willvirtually eliminate the necessity for on-site maintenance which can be carried out in a workshop, and minimise the time that a gas main is shut down whilst a system ~s replaced.
~hrthermore, security against vandalism, accidental damage and una~tho~ised accesæ to the control elements will be considerably improved, and lea~age sources will be m;n;m;sed by the el;m;n~tion of many bolted flange coDnections and diaphragm covers of the various separate elements in an existing installation.

I
~ccording to the invention, in a regulator installation for cont~olli ~
; ~ 20 the pressure and/or flow of gas in a gas transmission or distribution sys~em, the regulator installation is in the form of a compact moaule.
comprising;an outer shell having~a removable cover and an inlet and an ou~let for connection in a gas pipeline of said system;
a regulator assembly removably secured to a part of said outer shell, which assembly includes main elements and control e~leme~ts of said regulator installation;

; sealing means between said shell and said assembly for dividi~g the inte:rior of said shell into a gas-tight high pressure upst~ream :
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2~)~8 compartment which communioates with said inlet, a ~a~-tight low pressure downstream compartment which commNnicates with said outlet, and a compartment substantially at atmospheric pressure.

~ he arrangement is such that, in use of the module, the gas flow path from said inlet to said upstream compartment passes throu~h said main elements into said downstream compartment to said outlet, and that said control elements are located in said substantially atmospheric pressure compartment whereby access fox adjustment to at least some of the control elements can be made after removal of said shell cover, and whereby access to or removal of said regulator assembly can be made either before or after removal of the said shell cover.

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~: One way of carrying out the invention will now be described, by way r of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustra-te ~ ..
only one specific embodiment of a gas pressuxe-and/or flow control module in accordance with the invention for connection in a gas transmission or distribution pipeline, and in which:- :
.~' ' ~ .
:~ Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one typical gas regulator system which can be incorporated in the module, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional side view of the module~
~ ~ .
Referring first to Figure 1, the typical regulator system for controlling the downstream pressure and/or flow of gas in a pipeline 1 flowing in the direction of the Arrow A usually includes a filter 2, a monitor regulator 3, an active regulator 4, a slam-shut valve 5, and a pressure relief valve 6, .; the regulators 3 and 4 being operated by pilot controlled impulse lines 7 : and 8 respectively, and the slam-shut valve being operated b~ an impulse : line 9.

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- - -' .'' ` . . ' ' ' ~ ' ~ ~ ' ' ,' ' ' ' , ', ' ~ ' ' ~ ' ' 1~ 8 In accordance with the invention, the aforesaid elements are incorpoxated in a module 10, which i9 connected in the pipeline 1, f~r example,by means of flanged connections 11 and 12 whilst the gas flow is shu-t off by isolation valves 13 and 14 fitted at each side of the modllle.

Referring now to ~igure 2, and in which like elements already described have like reference numerals, the module 10,oonnected in a pipeline as aforesaid, comprises an outer shell formed by a lower part 21, which is connected in the pipeline 1 by the flanges 11 and 12, a removable intermediate part 22, and a removable top cover 23, defining there between three compartments 24, 25 and 26. ~nnular sealing rings 27,28 ensure gas and water tight connections between the flanges of the parts 21,22,23 which are locked ; together by releasable locking means 29 and 30. The lower shell part 21 has a gas inlet 32 communicating with the compartment 24, and a gas outlet 33 - communicating with the compartment 25.

~ 15 The intermediate shell part 22 has an integral annular partition plate 9 34 ana forms part of a removable regulator assembly 31. ~his assembly includes ;~ a cartridge 35 which is fixed to the plate 34 from which it depenas and to which it iB sealed by a sealing ring 36. ~he cartridge 35 also.engages a seal 37 in an annular partition 38 which projects inwardly from the 20 lower shell 21. Thus, it will be seen that tke high pressure upstream compartment 24 is sealed off from the low pressure downstream compart~ent 25, which in tu~n i8 sealed off from theupper.oompartment 26 which is vented to atmosphere through a vent 39 in the top cover 23.
`: :
The cartridge 35 of the removable regulator assembly 31 consists of 25 a casing 41 having ga9 outlet ports 42 communicating with the compartment 25 ' ' ' ' ' ~ :- ' . .
: ~ . .

~ Z0~8 and houses the monitor regulator 3, active regulator 4, and slam-shut valve 5. The filter 2 is secured to the bottom of the casing 41 so as to be contained in the upstream compartment 24, which may also include a cycl~ne dust or particle separator (not shown), possibly instead of the filter 2, in which case the dust particles will fall to the bottom of the lower shell part 21. The cartridge may also include a silencer (not shown).

~ he removable regulator assembly 31 also includes the two pilot controls 7, 8 for operation of the regulators 3,4, a slam-shut valve actuator 43 with reset (open) means 44, the pressure relief v~lve 6, and a pressure equalising valve 45 (for enabling the reset means 44 to be operated) together with their connecting lines (not shown); all of which are secured to or carried by the partition plate 34 of the intermediate shell part 22 so as to be removable therewith.
. .

~he lock;ng means 30 may also include safety means 40 for venting tne gas pressure from the upstream and downstream compartments 24,25 to atmosphere (once the isolation valves 13,14 have been closed) -before an un ocking operation can b~e effected for removal of the whole regulator assembly 31. Of course, access to the controls in the upper compartment 26 can be achieved by unlocking the locking means 29, preferably with a special key, and removing the top cover 23 since the compartment 26 is at atmospheric pressure.

~` In the use of the module described above, during no~mal gas flow, gas enters through the inlet 32 into the compartment 24 and is filtered by the filter 2 and then passes through the g s pressure regulators 3 and 4 and on thxough the slam-shut valve 5 and eventually out thro-~gh the .~ :

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, . . -l~.Z20~8 ~utlet ports 42 into the compartment 25 to the outlet 33 where it will be at its required pressure or flow rate.

With this arrangement, it will be appreciated that the module may be installed in the pipeline in a small cubicle below ground le.el with access to it from a manhole cover. Thus, if a f~ult develops in the installation, it can be speedily rectified by removing the whole regulator assembly 31 from the lower shell part 21 and replacing it with a servicable assembly with the m;n;mJIm 1088 of gas supplies. 3y having another module in a ; parallel branch line to which the pipeline can be switched, little or no loss of supplies will occur. The faulty assembly can then be taken away from the site and serviced in a workshop.

: : ' ~;~ Whilst the module described is intended to be operated by well known pneu_atic control means, it will be understood that other me2ns, such as electrically-operated actuators controlled by electronic me~ns, could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

~ :
Furthermore, whilst this embo~iment describes a particularly advantageous ~ arTangement in which the various components of the regulator system - 2,3,4 and 5 are axi lly ligned so to obtain optimum dynamlc axial`flow of the gas through the various system components, other a~iaIly or non-20 ~Y;ally aligned arrangements of the systemis components ~which in themselves may be varied) but in a different sequential order to that shown may be arranged. Al80, the or each fllter may be separately supported as another -`~ assembly within the shell or~within a sepa~ately connected shell, in eithercase, having a removable access cover for sasy replacement of the filter element alone without having to remove the assembly ca~rying the other components.

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In another arrangement, the outer shell could house three or more assemblies in any combination of filter assemblies and pressure/flow regulator assemblies interconnected in &~y convenient manner. Where, for example, such an arrangement included two pressure/flow regulator assembliesand one filter assembly, each regulator assembly can be designed to deal with the same or a different range of pipeline gas pressure, and arranged to be switchable from one assembly to another, but utilising the common filter assembly.

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Claims (10)

1. A regulator installation for controlling at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of pressure and flow of gas in a gas transmission or distribution system, wherein the regulator installation is in the form of a compact module comprising: an outer shell having a removable cover and an inlet and an outlet for connection in a gas pipeline of said system; a regulator assembly removably secured to a part of said outer shell, which assembly includes main ele-ments and control elements of said regulator installation;
sealing means between said shell and said assembly for dividing the interior of said shell into a gas-tight high pressure upstream compartment which communicates with said inlet, a gas-tight low pressure downstream compartment which communicates with said outlet, and a compartment substantial-ly at atmospheric pressure.
2. A regulator installation according to Claim 1, wherein said regulator assembly includes a support member which carries said elements.
3. A regulator installation according to Claim 2, wherein support member forms a part of said outer shell.
4. A regulator installation according to Claim 3, wherein said support member is interposed between a main body part and said cover of said shell.
5. A regulator installation according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein means are provided for locking and unlocking said regulator assembly and said cover to or from associated parts of said shell.
6. A regulator installation according to any one of Claims 1-3 wherein means are provided for relieving gas pressures in said upstream and downstream compartments for enabling the regulator assembly to be removed safely from the shell.
7. A regulator installation according to any one of Claims 1-3 wherein means are provided for relieving gas pressures in said upstream and downstream compartments for enabling the regulator assembly to be removed safely from the shell, and wherein means are provided for locking and unlocking said regulator assembly and said cover to or from associated parts of said shell, and wherein said locking and unlocking means are associated with said pressure relieving means in a way that will ensure that the said pressure-relieving means is operated to relieve pressures as aforesaid, before unlocking said regulator assembly.
8. A regulator installation according to any one of Claims 1-3 wherein said main elements of the regulator assembly includes a filter, one or more pressure-regulating governors, and a slam-shut valve, each located in axially aligned relationship with each other.
9. A regulator installation according to any one of Claims 1-3 incorporating in a gas pipeline whose upstream and downstream terminal ends are provided with isolating valves, wherein said inlet and outlet of the module are provided with a coupling member for connection to a respective terminal end of the pipeline.
10. A removable and replaceable regulator assembly removably securable in a regulator installation, said regulator instal-lator comprising a compact module for controlling at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of pressure and flow of gas in a gas transmission or distribution system, said compact module comprising an outer shell having a removable cover and an inlet and an outlet for connection in a gas pipeline of said system, said assembly comprising: main elements and control ele-ments of said regulator installation; means for removably securing said assembly to a part of said outer shell; and means for sealing said shell and assembly for dividing the interior of said shell into a gas-tight high pressure upstream compartment which communicates with said inlet, a gas-tight low pressure downstream compartment which communicates with said outlet, and a compartment substantially at atmospheric pressure.
CA000342749A 1979-12-28 1979-12-28 Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems Expired CA1122098A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000342749A CA1122098A (en) 1979-12-28 1979-12-28 Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000342749A CA1122098A (en) 1979-12-28 1979-12-28 Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1122098A true CA1122098A (en) 1982-04-20

Family

ID=4115921

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000342749A Expired CA1122098A (en) 1979-12-28 1979-12-28 Control installations for fluid transmission or distribution systems

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1122098A (en)

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