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.

A valve key for operating a fluid control valve between states, the valve key comprising a body having a key portion configured for operating a correspondingly keyed part of the fluid control valve; a telemetry system and comprising sensors configured to output parameters relating to an orientation and a rotational movement of the body; a location-positioning module configured to receive data from GPS; a communications module for transmitting data; and a controller configured to determine one or more of for the key: an orientation between substantially vertical or horizontal positions, a number of rotations and geographical coordinates, wherein the controller is configured such that the telemetry system is set to a low-power state, and set to an operating state, in which the telemetry system modules and the controller are configured to record the number of rotations, when the body is oriented in substantially vertical or horizontal positions.

A system is provided for tracking usage of a plurality of water appliances in a distributed water infrastructure. The system may comprise at least one processor configured to receive, from a location in the distributed water infrastructure upstream of the plurality of water appliances, historical water usage measurements; determine from the historical water usage measurements at least one unique water usage signature associated with each of the plurality of water appliances; receive, from the location in the distributed water infrastructure upstream of the plurality of water appliances, current water usage measurements; determine from the current water usage measurements at least one current water usage signature; compare the current water usage signature with at least one of the unique water usage signatures stored in memory to determine a match; and, based on the signature match, ascertain an identifier of a water appliance in current use.

An alfalfa valve telemetry system for regulating irrigation fluid to an irrigation-dependent field provides an alfalfa valve that operates over an opening to a fluid supply pipe in a field, so as to selectively discharge fluid to the field. The alfalfa valve telemetry system provides a telemetry-controlled valve actuation assembly that axially or pivotally displaces the alfalfa valve between an open position and a closed position over the opening in the pipe. A valve actuation assembly displaces the lid, axially, or pivotally, over the opening of the pipe. A mounting portion anchors the valve actuation assembly to the pipe. Environmental sensors and fluid sensors in the field communicate data signals with a primary controller that controls the valve actuation assembly. The position of the alfalfa valve is based upon the data signals received from the sensors, indicating fluid levels, fluid flow rate, and environmental conditions on and near the field.

A system for igniting a grill can include a solenoid valve, a flame rectification sensor, an igniter, and a control circuit connected to the solenoid valve and the flame rectification sensor. The solenoid valve controls flow of gas to the grill's burner and includes a switch that closes when a handle connected to the switch opens the solenoid valve. The control circuit sends current to the solenoid valve when the switch is closed to hold the solenoid valve open. After the switch closes, the igniter is ignited. After ignition, the control circuit monitors the presence of a flame with a flame rectification sensor. If no flame is detected after a certain amount of time, the control circuit stops sending current to the solenoid valve to close the solenoid valve.

In one embodiment, a multi-purpose sensor may couple to a machine operating in an industrial environment and include numerous sensors disposed within the multi-purpose sensor to acquire sets of data associated with the machine or an environment surrounding the machine. A first portion of the sets of data may include historical sensor measurements over time for each of the sensors, and a second portion of the sets of data may include sensor measurements subsequent to when the first portion is acquired for each of the sensors. A processor of the multi-purpose sensor may determine a baseline collective signature based on the first portion, determine a subsequent collective signature based on the second portion, determine whether the collective signatures vary, and generate signals when a variance exists. The signals may cause a computing device, a cloud-based computing system, and/or a control/monitoring device to perform various actions.

Apparatus (10) for the controlled delivery of a gas from a mobile container (11) that comprises a connection unit (12) configured to connect a unit, to measure and regulate the flow (35) of the gas to the container (11) and a management unit (32) configured to control and manage the unit to measure and regulate the flow (35), on the basis of information correlated to a quantity of the gas to be delivered.

A method for monitoring a device for regulating the flow of a gas, the device having a flow conduit and a shutter assembly that defines a restriction in the flow conduit. The method includes: causing the transit of gas through the flow conduit; defining a sequence of time intervals (Z1 . . . Zn) of corresponding durations (t1 . . . tn); during each time interval, determining a value of density and a value of velocity of the gas at the restriction; calculating the product of the value of density, of the value of velocity, of the duration of the time interval and of a correction coefficient to obtain a corresponding value of equivalent wear; for each time interval, adding all the values of equivalent wear calculated for the current time interval and for the preceding time intervals to obtain a cumulative value; comparing the cumulative values with a predefined limit value, corresponding to a condition of maximum wear allowable for the shutter assembly, to obtain an indication of the condition of efficiency of the shutter assembly.

Provided are an electronic expansion valve, a control system, and a control method, including: a step motor and a Hall sensor; the step motor includes a rotor and a stator; the rotor includes a permanent magnet; the Hall sensor is provided on the outer periphery of the permanent magnet; the Hall sensor and rotor are arranged in the radial direction, and the stator and Hall sensor are arranged in the axial direction; the main-body part of the Hall sensor is used for sensing the magnetic pole change of said permanent magnet; such a structure reduces the effect that an operating environment has on the Hall sensor when detecting a signal.

A food article defect removal apparatus includes a manifold that defines one or more chambers for holding pressurized fluid. First channels extend from a first side of the manifold into fluid communication with the chambers. Second channels extend from the first side of the manifold to a second side of the manifold. Valves selectively connect corresponding first channels and second channels together to dispense the pressurized fluid from the manifold. The manifold can have an exterior wall that at least partially defines a first chamber and a second chamber, with an interior wall disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber. The interior wall can define the second channels. The valves can be included with a valve assembly, which includes a driver operably coupled with the valves. The valves can be pluggably coupled with the driver.