Wireless valve actuator system and method

1. A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline, the system comprising:

a gas-over-oil actuator;

a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral opened center spool valve and adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation;

at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a signal from the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor; and

at least one torque limiting device disposed between the wireless position monitor and the at least one switching relay to prevent excess torque from the gas-over-oil actuator;

wherein, upon wirelessly receiving a command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and to move the valve to a desired position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first gas/oil tank, a second gas/oil tank, and a manual override system disposed adjacent to and between the first and second gas/oil tanks.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an open switching relay and a closed switching relay, the open and closed switching relays operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first tank and a second tank, the first tank in communication with the open switching relay and the second tank in communication with the closed switching relay.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the open and closed switching relays includes a vent.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal from the opened center spool valve driven to the at least one switching relay is a low pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is a high pressure supply.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal from the opened center spool valve driven to the at least one switching relay is a high pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is the same pressure level as the high pressure signal.

8. The system of claim 1 , further including a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor, the pressure regulator having a relief valve and for limiting the inlet pressure from the natural gas pipeline to the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor.

9. The system of claim 1 , further including at least one solenoid valve disposed external to the wireless position monitor, the at least one solenoid valve driven by the wireless position monitor to provide high pressure gas supply from the natural gas pipeline through the opened center spool valve and into the at least one switching relay.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a bleed valve for maintaining the at least one switching relay in an open position for a time required by the valve to complete a desired travel distance, the bleed valve having a locking nut to prevent tampering and disposed within a lockable cabinet.

11. A process control system comprising:

a valve installed in a natural gas pipeline;

a gas-over-oil actuator system operatively coupled to the valve, the gas-over-oil actuator system including;

a gas-over-oil actuator;

a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral pneumatic pilot valve;

at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a signal from the pneumatic pilot valve of the wireless position monitor; and

a bleed valve for maintaining the at least one switching relay in an open position for a time required by the valve to complete a desired travel distance, the bleed valve having a locking nut to prevent tampering and disposed within a lockable cabinet;

a workstation having a controller communicatively coupled to the wireless position monitor via a wireless network;

wherein, upon receiving a command from the controller via the wireless network, the wireless position monitor drives a signal from the pneumatic pilot valve to the at least one switching relay to manage pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and move the valve to a desired position.

12. The process control system of claim 11 , the workstation further comprises one or more of a network gateway communicatively coupled to the controller, a laptop coupled to the network gateway, a control panel operatively coupled to the controller, and an LCD screen operatively coupled to the controller.

13. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising an open switching relay and a closed switching relay, the open and closed switching relays operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor.

14. The process control system of claim 13 , wherein the gas-over-oil actuator further comprises a first tank and a second tank, the first tank in communication with the open switching relay and the second tank in communication with the closed switching relay.

15. The process control system of claim 11 , wherein the pneumatic pilot valve is an opened center spool valve, the signal driven to the at least one switching relay is a low pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator is a high pressure supply.

16. The process control system of claim 11 , further including a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor, the pressure regulator having a relief valve and for limiting the inlet pressure from the natural gas pipeline to the pneumatic pilot valve of the wireless position monitor.

17. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising a differential pressure transmitter operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator to measure one or more of a differential pressure across the gas-over-oil actuator or an operating torque of the valve, the differential pressure transmitter communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network and a gateway to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the differential pressure across the gas-over-oil actuator or the operating torque of the valve.

18. The process control system of claim 11 , further comprising a first pressure transmitter disposed within the natural gas pipeline upstream the valve to measure pressure upstream the valve, and a second pressure transmitter disposed within the natural gas pipeline downstream the valve to measure pressure downstream the valve, the first and second pressure transmitters communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the pressure in the natural gas pipeline upstream and downstream the valve.

19. A wireless actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline, the wireless actuator system comprising:

an actuator adapted to be operatively coupled to a valve disposed in a natural gas pipeline;

a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral opened center spool valve and adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation via a wireless network;

at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a pressure signal from the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor; and

a differential pressure transmitter operatively coupled to the actuator to measure one or more of a differential pressure across the actuator or an operating torque of the valve, the differential pressure transmitter communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network and a gateway to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the differential pressure across the actuator or the operating torque of the valve,

wherein, upon receiving a wireless command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives the pressure signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage pressure supply to the actuator and move the valve to a desired position.

20. The wireless actuator system of claim 19 , further comprising an open switching relay and a closed switching relay, the open and closed switching relays operatively coupled to the actuator and the wireless position monitor.

21. The wireless actuator system of claim 19 , wherein the pressure signal from the opened center spool valve driven to the at least one switching relay is a low pressure signal, and the pressure supply to the actuator is a high pressure supply.

22. The system of claim 19 , further including a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor, the pressure regulator having a relief valve and for limiting the inlet pressure to the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor.

23. A method of operating a valve disposed within a natural gas pipeline, the method comprising:

integrating a wireless position monitor into an actuator operatively coupled to the valve, the wireless position monitor communicatively coupled to a workstation via a wireless network;

transmitting, via one or more transmitters, a command from a controller of the workstation to the wireless position monitor via the wireless network;

sending a pressure signal from a pneumatic pilot valve of the wireless position monitor to at least one switching relay upon receiving the command, the at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor and the actuator;

preventing excess torque from the actuator via at least one torque limiting device disposed between and operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor and the at least one switching relay; and

managing a high pressure supply to the actuator via the at least one switching relay to move the valve to a desired position in response to the pressure signal received from the pneumatic pilot valve.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising monitoring the position of one or more of the valve or the actuator via the wireless position monitor, wherein monitoring the position of one or more of the valve or the actuator via the wireless position monitor comprises acquiring data relative to one of the valve or the actuator, including data relative to a travel position or a stroke time, via the wireless position monitor, the wireless network, and the workstation.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising maintaining the at least one switching relay in an open position for a time required by the valve to complete a desired travel distance via a bleed valve.

26. The method of claim 23 , further comprising limiting an inlet pressure from the natural gas pipeline to the pneumatic pilot valve via a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the wireless position monitor.

27. The method of claim 23 , further comprising measuring one or more of a differential pressure across the actuator or an operating torque of the valve, via a differential pressure transmitter operatively coupled to the actuator, the differential pressure transmitter communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the differential pressure across the actuator or the operating torque of the valve.

28. The method of claim 23 , further comprising measuring pressure upstream the valve and downstream the valve via a first pressure transmitter disposed upstream the valve and a second pressure transmitter disposed downstream the valve, respectively, the first and second pressure transmitters communicatively coupled to the workstation via the wireless network to allow data acquisition and feedback relative to the pressure in the natural gas pipeline upstream and downstream the valve.

29. A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline, the system comprising:

a gas-over-oil actuator;

a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator, the wireless position monitor having an integral opened center spool valve and adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation;

a solenoid valve system operatively coupled and external to the wireless position monitor, the solenoid valve system having at least one solenoid valve;

at least one switching relay operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor, the at least one switching relay for receiving a high pressure signal from the opened center spool valve of the wireless position monitor; and

at least one torque limiting device disposed between the wireless position monitor and the at least one switching relay to prevent excess torque from the gas-over-oil actuator;

wherein, upon wirelessly receiving a command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a high pressure signal from the solenoid valve system to the opened center spool valve and into the at least one switching relay to manage a high pressure supply having the same pressure as the high pressure signal to the gas-over-oil actuator.