Counter-biased valve and actuator assembly
View Patent ↗A valve actuator assembly, counter-biased by a working fluid (or gas) pressure, is disclosed. The valve actuator assembly comprises a valve and a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator. A port is defined axially through the valve and actuator that communicates a working fluid (or gas) pressure acting on the valve face to a counter-biasing chamber inside an actuator housing. This design eliminates, reduces, or overcomes a force acting on a face of the valve by communicating a common working pressure of the fluid (or gas) to a substrate on the actuator with a resultant force vector opposite the valve face.
1. A valve actuator assembly, comprising:
an actuator housing;
an actuator piston disposed within the actuator housing, the actuator piston comprising a first port formed through the actuator piston, wherein the actuator piston and the actuator housing, together, define a counter-biasing chamber connected to the first port and a plurality of control chambers; wherein a first control chamber and the counter-biasing chamber are both positioned on the same side relative to the actuator piston;
a first pressure control port, connected to the first control chamber, for passing a pressure control signal to the first control chamber and into contact with a surface of the actuator piston; and
a valve comprising a second port formed axially through the valve, the second port at least partially aligned with the first port;
wherein the valve has a valve face having a surface area that is greater than the surface area of the portion of the actuator piston forming a portion of the counter-biasing chamber.
2. The valve actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve housing connected to the actuator housing, comprising an intake port and a discharge port.
3. The valve actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator piston and the valve comprise a single entity and the first and second ports join to form a single port through the single entity.
4. The valve actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a poppet valve.
5. The valve actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a at least two lower control chamber formed by the actuator piston and the actuator housing, wherein each lower control chamber includes an individual pressure control port connected thereto.
6. A valve actuator assembly, comprising:
an actuator housing;
an actuator piston disposed within the actuator housing, wherein the actuator piston and the actuator housing define a counter-biasing chamber and a control chamber on the same side of the actuator piston, and the actuator piston includes a first substrate area that defines a portion of the counter-biasing chamber and a second substrate area that defines a portion of the control chamber;
means for passing a gas, liquid, or combination thereof to the control chamber;
a valve in contact with the actuator piston, the valve having a valve face;
a bore defining an uninterrupted pathway passing through the actuator piston and the valve such that the valve face is in fluid communication with the counter-biasing chamber; and
means for controlling a net combined force operating to bias the valve;
wherein the surface area of the first substrate area of the actuator piston is less than the surface area of the valve face and pressure applied to the first substrate area acts on the actuator piston to bias the valve toward or into a closed position.
7. The valve actuator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuator piston and the valve comprise a single entity.
8. The valve actuator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the valve comprises a poppet valve.
9. The valve actuator assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second control chamber formed between the actuator piston and the actuator housing; and
means for passing a second pressure control signal to the second control chamber.
10. A valve actuator assembly, comprising:
an actuator housing;
an actuator piston disposed within the actuator housing, the actuator piston comprising a first port formed through the actuator piston;
wherein the actuator piston and the actuator housing, together, define a counter-biasing chamber connected to the first port and a plurality of control chambers, wherein at least a first control chamber and the counter-biasing chamber are both partially defined by upper surfaces of the actuator piston and at least a second control chamber and a third control chamber are partially defined by lower surfaces, generally opposite the upper surfaces, of the actuator piston, and each of the first, second and third control chambers includes a pressure control port in fluid communication therewith; and
a valve comprising a second port formed axially through the valve, the second port at least partially aligned with the first port;
wherein the surface area of the actuator piston defining a portion of the first control chamber is greater than the surface area of the actuator piston defining a portion of either the second or the third control chamber.
11. The valve actuator assembly of claim 10 , wherein the valve is in fluid communication with an intake port and a discharge port and can open and close a pathway therebetween.
12. The valve actuator assembly of claim 11 , wherein the valve comprises a poppet valve.