Valve arrangement, a method for identifying an underground valve of a valve arrangement and use of a use of valve arrangement

Abstract

Disclosed is a valve arrangement for underground control of a fluid flow and an associated method, the arrangement including a valve having a valve housing containing fluid control means for controlling a flow of fluid through pipe means arranged below the surface of the ground, where the fluid control means is actuated by means of mechanical manipulation of an operating device of the valve and the operating device is coupled to the fluid control means, the valve having valve identification means including data regarding the specific valve type, where the valve arrangement further includes an extension device including an extension device housing surrounding an extension rod, where the extension rod is rotatably supported by the extension device housing, where the extension rod is mechanically coupled to the operating device to enable the mechanical manipulation being performed at the ground surface, and the extension device further includes dedicated connection means extending between a valve end and a ground surface end of the extension device, and the valve end is arranged at the valve housing and the ground surface end is arranged at the opposite end of the extension device, where the dedicated connection means enable that the data regarding the specific valve type may be communicated to the ground surface.

Claims

1. A valve arrangement for underground control of a fluid flow, said valve arrangement comprising: a valve including a valve housing containing a gate for controlling a flow of fluid through a channel arranged below the surface of the ground, wherein said gate is actuated by means of mechanical manipulation of an operating device of said valve, said operating device being coupled to said gate, and wherein said valve further comprises a valve identification tag including data regarding the specific valve type, an extension device comprising an extension device housing substantially surrounding an extension rod, wherein said extension rod is rotatably supported by said extension device housing, said extension rod being mechanically coupled to said operating device to enable said mechanical manipulation being performed at said ground surface, wherein said extension device further comprises a conductor extending between a valve end and a ground surface end of said extension device, said valve end being arranged at said valve housing and said ground surface end being arranged at the opposite end of said extension device, wherein said conductor is configured to exchange signals between an identity reading device at said ground surface and said valve identification tag to enable that said data regarding said specific valve type may be communicated to said ground surface, and wherein said conductor is directly arranged on or in said extension device housing.

2. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve arrangement further comprises a connection coupling arranged to connect said valve identification tag and said conductor between said valve and said extension device.

3. A valve arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said connection coupling is arranged at a transition area between said valve and said extension device.

4. A valve arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said connection coupling is rigidly connected to said valve and said extension device.

5. A valve arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said connection coupling is formed separate from said valve and said extension device.

6. A valve arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said connection coupling comprises a matching plug and a socket.

7. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said conductor comprises conducting means for conducting electrical signals and/or power.

8. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve identification tag is a RFID tag.

9. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve identification tag is powered by a power source arranged at said valve.

10. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve identification tag is powered trough said conductor from an external power source.

11. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve arrangement further comprises power conducting means for conducting power from an external power source to said valve identification tag.

12. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said extension device comprises impulse means arranged to generate an electrical impulse power from an external power source.

13. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve arrangement comprises fastening devices for connecting said valve and said extension device together.

14. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve further comprises valve status means for detecting an operating status of said valve.

15. A valve arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said valve arrangement further comprises valve status communication means for communicating said operating status of said valve to said conductor.

16. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve further comprises data logging means for logging data regarding the operation of said valve.

17. A valve arrangement according to claim 16, wherein said valve arrangement further comprises data logging communication means for communicating said logged data of said valve to said conductor.

18. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the length of said extension device is between about 100 mm and about 10,000 mm.

19. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said conductor is arranged on or in said extension rod.

20. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said extension device comprising bearing means arranged between said extension device housing and said extension rod to enable said rotatable support.

21. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said extension device comprising ground surface end bearing means and valve end bearing means arranged at opposite ends of said extension device between said extension device housing and said extension rod to enable said rotatable support.

22. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve identification tag is integrated in said valve housing.

23. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said valve identification tag is mounted on a surface of said valve housing.

24. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, configured for ground surface control of a fluid flow in an underground channel.

25. A method for identifying an underground valve of a valve arrangement comprising an extension device being connected to said valve, said method comprising the steps of: coupling an identity reading device to a ground surface end of said extension device, wherein said ground surface end of said extension device is arranged opposite an valve end of said extension device, wherein said valve end is connected to said valve, exchanging signals and/or electrical power between said identity reading device and a valve identification tag of said valve through a conductor extending between said valve end and said ground surface end of said extension device so that data of said valve identification tag may be read by means of said identity reading device, and disconnecting said identity reading device from said extension device.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said method further comprises the step of supplying power to said valve identification tag at least during said reading of said data.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein said method further comprises the step of activating a power source arranged at said valve at least during said reading of said data.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein said method is a method for identifying an underground valve of a valve arrangement.

Description

FIGURES

(1) An embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of non-limiting example, in the following with reference to the figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a partial cross section through the middle of a valve, as seen from the side,

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section through the middle of an extension device, as seen from the side,

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a valve arrangement, as seen in perspective, and

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section through a valve arrangement during reading of data, as seen from the side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a partial cross section through the middle of a valve 2, as seen from the side.

(7) In this embodiment the valve 2 comprises fluid control means 4 in the form of a vertically displaceable wedge 31 comprising a wedge nut 32. The valve 2 also comprises an operating device 7 in the form of a substantially centrally arranged spindle 33 engaging the wedge nut 32 at one end and at the other end is arranged a valve engaging device 34 enabling that the operating device 7 may be mechanical manipulatedi.e. in this case rotatedso that the nut 32 and thereby the wedge 31 is raised or lowered to open or close the valve 2 or at least control the clearance through the valve 2 to control the flow of a fluid through the valve 2.

(8) However, in another embodiment the valve 2 could be a butterfly valve, a check valve, a ball valve or another type of valve 2 suited for controlling a flow of fluid through pipe means 5 to which the valve 2 is connectedi.e. in another embodiment the fluid control means 4 could comprise a disc, a flap, a ball, a hatch, a plug or other.

(9) Also in another embodiment the operating device 7 could comprise a lever, a handle, a wheel or other and/or the valve engaging device 34 could comprise another external shape and/or an internal shape suited for being engaged so that the valve 2 may be manipulated in order to actuate the fluid control means 4.

(10) In this embodiment the valve 2 comprises a valve housing 3 which in this case is provided with flanges 35 at both ends in order to easily and securely connect the valve 2 to pipe means 5. However, it is obvious to the skilled person that in another embodiment the connection between the valve 2 and the pipe means 5 could be formed differently.

(11) In this embodiment the valve 2 comprises valve identification means 8 in the form of a passive RFID tag incorporated in the top of the spindle 33.

(12) A passive RFID tag does not comprise any power source or transmitting device. When the passive RFID tag is exposed to the right kind of radio waves the waves are converted to energy enabling that the tag may send information to a reader.

(13) However, in another embodiment the valve identification means 8 could be an active RFID tag comprising its own transmitting device and either an internal or external power source or a battery-assisted passive (BAP) RFID tag having a small battery on board or nearby which can be activated e.g. by in response to an electrical signal or when in a RFID reader is nearby.

(14) The valve identification means 8 could also or instead comprise other forms of microchips, other kinds of electronic circuits or the valve identification means 8 could also or instead comprise passive means such as labels or other means for some sort of visual reading, means for audial ID storage or any of an number of means for storing valve ID on the valve 2. And in another embodiment the valve identification means 8 could be located elsewhere in or on the valve, such as on an outside surface, on an inside surface, incorporated in the valve housing 3, incorporated in an internal or external component of the valve 2 or other.

(15) In this embodiment the valve identification means 8 comprises data regarding the specific valve type in the form of an EPC number (Electronic Product Code) but in another embodiment the data could be in another form such as the valve name, a type specification, a code or other.

(16) In this embodiment the valve 2 further comprises valve status means 22 in the form of a position sensor arranged to detect the position (or status) of the wedge 31 in the valve 2. However, in another embodiment the valve status means 22 could instead or also be arranged for detecting another operating status of the valve 2, such as temperature, pH-level, leak detection or other.

(17) In this embodiment the valve 2 further comprises data logging means 24 enabling that data collected from the valve status means 22 is logged and stored for later extraction e.g. along with the data of the valve identification means 8.

(18) In this embodiment the valve 2 also comprises valve status communication means 23 enabling that the operating status of the valve 2 can be communicated to the ground surface and data logging communication means 25 enabling that the logged data can be communicated to the ground surface.

(19) In this embodiment the valve status communication means 23 and the data logging communication means 25 are simple wires electrically connecting the valve status means 22 and the data logging means 24 to the valve identification means 8so that the data of the valve status means 22 and/or the data logging means 24 may be extracted along with the data of the valve identification means 8but in another embodiment valve status communication means 23 and/or the data logging communication means 25 could form an independent connection to the dedicated connection means 13 (to be explained further in relation with FIGS. 2 and 3).

(20) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section through the middle of an extension device 9, as seen from the side.

(21) In this embodiment the extension device 9 comprising an extension device housing 10 substantially surrounding an inner extension rod 12. At the upper ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9 the extension rod 12 extends up and out of the extension device housing 10 to enable that the ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9 may easily be accessed and manipulated.

(22) However in another embodiment the ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9 may also or instead be formed with an internal shape or other enabling that the ground surface end 14 of the extension rod 12 may be engaged to manipulate the operating device 7 of the valve 2.

(23) At the lower valve end 11 of the extension device 9 the extension device housing 10 extends a little further than the inner extension rod 12 to protect the top of the valve 2 as disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(24) In this embodiment the position of the extension rod 12 in relation to the extension device housing 10 is controlled by means of bearing means 26 in the form of a ground surface end bearing means 27 and a valve end bearing means 28 arranged at opposite ends 11, 14 of said extension device 9. In this embodiment both bearing means 27, 28 are very simple journal bearings formed by engaging shapes of the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10. However in another embodiment the bearing means 26 could be e single bearing e.g. arranged at the ground surface end 14 or the middle of the extension device 9 and/or the bearing means 26 could also or instead comprise roller bearing, ball bearings or the bearings could be enabled in another way enabling that the extension rod 12 may rotate in relation to the extension device housing 10.

(25) In this embodiment both the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10 are formed telescopic in that a top part of the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10 is arranged to slide in and out of the bottom part. I.e. in this embodiment the extension device 9 can be arranged to be formed with a length between 650 and 1100 millimeters but in another embodiment the telescopic part of the extension device 9 could be arranged to extend less or more or the extension device 9 could be formed with a fixed length so that the length of the extension device 9 would be adapted onsite e.g. by means of a saw.

(26) In this embodiment the extension device 9 further comprises dedicated connection means 13 in the form of an electrical conductor extending substantially the entire length of the extension device 9i.e. between the valve end 11 and the ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9.

(27) At the ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9, the dedicated connection means 13 is connected to a ground surface end transmission means 36 which in this embodiment is a plug enabling that the dedicated connection means 13 may easily be connected to an identity reading device 29 (see FIG. 4). However in another embodiment the ground surface end transmission means 36 could be a socket or some sort of surface suited for establishing a electrical, visual, audial or another form of connection or the ground surface end transmission means 36 could comprise means for transmitting wirelessly to the identity reading device 29 (see FIG. 4).

(28) At the valve end 11 the dedicated connection means 13 is connected to a part of a connection means coupling 15 which in this case is lose plug means 20 arranged to be connected to socket means 21 of the valve 2.

(29) In this embodiment the dedicated connection means 13 is arranged between the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10 and substantially not attached to either (except at the ground surface end 14), but in another embodiment the dedicated connection means 13 would be connected to one or both of the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10 and/or the dedicated connection means 13 would be at least partially integrated in one or both of the extension rod 12 and the extension device housing 10.

(30) FIG. 3 illustrates a valve arrangement 1, as seen in perspective and FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section through a valve arrangement 1 during reading of data, as seen from the side.

(31) In this embodiment the extension device 9 is connected to the valve 2 by means of a fastening means 19 in the form of a locking pin extending transversal through the engaging parts of the extension rod 12 and the valve engaging device 34. However in another embodiment the two could be connected differently e.g. by also or instead connecting the extension device housing 10 to the valve housing 3 or other.

(32) In this embodiment the dedicated connection means 13 is arranged inside the extension rod 12 and a connection means coupling 15of the plug and socket typeis arranged at the end of the extension rod 12 at the transition area between the valve 2 and the extension device 9 so that when the extension rod 12 is connected to the operating device 7 of the valve 2 the dedicated connection means 13 is also connected to the valve identification means 8.

(33) However, in another embodiment the extension device 9 could comprise impulse means 18 arranged at the valve end 11 to generate an electrical impulse from power from power source 17 arranged at the identity reading device 29 thus activating the valve identification means to communicate data to the identity reading device 29.

(34) As mentioned above the valve arrangement 1 is in this embodiment provided with an identity reading device 29 at the ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9. In this embodiment the identity reading device 29 has two functions: it reads the identity of the valve 2 and it can manipulate the extension device to manipulate the status of the valve 2. However in another embodiment the identity reading device 29 would only be used for reading the identity of the valve 2 and e.g. reading the valve status means 22 and/or the data logging means 24.

(35) In this embodiment the underground valve 2 is identified by connecting an identity reading device 29 to a ground surface end 14 of the extension device 9. The identity reading device 29 sends an electrical power impulse down to the valve identification means 8 on the valve 2 through the dedicated connection means 13 so that the data regarding the identity of the valve 2 is returned from the valve identification means 8 and upwards to the identity reading device 29 where the data in this case is displayed on a display 30 of the identity reading device 29. In another embodiment the identity reading device 29 would also or instead instead be provided with means for communicating the data to another location or be provided with storage means enabling that the data could be read later.

(36) In another embodiment the identity reading device 29 would only be provided with means for supplying power to the valve identification means 8 through the dedicated connection means 13 which in turn will generate a wireless signal comprising the identity data which will be read by the identity reading device 29.

(37) Or the valve identification means 8 could comprise its own powers source and the identity reading device 29 would thenthrough the dedicated connection means 13trigger that power from this power source on the valve 2 would supply power to the valve identification means 8 which in turn will send a signal through the dedicated connection means 13 or generate a wireless signal comprising the identity data which will be read by the identity reading device 29.

(38) If both electrical power and data is exchanged between the valve identification means 8 and the identity reading device 29 the extension device could comprise a dedicated connection means 13 for each.

(39) Once the identity of the valve has been read the identity reading device 29 is disconnected from the extension device 9 so that the same identity reading device 29 may be used at another valve arrangement without having to be modified.

(40) The invention has been exemplified above with reference to specific examples of valves 2, valve identification means 8, extension devices 9 and other. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular examples described above but may be designed and altered in a multitude of varieties within the scope of the invention as specified in the claims.