Modular valve apparatus and system
A valved manifold module is disclosed, constructed and arranged to be readily connected in a chain with similar modules to form a manifold assembly. The modular manifolds allows for expansion or modification of the manifold assembly to control a group of pneumatically or hydraulically driven pumps, valves or combinations thereof in a liquid flow control apparatus. The valved manifold module can be configured to accept a group of four substantially identical valve assemblies, and can be controlled by a local controller mounted to the manifold module, thus forming an independently programmable valved manifold module. The resulting modular system is expandable to allow for coordinated operations of a liquid flow control system, using substantially independent controller functions originating at the manifold assembly level.
1. A modular manifold assembly comprising;
a plurality of concatenated manifold blocks, each manifold block having a flowpath connecting a pressure line inlet port on a first side of the manifold block to a pressure line outlet port on a second side of the manifold block via a fluidic bus in the manifold block, the pressure line outlet port of a first manifold block connected to the pressure line inlet port of an adjacent second manifold block;
the first and second manifold blocks each reversibly connected to each other, and each separately reversibly connected to a first positively pressurized fluid line having a first pressure, to a second positively pressurized fluid line having a second pressure different from the first pressure and a negatively pressurized fluid line;
each manifold block having a valve assembly receiving station for mounting a pre-determined number of valve assemblies;
each valve assembly comprising an inlet configured to fluidically communicate with a respective fluidic bus port of the manifold block;
each valve assembly configured to be electrically actuated to open or block fluid communication between a cavity of the valve assembly and the inlet of the valve assembly, the cavity of each valve assembly in fluid communication with a respective outlet of the manifold block and in fluid communication with a respective pressure sensing port of the manifold block;
each valve assembly having electrical contacts for actuating the respective valve assemblies, the electrical contacts configured to connect to a programmable controller board mounted on the manifold block;
the controller board comprising pressure sensors configured to reversibly and sealably connect to respective sensing ports on the manifold block;
wherein each of the plurality of manifold blocks is arranged by its associated controller board to control one or more of a plurality of pumps or valves of a liquid flow control apparatus
wherein a first one of the manifold blocks comprises four mounted valve assemblies, a first valve assembly connected to the positively pressurized fluid line having the first pressure, a second valve assembly connected to the negatively pressurized fluid line, and a third and a fourth valve assembly connected to the positively pressurized fluid line having the second pressure.
2. The modular manifold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller board of the first one of the manifold blocks is configured to control each of the first, second, third and fourth valve assemblies in a sequence determined at least in part by information received from the pressure sensors associated with each of the first, second, third and fourth valve assemblies.
3. The modular manifold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller board is configured to actuate the first valve assembly and second valve assembly alternately, and is configured to actuate the third valve assembly and fourth valve assembly alternately.
4. The modular manifold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the positively pressurized fluid lines and the negatively pressurized fluid line are pressurized pneumatically.
5. The modular manifold assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the valve assemblies comprises a magnetic shuttle configured to travel within the cavity between first and second opposing inlet orifices, a first one of said inlet orifices connected to the inlet, each inlet orifice associated with a ferrous post surrounded by an electromagnetic coil, so that activation of the electromagnetic coil by the controller board of the associated manifold block moves the shuttle toward the associated inlet orifice, occludes the inlet orifice and maintains the occlusion after deactivation of the electromagnetic coil.
6. The modular manifold assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second manifold blocks are each connected to a positively pressurized fluid line and a negatively pressurized fluid line.
7. The modular manifold assembly of claim 6 , wherein the inlet is a first inlet, the pressurized fluid line is positively pressurized, and wherein the second inlet orifice is connected to a second inlet of the valve assembly and configured to connect to a second fluidic bus port of the manifold block, wherein the second fluidic bus port is connected to the negatively pressurized fluid line.
8. The modular manifold assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second manifold blocks are each connected to a positively pressurized fluid line and to a non-pressurized fluid line connected to atmosphere.
9. The modular manifold assembly of claim 8 , wherein the inlet is a first inlet, the pressurized fluid line is positively pressurized, and wherein the second inlet orifice is connected to a second inlet of the valve assembly and configured to connect to a second fluidic bus port of the manifold block, wherein the second fluidic bus port is connected to the non-pressurized fluid line.