FR2806778A1 - RELEASABLE CONTROL METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VALVES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention applies to a system for transporting a fluid (gas, petroleum) comprising a valve (1) integral with a first axis of rotation (1a), and an actuator (2), driving in rotation a second axis of rotation (2a). The actuator (2), which is controlled by a control circuit, actuates the valve (1) in the open or closed position. The invention relates to a disengageable control intermediate device (9) for valves making it possible to troubleshoot the control circuit. and / or the actuator (2) and / or the valve (1). This intermediate device (9) comprises a mechanism for: - uncoupling the axis of rotation (1a) from the valve (1) from the axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), - operate the valve (1) in the open or closed position, - couple or put the axis of rotation (1a) of the valve (1) to automatic coupling the axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), after the valve (1) has been operated in the required position. Thus, troubleshooting only requires a single movement on the site of the valve.

Description

Disengageable method and control device for valves.

  The present invention relates to a method and a device for

disengageable control for valves.

  In the field of fluid transport circuits, in particular the transport of gas or oil, it is necessary to be able to isolate parts of a circuit in the event of a malfunction or breakdown. To meet this need, valves are used which stop the circulation of the fluid in the transport circuit. These valves are generally operated in the open, closed or intermediate position by a

  servomotor or "actuator", itself remotely controlled.

  Malfunctions or breakdowns likely to affect a fluid transport circuit, however, require manual operation

  the valves, to allow troubleshooting of the circuit.

  At present, motorized valves are, in principle, equipped with an emergency control which allows them to be operated manually in the open, closed or intermediate position. In the event of a malfunction, a technician must go to the valve site. By means of a handwheel, it actuates an endless screw which drives the rotation of the actuator axis and the valve axis. Thus it opens or closes the valve manually but, when the circuit is put back into service, the valve remains irreversibly blocked in the open, closed or intermediate position. The subsequent return to service of the actuator by sending working fluid into its circuits has no effect because its axis of rotation is blocked. The valve remains in the position it occupies. From then on, the technician must go once again to the site of the valve and turn the handwheel in the other direction in order to release the worm. The actuator can then again

  operate by sending engine fluid.

  If we plan to improve the existing emergency controls at present, in order to facilitate the troubleshooting of a circuit, it is imperative to design a solution that can respect existing infrastructure. Due to the cost represented, it is the emergency order

  to adapt to the existing circuit and not the reverse.

  The solution, so that the technician only has to make one trip to the valve site, consists in replacing the existing emergency control with an intermediate manual control device

  disengageable and re-clutchable automatically.

  Thus conceived as a simple substitution of one part by another, the installation of this intermediate device can be carried out at

  lower cost both on an existing circuit and on a new circuit.

  The invention applies to a system for transporting a fluid, in particular gas or petroleum. This system comprises a valve integral with a first axis of rotation and an actuator which rotates a second axis of rotation and which actuates the valve in the open, closed or intermediate position. The actuator is controlled by a circuit

control.

  The invention relates to an emergency interlayer device for operating the valve in the event of failure of said control circuit and / or

  said actuator and / or said valve.

  Said intermediate device is intended to replace the link

  mechanical located between the actuator and the valve.

  Thus, the installation of said intermediate device can be carried out on

  an existing fluid transport system.

  Said intermediate device can also be installed between

  the actuator and the valve instead of the mechanical connection.

  Said intermediate device comprises a mechanism actuable by

a technician.

  This mechanism makes it possible first of all to uncoupling said first axis of rotation of the valve from said second axis of rotation of the actuator, so that the actuation of the valve can be carried out manually, independently of the actuator, after the automatic uncoupling

of the servomotor.

  This mechanism then makes it possible to manually operate the valve in the open, closed or intermediate position, depending on the required position. This mechanism finally makes it possible to re-couple or to put on hold for automatic coupling said first axis of rotation of the valve and said second axis of rotation of the actuator, after the valve

  will have been operated in the required position.

  Thus, it is not necessary for the technician to return to the valve site after troubleshooting to open or close it, since the actuator actuates the valve again, thanks to the automatic re-clutch device. Preferably, for uncoupling or coupling said first axis of rotation of the valve and said second axis of rotation of the actuator, said mechanism comprises first means of coupling to said first axis of rotation of said valve. Said first coupling means

  include grooves, or another means, movable in translation.

  Said mechanism also comprises second coupling means to said second axis of rotation of the actuator. Said second coupling means comprise pins cooperating with

mortises.

  Advantageously, according to an alternative embodiment, said pins and

  said mortises have a conical shape.

  Preferably, according to the invention, the coupling means are

  actuated by a technician by means of a lever.

  Preferably, according to the invention, to operate the valve in the open, closed or intermediate position, said mechanism comprises a control means operable by the technician, to drive in

  rotation of said first axis of rotation of said valve.

  Preferably, according to the invention, said control means is

  composed of said lever mounted on ball joint.

  The invention also relates to a method for troubleshooting said control circuit and / or said actuator and / or said valve. The process

  is carried out by means of a mechanism operable by a technician.

  The method according to the invention comprises several steps.

  It includes the step of uncoupling said first axis of rotation from

  the valve of said second axis of rotation of the actuator.

  Thus, the operation of the valve can be carried out manually,

regardless of the actuator.

  it also includes the step of operating the valve in position

  open, closed or intermediate, depending on the required position.

  Finally, it includes the step of coupling or placing on automatic coupling said first axis of rotation of the valve to said second axis of rotation of the actuator, after the valve has been

  maneuvered into the required position.

  Thus, it is not necessary for the technician to return to the valve site after troubleshooting to open or close it, since the actuator

actuates the valve again.

  Preferably, for coupling or uncoupling said first axis of rotation of the valve and said second axis of rotation of the actuator, the

  method according to the invention comprises several steps.

  The method comprises the step of bringing one or the other of the drive parts by tenons and mortises, at least one of the drive parts being integral with said second axis of rotation of the actuator . It also includes the step of translating one with respect to the other of the drive parts comprising grooves, at least one of the drive parts being integral with said first axis of rotation of

said valve.

  Advantageously, said drive parts by studs and

mortises have a conical shape.

  Preferably, according to the invention, to operate the valve in the open, closed or intermediate position, a lever is actuated

  with said first axis of rotation of the valve.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear

  reading the description of alternative embodiments of the invention,

  given by way of an indicative and nonlimiting example, and of: FIG. 1 which represents the intermediate control device in the engaged position (the axis of rotation of the valve and the axis of rotation of the actuator are coupled) and FIG. 2 which represents the intermediate control device in the disengaged position (the axis of rotation of the valve and the axis of rotation of

the actuator are uncoupled).

  It will be specified that the elements which are hatched in the same way

are united with each other.

  The invention applies to a system for transporting a fluid (gas, oil). This system includes a valve 1 integral with a first axis of rotation la and an actuator 2 which rotates a second axis of

  rotation 2a. The actuator 2 actuates the valve shutter 1 in rotation.

  It is itself remotely controlled by means of a control circuit.

  Between the actuator 2 and the valve 1 is installed an intermediate device 9, bearing on the base lb of the valve 1. This device 9 replaces a removable mechanical connection, usually installed between the actuator 2 and the valve 1. Thus, the intermediate device 9 can be installed both on a pre-existing fluid transport circuit and on

a new circuit.

  The intermediate device 9 comprises a mechanism operable by a technician. This mechanism comprises a mobile player 7, controlled by a lever 6. The player 7 includes means for coupling to the axis of rotation of the valve 1 by means of grooves 3a secured to a body 10, in which slide splines 3b, integral with the mobile player 7. The mobile player 7 also includes means for coupling to the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2. The axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2 comprises a conical pin 4 which fits into a mortise 5 of the mobile player 7. A return spring 8 pressurizes the mobile player 7 in the high position, that is to say coupled to

  the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2.

  When the fluid transport circuit operates without anomalies, the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2 is coupled to the axis of rotation la of the valve 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The maneuver of the

  valve 1 is thus controlled by the actuator 2.

  When any malfunction or breakdown occurs, it is necessary to be able to maintain control of the opening and closing of the valve 1, even though the operation of the circuit in automatic mode is no longer operational. You must then go to the site

of valve 1.

  When pressure is exerted on the lever 6 upwards, this has the effect of causing the player 7 to translate downwards. Grooves 3a and 3b

  slide relative to each other. The mechanism is disengaged.

  The axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2 is then separated from the axis of rotation la of the valve 1. It is then possible, by operating the lever 6 horizontally, to pivot the body 10 around the axis 11 of the intermediate device 9. The body 10 is engaged with the axis of rotation la of the valve 1, via the grooves 3a and 3b, respectively integral with the body 10 and the axis of rotation la of the valve 1. The axis of rotation of the valve 1 thus pivots independently of the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2. It is thus possible manually and according to the required position to operate the valve 1

  in the open, closed or intermediate position.

  As soon as the valve 1 has been operated in the required position, the pressure on the lever 6 is released. Thanks to the action of the return spring 8, the mobile player 7 returns to its high position. The axis of rotation la of the

  valve 1 and the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2 are thus re-coupled.

  When the actuator 2 is again actuated by sending compressed air, it will rotate the axis of rotation of the valve 1. The fluid transport circuit will thus resume its automatic operation. In the case where the actuator 2 is in the "valve open" position while the axis of rotation of the valve 1 is in the "valve closed" position, or vice versa, the automatic operation will only be operational again after a quarter-turn rotation of the axis of rotation 2a of the actuator 2 (rotation necessary for the position of

  actuator 2 again coincides with that of valve 1).

  Thus, the mechanism according to the invention has the advantage of requiring only one movement on the site of the valve 1 in the event of a malfunction of the fluid transport circuit or of the circuit

  actuator servo and control 2.

Claims (10)

Claims   1. In a system for transporting a fluid (gas, oil) comprising a valve (1) integral with a first axis of rotation (la), - an actuator (2): - driving in rotation a second axis of rotation (2a ), - actuating said valve (1) in the open, closed or intermediate position; said actuator (2) being controlled by a control circuit; in said system an intermediate device (9) for troubleshooting said control circuit and / or said actuator (2) and / or said valve (1); said intermediate device (9) being intended: - either to replace a mechanical connection located between the actuator (2) and the valve (1), (so that the installation of said intermediate device can be carried out on a transport of preexisting fluid) - either to be installed between the actuator (2) and the valve (1) instead of the usual mechanical connection; said intermediate device (9) comprising a mechanism actuated by a technician, for: - uncoupling said first axis of rotation (la) from the valve (1) from said second axis of rotation (2a) from the actuator (2), (de so that the valve can be operated manually, independently of the actuator) - operate the valve (1) in the open, closed or intermediate position according to the required position, couple or wait for automatic coupling of said first axis of rotation (the ) from the valve (1) to said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), after the valve (1) has been operated in the required position, (so that it is not necessary that the technician returns to the valve site after troubleshooting to open or close it, since   the actuator actuates the valve again).   2. Intermediate device (9) according to claim (1) such that, for uncoupling or coupling said first axis of rotation (la) of the valve (1) and said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2) , said mechanism comprises - first coupling means to said first axis of rotation of said valve (1); said first coupling means comprising movable grooves (3a, 3b) in translation, - second coupling means to said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2); said second coupling means comprising a lug (4) cooperating with a mortise (5).   3. Intermediate device (9) according to claim (2), such that said stud   (4) and said mortise (5) have a conical shape.   4. Intermediate device (9) according to claim 2 or 3, such that the coupling means are actuated by a technician by means of a lever (6).   5. Intermediate device (9) according to any one of claims 1 to   4, such that, to operate the valve (1) in the open, closed or intermediate position, said mechanism comprises a control means operable by the technician, for rotating said first axis   of rotation (la) of said valve (1).   6. Intermediate device (9) according to claims 4 and 5, taken in   combination, such that said control means is composed of said lever.   7. In a system for transporting a fluid (gas, oil) comprising a valve (1) integral with a first axis of rotation (la), - an actuator (2): - driving in rotation a second axis of rotation (2a ), - actuating said valve (1) in the open, closed or intermediate position; said actuator (2) being controlled by a control circuit; a method for troubleshooting said control circuit and / or said actuator (2) and / or said valve (1); said method being carried out by means of a mechanism operable by a technician; said method comprising the following steps: the step of uncoupling said first axis of rotation (la) from the valve (1) from said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), (so that the opening and the valve can be closed manually, independently of the actuator) - the step of operating the valve (1) in the open, closed or intermediate position, depending on the required position, - the step of coupling or putting waiting for automatic coupling said first axis of rotation (la) of the valve (1) to said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), after the valve (1) has been operated in the required position , (so there is no need for the technician to return to the valve site after troubleshooting to open or close it, since   the actuator actuates the valve again).   8. Method according to claim 7, such as for coupling or uncoupling said first axis of rotation (la) of the valve (1) and said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2), - we approach or the drive parts are separated from one another by tenon (4) and mortise (5), at least one of the drive parts being integral with said second axis of rotation (2a) of the actuator (2).   - One translates relative to the other of the drive parts comprising grooves (3a, 3b), at least one of the drive parts being integral with said first axis of rotation (la) of said valve ( 1). 9. Method according to claim 8, such that said drive parts   by tenon (4) and mortise (5) have a conical shape.   10. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, such as for   operate the valve (1) in the open or closed position, actuate a   lever (6) engaged with said first axis of rotation (la) of the valve (1).