Fluid monitoring and control system
A fluid control device includes a fluid pipe section including a fluid inlet and outlet connectable in series to a fluid pipe. A fluid valve is coupled in series within the fluid pipe section separating a fluid inlet and outlet side and controlling a fluid flow. An electric motor is mechanically connected to the fluid valve. A temperature sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow. A pressure sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow. A flow rate sensor is connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow. A control device processor is electrically connected to the electric motor and electrically connected to the sensors. A communication device coupled to the control device processor is for wirelessly connecting to a remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system.
1. A fluid control device, comprising:
a fluid pipe section including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet configured to be connectable in series to a fluid pipe;
a fluid valve assembled with the fluid pipe section separating a fluid inlet side from a fluid outlet side, wherein the fluid inlet side corresponds to the fluid inlet of the fluid pipe section and the fluid outlet side corresponds to the fluid outlet of the fluid pipe section, the fluid valve controlling a fluid flow through the fluid pipe section;
an electric motor mechanically connected to the fluid valve;
a temperature sensor connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow within the fluid pipe section;
a pressure sensor connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow within the fluid pipe section;
a flow rate sensor connected to the fluid pipe section monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow within the fluid pipe section; and
a control device processor electrically connected to the electric motor and electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the flow rate sensor;
wherein the control device processor is configured to operate the electric motor to move the fluid valve to a shutoff condition when the flow rate sensor indicates to the control device processor a flow condition exceeding a preset threshold.
2. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein each of the pressure and temperature sensors is disposed on the fluid outlet side of the fluid valve.
3. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are disposed on a transducer base.
4. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein flow rate sensor is disposed on the fluid outlet side of the fluid valve.
5. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid valve is a ball valve.
6. The fluid control device of claim 1 , further comprising a communication device coupled to the control device processor, the communication device configured to be wirelessly connectable to a remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system.
7. The fluid control device of claim 6 , wherein the remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system comprises at least one of a smart phone, a portable electronic device, and a computer.
8. The fluid control device of claim 6 , wherein the control device processor is configured to operate the electric motor to move the fluid valve to a shutoff condition in response to receipt of wireless communication from the remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system by the communication device.
9. The fluid control device of claim 6 , wherein the control device processor is configured to generate an alert corresponding to the fluid condition exceeding the preset threshold, for communication by the communication device to the remotely disposed fluid monitoring and control system.
10. The fluid control device of claim 1 , including a housing enclosing at least the electric motor and the control device processor.
11. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the flow rate sensor comprises a turbine wheel.
12. The fluid control device of claim 1 , including a battery or a power input electrically connected to the control device processor.
13. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid pipe section includes a pipe section body and an inlet port adapter assembled with the pipe section body to define the fluid inlet, and wherein fluid valve comprises a ball valve element captured in the pipe section body by the inlet port adapter.
14. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is supported by a base plate mounted to the fluid pipe section.
15. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is disposed between the fluid valve and the flow rate sensor.
16. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are disposed on a transducer installed in an upper port in the fluid pipe section, with the upper port intersecting with the fluid outlet side.
17. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the preset threshold includes at least one of a flow rate threshold and a total flow threshold.
18. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the control device processor is programmed to perform a learn mode in which the control device processor monitors fluid flow characteristics during a predetermined period of time to generate the preset threshold based on the monitored fluid flow characteristics.
19. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the control device processor is configured to reduce the preset threshold in response to entry of the control device processor into a reduced threshold mode.
20. The fluid control device of claim 1 , further comprising an inlet port adapter assembled with the fluid pipe section body to define an inlet port, and wherein fluid valve comprises a ball valve element captured in the fluid pipe section body by the inlet port adapter.
21. The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor are disposed on a transducer base installed in the port in the fluid pipe section body, with the port intersecting with the fluid outlet side.
22. A fluid control device, comprising:
a fluid pipe section body including an internal fluid passage extending from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet;
a fluid valve assembled within the fluid passage of the fluid pipe section body and separating a fluid inlet side from a fluid outlet side, wherein the fluid inlet side corresponds to the fluid inlet of the fluid pipe section body and the fluid outlet side corresponds to the fluid outlet of the fluid pipe section body, the fluid valve controlling a fluid flow through the fluid passage of the fluid pipe section body;
a control enclosure assembled to the fluid pipe section body;
an electric motor disposed within the control enclosure and mechanically connected to the fluid valve;
a temperature sensor connected to the fluid pipe section body for monitoring a temperature of the fluid flow within the fluid pipe section body;
a pressure sensor installed in a port in the fluid pipe section body, the port intersecting with the fluid passage of the fluid pipe section body, for monitoring a pressure of the fluid flow within the fluid passage of the fluid pipe section body, wherein the port is covered by the control enclosure;
a flow rate sensor connected to the fluid pipe section body for monitoring a flow rate of the fluid flow within the fluid passage of the fluid pipe section body; and
a control device processor disposed within the control enclosure and electrically connected to the electric motor and electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the flow rate sensor;
wherein the control device processor is configured to operate the electric motor to move the fluid valve to a shutoff condition when the flow rate sensor indicates to the control device processor a flow condition exceeding a preset threshold.