Two control strategies may be implemented to optimize mud circulation in a drilling mud circulation system. In a networked control strategy, the mud circulation system does not involve any centralized controller yet all the local controllers can exchange information in real-time via a central data storage. The master-slave control strategy involves a centralized optimizer, and the subsystems are treated as slave systems and are driven by a visual master control system.

A capacity control valve includes: a valve body having first communication passages, second communication passages, third communication passages, and a main valve seat; a valve element having an intermediate communication passage, a main valve portion and an auxiliary valve portion; a pressure-sensitive element disposed in the valve body; a solenoid that drives a rod; a first biasing member that biases in a valve closing direction of the main valve portion; and a second biasing member that biases in a valve opening direction of the main valve portion, wherein the rod moves relative to the valve element to press the pressure-sensitive element. The capacity control valve can efficiently discharge a liquid refrigerant and can decrease a driving force of a compressor during a liquid refrigerant discharge operation.

A capacity control valve includes a valve housing discharge, port, a suction port, and control ports, and a valve element to be brought into contact with and separated from a valve seat by a driving force of a solenoid to open and close a communication between the control and discharge ports or communication between the control port and the suction port. A sliding region is formed by an inner peripheral surface of the valve housing and an outer peripheral surface of the valve element, a groove extending in a circumferential direction is formed in at least one of the housing inner peripheral surface of the valve housing and the outer peripheral surface of the valve element, and the sliding region has a structure in which a swirling current is generated in the groove by fluid flowing from a high-pressure side to a low-pressure side in a clearance between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the valve element.

A fluidic valve may include an inlet, a control port, an additional control port, an outlet, a fluid channel configured to convey fluid from the inlet to the outlet, and a piston that includes (1) a restricting gate transmission element configured to block, when the piston is in a first position, the fluid channel and unblock, when the piston is in a second position, the fluid channel, (2) a controlling gate transmission element configured to interface with a control pressure from the control port that forces the piston towards the first position when applied to the controlling gate transmission element, and (3) an additional controlling gate transmission element configured to interface with an additional control pressure from the additional control port that forces the piston towards the second position when applied to the additional controlling gate transmission element. Various other related devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

A multi-mode manipulated water outlet device includes a faucet body and a control box. The faucet body includes a main body, and a second induction unit, a first temperature control valve group, a first water inlet unit and a first water outlet unit that are fixedly disposed on the main body. The first water inlet unit and the first water outlet unit communicate with the first temperature control valve group. The control box includes a second temperature control valve group, and a second water inlet unit and a second water outlet unit communicating with the second temperature control valve group. The first water inlet unit communicates with the second water outlet unit. One flow path manipulation mode is provided through the first temperature control valve group, and another flow path manipulation mode is provided through the second induction unit, thereby providing two different control modes for operating the device.

An electronic sensing and allocation system is provided for a distributed water infrastructure containing a plurality of differing appliances. The system may receive, from at least one sensor upstream of the plurality of differing appliances, a plurality of signals indicative of water usage within the distributed water infrastructure. The system may output a first indication of a first volume of water together with an indicator attributing the first volume of water to a first rate schedule, and output a second indication of a second volume of water together with an indicator attributing the second volume of water to a second rate schedule. The system may enable billing of the first and second volumes of water to a consumer at differing rates based on differing uses.

An electronic sensing and allocation system is provided for a distributed water infrastructure containing a plurality of differing appliances. The system may receive, from at least one sensor upstream of the plurality of differing appliances, a plurality of signals indicative of water usage within the distributed water infrastructure. The system may output a first indication of a first volume of water together with an indicator attributing the first volume of water to a first rate schedule, and output a second indication of a second volume of water together with an indicator attributing the second volume of water to a second rate schedule. The system may enable billing of the first and second volumes of water to a consumer at differing rates based on differing uses.

A water intake device for a washing apparatus, and a washing apparatus. The water intake device includes a first water intake assembly, a second water intake assembly, a communication assembly, a first flow limiting member and a second flow limiting member, the first flow limiting member and the second flow limiting member are arranged on the first water intake assembly in the direction of a water flow, and the flow rate of the first flow limiting member is less than the flow rate of the second flow limiting member. The communication assembly includes a communicating pipeline coupling the first water intake assembly and the second water intake assembly, and a connection control valve controlling the communicating pipeline to be connected or disconnected. The joint between the first water intake assembly and the communication pipeline is located between the first flow limiting member and the second flow limiting member.

A main stage in-line pressure control cartridge. The cartridge selectively controls flow in-line in the same direction as opposed to directing flow at a 90 degree angle like other cartridges. A tubular poppet can be mounted into a body and has a sliding control sleeve that can expose radial holes in the poppet to an open position and to seal the radial holes in a closed position. The cartridge can be configured in numerous ways in order to serve many functions, such as a pressure relief valve, a counterbalance valve, and a flow control valve. The cartridge can also be configured to allow or prevent reverse flow.

A proportional valve is provided that comprises an input port (3) and an output port (5), with a diaphragm (19) therebetween. A diaphragm plate (21) with a pilot orifice (31) formed therethrough is mounted to the diaphragm (19). The valve has a solenoid (7) comprising an armature (15) and a field winding (17), with the armature being movable in an opening direction in response to a magnetic field generated by the field winding. A spring assembly (13) is arranged to provide a biassing force to the armature (15) in its closing direction. In its closed position, the diaphragm plate (21) sits in a main orifice (20) between the input and output ports to block flow of fluid therebetween, with the armature (15) blocking the pilot orifice (31). Opening movement of the armature (15) opens the pilot orifice (31) to allow fluid to flow therethrough, in turn allowing the diaphragm plate (21) to move out of the main orifice (20) to create a gap allowing flow of fluid from the input port (3) to the output port (5). The diaphragm plate (21) and main orifice (20) are configured such that in at least the initial opening movement of the diaphragm plate, the rate of increase of the gap between them changes approximately linearly.