Valve diagnostic and performance system
A multi-piece ball valve includes a body, a first closure piece attached to the body, the first closure piece and the body together defining an interior cavity. A ball is disposed in the interior cavity, the ball defining a bore extending through the ball. A load sensor ring is disposed in an annular cavity defined in an outer surface of the body between the body and the first closure piece. A pressure sensor is operable to sense fluid pressure between the body and the first closure piece. An electronic control system is in communication with the load sensor ring and the pressure sensor.
1 . A multi-piece ball valve comprising:
a body;
a first closure piece attached to the body, the first closure piece and the body together defining an interior cavity;
a ball disposed in the interior cavity, the ball defining a bore extending through the ball;
a load sensor ring disposed in an annular cavity defined in an outer surface of the body between the body and the first closure piece;
a pressure sensor operable to sense fluid pressure between the body and the first closure piece; and
an electronic control system in communication with the load sensor ring and the pressure sensor, wherein the electronic control system is operable to determine a location of a leak across any point around a valve body-closure piece joint circumference by having a logic solver executing a leak location routine based on light pulse bandwidth scattering reflectometry methods.
2 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 1 , wherein a first conduit machined in the body extends between the interior cavity defined in the outer surface of the body and a cable sealing plug.
3 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 2 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises a fluid-sensitive cable placed on a ring cavity machined on the body and end segments of the fluid-sensitive cable extending through a second conduit to the cable sealing plug.
4 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 3 , wherein the fluid sensitive cable comprises a fiber optic cable capable of detecting a passage of a leaked fluid.
5 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 1 , wherein the multi-piece ball valve is a three-piece ball valve further comprising a second closure piece.
6 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 5 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises a fluid-sensitive cable placed on a ring cavity machined on the body and end segments of the fluid-sensitive cable extending through a second conduit to the cable sealing plug.
7 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 6 , wherein the fluid sensitive cable comprises a fiber optic cable capable of detecting a passage of a leaked fluid.
8 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor ring radially measures a mechanical load between the body and the first closure piece.
9 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises a fluid-sensitive cable placed on a ring cavity machined on the body and end segments of the fluid-sensitive sensor cable extending through a second conduit to the cable sealing plug.
10 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 9 , wherein the fluid sensitive cable comprises a fiber optic cable capable of detecting a passage of a leaked fluid.
11 . The multi-piece ball valve of claim 10 , wherein the electronic control system is operable to determine a location of a leak across any point around a valve body-closure piece joint circumference by having a logic solver to execute a leak location routine based on light pulse bandwidth scattering reflectometry methods.
12 . A ball valve comprising:
a body comprising an outer surface;
a first closure piece attached to the body, the first closure piece and the body together defining an interior cavity and an annular cavity, the annular cavity defined in part by the outer surface of the body;
a ball disposed in the interior cavity, the ball defining a bore extending through the ball;
a load sensor ring disposed in the annular cavity;
a pressure sensor operable to sense fluid pressure between the body and the first closure piece; and
an electronic control system in communication with the load sensor ring and the pressure sensor, the electronic control system comprising a logic solver that is configured to monitor and control the load sensor ring and the pressure sensor to determine a location of a leak across any point around a valve body-closure piece joint circumference based on light pulse bandwidth scattering reflectometry methods.
13 . The ball valve of claim 12 , wherein the logic solver is configured to execute a leak location routine based on light pulse bandwidth scattering reflectometry methods.