IP Library Granted Patent US 11,892,097
Granted Patent B2
US 11,892,097 · App. 18/102,957 · Granted Feb 6, 2024

Valve state grasping system using motion sensor fixed to valve stem

Inventors: Yu Inoue (Nagano, JP); Isao Nishizawa (Chiba, JP)
Assignee: KITZ CORPORATION
F16K37/0025F16K37/0041G05B23/02G05B23/0283
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,892,097
App. No.
18/102,957
Granted
Feb 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is to provide a valve state grasping system that can be easily retrofitted to any of various existing or operating valves (rotary valves) and actuators, and in particular, even facilities to which commercial power is not supplied, and allows detailed and accurate state grasping and diagnosis or failure prediction for the valve or actuator. The valve state grasping system is configured to perform, based on angular velocity data of a valve stem which opens and closes the valve, state monitoring, diagnosis, and life prediction of this valve. To the valve stem, a monitoring unit having at least a semiconductor-type gyro sensor is attachably and detachably fixed. The angular velocity data includes angular velocity data acquired from this monitoring unit in accordance with a rotational motion of a valve body from being fully open or fully closed to fully closed or fully open.

Claims (9)

1. A valve state grasping system comprising:

a valve configured as a rotational valve for opening and closing a flow path by rotating a valve stem;

a sensor unit including a motion sensor fixed to the valve stem; and

a server communicably connected to the sensor unit and including a database,

wherein the valve state is grasped based on output data relating to a rotation of the valve stem output from the motion sensor to the sensor unit and/or the server,

wherein the database stores in advance and as reference data, the output data from an opening step, which is an opening degree divided into multiple steps between fully open and fully closed of the valve, measured by the sensor unit for a number of valve openings and closings, and

wherein the sensor unit and/or the server include an abnormality diagnosis means for determining whether or not the output data actually measured by the motion sensor and the output data of the reference data satisfy an equality condition at a same number of valve openings and closings, and determining the valve state when it is determined that both the output data actually measured and the output data of the reference data satisfy the equality condition, and rewriting the output data of the reference data based on the output data actually measured by the motion sensor when it is determined that both the output data actually measured and the output data of the reference data do not satisfy the equality condition.

2. The valve state grasping system according to claim 1 , wherein the reference data includes usage frequency data of the valve, and the abnormality diagnosis means uses the usage frequency data of the valve included in the reference data and the number of valve openings and closings to calculate a period until the valve fails, and notifies a replacement timing of the valve.

3. The valve state grasping system according to claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is a gyro sensor, and the output data is angular velocity data of the valve stem.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF ASSIGNEE ADDRESS Recorded Feb 15, 2024
From: KITZ CORPORATION
To: KITZ CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066600/0551 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-109083 · Jun 6, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 15734673
Related Publication 20230194016A1 · Jun 22, 2023