Pneumatic actuator dampener system and method

1 . A valve assembly, comprising: a valve body including a valve cavity and a flow bore extending perpendicular to the valve cavity;

a bonnet coupled to the valve body;

a valve stem extending along a valve stem axis through the valve cavity;

an actuator coupled to the bonnet, the actuator including a connector coupled to the valve stem such that driving movement of the actuator is translated to the valve stem; and

a damper system arranged within a body of the actuator, the damper system comprising: an inner sleeve, comprising;

a stationary ring including one or more ports that extend through the inner sleeve; and

a rotatable ring including one or more rotatable openings, wherein the rotatable ring is configured to rotate about a damper axis; and

an outer sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve is axially movable along the inner sleeve responsive to movement of the valve stem; and

wherein movement of the outer sleeve drives a volume of air out of an interior formed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve through the one or more ports.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a resilient member between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, the resilient member configured to compress responsive to movement of the valve stem and to expand to drive the outer sleeve axially along the inner sleeve to increase the volume of air in the interior.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

an adapter ring coupled to the bonnet and to the body; and

a coupling location along the adapter ring, the damper system being coupled to the adapter ring at the coupling location.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the coupling location is radially outward from the valve stem.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a pneumatic actuator.

6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein a total cross-sectional flow area is controlled by alignment between the one or more ports and the one or more rotatable openings.

7 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a rotating mechanism coupled to the rotatable ring.

8 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second damper system positioned at an opposite circumferential position relative to the damper system.

9 . A damper assembly, comprising:

an outer sleeve including an opening;

an inner sleeve positioned circumferentially within the outer sleeve, at least a portion of the outer sleeve overlapping the inner sleeve, and at least a portion of the inner sleeve being rotatable about an axis with respect to the outer sleeve;

a base forming a portion of the inner sleeve, the base configured to couple the inner sleeve to an adapter ring;

a resilient member arranged within an interior portion defined by the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve; and

one or more ports extending through the inner sleeve, wherein a volume of air within the interior portion is configured to exit the interior portion through the one or more ports responsive to movement of the outer sleeve that decreases a size of the interior portion.

10 . The damper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the inner sleeve further comprises:

a stationary ring; and

a rotatable ring, wherein the one or more ports are arranged along the stationary ring and one or more openings extend through the rotatable ring, the rotatable ring being configured to rotate about the axis to align the one or more openings with the one or more ports.

11 . The damper assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:

one or more plugs configured to restrict flow through the one or more ports.

12 . The damper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the one or more ports are arranged circumferentially about the inner sleeve.

13 . The damper assembly of claim 12 , wherein an arrangement of the one or more ports is symmetrical about the circumference of the inner sleeve.

14 . The damper assembly of claim 12 , wherein a flow axis of at least a portion of the one or more ports is perpendicular to an axis of the inner sleeve.

15 . The damper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the outer sleeve is configured to decrease the size of the interior portion responsive to movement of an associated actuator.

16 . A valve assembly, comprising:

a valve body including a valve cavity and a flow bore extending perpendicular to the valve cavity;

a bonnet coupled to the valve body;

a valve stem extending along a valve stem axis through the valve cavity;

an actuator coupled to the bonnet, the actuator including a connector coupled to the valve stem such that driving movement of the actuator is translated to the valve stem;

an adapter ring coupled to the bonnet and to a body of the actuator;

a coupling location along the adapter ring; and

a damper system coupled to the adapter ring at the coupling location and arranged within the body of the actuator, the damper system comprising:

an inner sleeve;

an outer sleeve, the outer sleeve being axially movable along the inner sleeve responsive to movement of the valve stem; and

one or more ports extending through the inner sleeve, wherein movement of the outer sleeve drives a volume of air out of an interior formed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve through the one or more ports;

wherein an opening is formed in the adapter ring, the opening being at a lower axial position than a surface of the adapter ring, and configured to receive an end of the outer sleeve when the damper system is in a collapsed configuration.

17 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein the coupling location is radially outward from the valve stem.

18 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is a pneumatic actuator.