ACTUATING DEVICE, HAVING TWO VALVES WHICH ARE CONNECTED IN PARALLEL, FOR THE OPERATION OF A TURBOCOMPRESSOR

Abstract

Actuating device for systems with flowing fluid, in particular for fluid conveying systems, comprising at least one control element being open-loop controlled adjustable between a plurality of operating positions, at least one regulation element being closed-loop controlled adjustable, wherein said control element and said regulation element are connected in parallel in order to influence the same process variable and wherein said controller is set up for adjusting said control element as a function of an operating position of said regulation element.

Claims

1. An actuating device (18) for systems (10) with flowing fluid, comprising: at least one control element (22) being open-loop controlled adjustable between a plurality of operating positions, at least one regulation element (24) being closed-loop controlled adjustable, and a controller, wherein said control element (22) and said at least one regulation element (24) are connected in parallel in order to influence the same process variable, wherein said controller is set up for adjusting said control element (22) as a function of an operating position of said regulation element (24), and wherein said controller and/or a logic (32) for said control element (22) being configured to continue an adjustment of said control element (22) until said regulation element (24) has reached and/or passed a predefined operating position (33, 35) within a target operating range (27).

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by a closed-loop control (25) being set up for adjusting said regulation element (24) as a function of a process variable influenced by said control element (22) and said regulation element (24).

5. (canceled)

6. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by a low limit setting value (29) of said regulation element (24), and/or a high limit setting value (31) for said regulation element (24), being preset and/or a target operating range (27) of said regulation element (24) extending between a high limit setting value (31) and a low limit setting value (29).

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulation element (24) comprises an electric actuating drive (26) and/or is driven by said electric actuating drive (26) and/or that said control element (22) comprises an electric actuating drive (30) and/or is driven by an electric actuating drive (30).

10. (canceled)

11. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) comprises a larger flow capacity than said regulation element (24).

12. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) is adjustable between a plurality of operating positions for throttling and/or shutting off a flowing fluid.

13. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulation element (24) is designed as a regulating valve and/or said regulation element (24) is adjustable for throttling and/or shutting off a flowing fluid.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) and said regulation element (24) are designed for use with centrifugal compressors (12), and said control element (22) is designed and/or set up for start-up relief and/or for event-controlled rapid relief during operation of said centrifugal compressor (12).

17. (canceled)

18. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulation element (24) is designed and/or set up for tight-closing and/or for anti-surge, and/or said control element (22) is designed and/or set up for reverse-flow protection.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) comprises a non-linear characteristic, in which the change in the flow rate per actuator unit increases disproportionately when leaving the closed position.

22. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) being set up for checking the freedom of adjustment.

23. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) and said regulation element (24) form a structural unit and/or are designed as a dual actuating element, and said control element (22) comprises a housing with connections for the installation of said regulation element (24).

24. (canceled)

25. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that in order to avoid and/or reduce dead times, said regulation element (24) is set up with a positioner and/or its control, to act from a closed operating position and in the event of a control deviation of the regulation, with full actuating capacity until said regulation element effectively begins to open, and from the beginning of opening to switch over from the open-loop controlled adjustment with full capacity to a closed-loop adjustment with standard capacity.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (22) is designed as a butterfly valve actuating element wherein the regulating range of said regulating element (24), being designed as regulating valve or regulating butterfly valve, is dimensioned at least as large as a limit range, adjacent to a CLOSED position of the butterfly valve actuating element, which according to the manufacturer and/or due to constructional issues is not designed for continuous operation and/or in which continuous operation is prevented by control parameters.

29. (canceled)

30. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) being set up as a fail-safe device to use the pressure of the fluid as the exclusive, main or supporting actuating force for moving to a safety position in the event of failure of a supply of drive energy to said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) and/or said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) being set up to move to a fail-safe position with reduced or minimized electrical energy or without electrical energy for rapid relief.

31. (canceled)

32. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by an actuating drive (26, 30) of said control element (22) and/or of said regulation element (24) being able to be uncoupled for approaching a safety position, and/or by a switchable coupling (33) with fail-safe function being closed under electrical voltage and opening in the event of a voltage failure and uncoupling by opening.

33. (canceled)

34. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by an actuating drive (26, 30) of said control element (22) and/or of said regulation element (24) being able to be operated at a higher speed for approaching a safety position.

35. The actuating device (18) according to claim 1, characterized by said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) being arranged to approach a safety position driven by an opening piston (34) for rapid relief.

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. A system (10) with a conveying device for a flowing fluid, and with said actuating device (18) according to claim 1, wherein said control element (22) and said regulation element (24) are installed in lines arranged in parallel, and/or wherein said control element (22) is installed in a line in which connections for the installation of said regulation element (24) are integrated immediately upstream and downstream of said control element (22).

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. A system (10) with a conveying device for a flowing fluid, and with said actuating device (18) according to claim 1, wherein a fitting piece (20) is provided in at least one line for the connection of said control element (22) and/or said regulation element (24) and/or wherein said regulation element (24) is integrated in a fitting piece (20) having connections for the installation of said external control element (22).

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

Description

[0076] The invention is described as follows by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0077] It is shown, each schematically:

[0078] FIG. 1 a fluid conveying system with a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to the state of the art,

[0079] FIG. 2A fluid conveying system comprising a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to one embodiment of the present invention,

[0080] FIG. 3 a fluid conveying system comprising a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to a further embodiment of the present invention,

[0081] FIG. 4 a fluid conveying system comprising a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to a still further embodiment of the present invention,

[0082] FIG. 5 a fluid conveying system comprising a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to a still further embodiment of the present invention,

[0083] FIG. 6 a fluid conveying system comprising a centrifugal compressor and an actuating device according to a still further embodiment of the present invention,

[0084] FIG. 7 a logic for controlling a control element as a function of the position of a regulation element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] FIG. 1 schematically shows a fluid conveying system 100 with a centrifugal compressor 102 and an actuating device 104 according to the prior art. In such an embodiment, the actuating device 104 conventionally comprises a single regulating butterfly valve moved by a pneumatic diaphragm regulating actuator 106 with associated positioner 108.

[0086] The actuating device 104, which is in the form of a regulating butterfly-valve, can be a so-called bypass valve, for example, which directs gas from the discharge line 110 back into the suction line 112. A ?-way solenoid valve 114 may be provided for both quick opening and also provide fail-safe functionality.

[0087] In an embodiment according to FIG. 1, the actuating device 104 in the form of a regulating butterfly-valve must meet several requirements at once. Both a sensitive closed-loop control and a relatively large flow rate must be realized. For this reason, the actuating device is large in size and at the same time equipped with many accessories. This leads to high susceptibility to faults and high acquisition costs.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows a fluid conveying system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fluid conveying system 10 has a centrifugal compressor 12, a suction line 14 upstream of the centrifugal compressor 12, and a discharge line 16 downstream of the centrifugal compressor 12.

[0089] The fluid conveying system 10 in FIG. 2 differs from the fluid conveying system 100 in FIG. 1 by the arrangement of the actuating device 18 instead of the actuating device 104 in the form of a large regulating butterfly-valve. The system 100 in FIG. 1 can be converted to a system 10 according to the invention in FIG. 2. For this purpose, the regulating butterfly-valve 104 can be removed and a fitting piece 20 with internal line routing and with connections for an actuating device 18 according to the invention can be provided in its place, as can be seen in FIG. 2. With such a fitting piece 20, it is possible to integrate an actuating device 18 according to the invention into an existing line system without welding work.

[0090] The actuating device 18 according to the invention has at least one control element 22, which can be adjusted in an open-loop controlled manner between a plurality of operating positions, and at least one regulation element 24, which can be adjusted in a closed-loop controlled manner between a plurality of operating positions. The control element 22 and the regulation element 24 are connected in parallel to influence the same process variable and/or the same process variables. The process variables are in particular the pressure in the suction line 14 and the pressure in the discharge line 16.

[0091] According to the invention, the control element 22 is set up for adjustment as a function of an operating position of the regulation element 24. The control element 22 can be designed as a large and pressure-compensated actuating element and/or as a butterfly valve actuating element and can move to a fail-safe position OPEN.

[0092] Integrated in the housing of the control element 22 are two connections for the lines to and from the regulation element 24. A relatively small actuating element is shown as regulation element 24, which is moved by an actuating drive 26. The regulation element 24 can move to a fail-safe position OPEN.

[0093] The actuating drive 26 can be controlled by an anti-surge regulator 28. In doing so, the anti-surge regulator 28 can control the actuating drive 26 as a function of the surge-relevant variables measured in the suction line 14 and/or in the discharge line 16 (for example, flow and pressure).

[0094] The control element 22 can be moved by a variable-speed actuating drive 30 via an adjustment logic 32. A gear 31 can also be provided between the actuating drive 30 and the control element 22. The adjustment logic 32 may receive signals from the actuating drive 30, from the anti-surge regulator 28, and/or from the regulation element 24 or the actuating drive 26 for the regulation element 24, respectively, to adjust the control element 22.

[0095] The control element 22 is further adapted to approach a safety position driven by an opening piston 34 for quick relief, in particular to an OPEN position. The opening piston 34 can advantageously be actuated by the process medium from the discharge line 16. To ensure a fail-safe functionality for the opening piston 34, a solenoid valve 36 is provided which is open in the de-energized state. In the event of a power failure, pressure from discharge line 16 can thus actuate opening piston 34, which moves the control element in the OPEN direction.

[0096] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the opening piston 34, the solenoid valve 36, the actuating drive 30 with gear 31 thus form a device 38 for rapid movement of the control element 22 into a fail-safe position.

[0097] FIG. 3 shows a fluid conveying system 10 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment in FIG. 2 only in the arrangement or design of the actuating device 18.

[0098] According to FIG. 3, the fitting piece 20 is equipped with internal line routing and integrated regulation element 24. The actuating element 24 integrated in the fitting piece is designed as a small regulating valve. The regulation element 24 is moved by the regulating drive 26, which is controlled by the anti-surge regulator 28. The regulation element 24 can move to a fail-safe position OPEN.

[0099] Furthermore, connections for the externally arranged control element 22 are provided on the fitting piece 20.

[0100] The control element 22 is designed as a large, non-pressure compensated control valve, in particular larger than the regulation element 24. Accordingly, the control element 22 can ensure a larger flow rate than the regulation element 24. The control element 22 can approach a safety position OPEN.

[0101] Furthermore, the control element 22 can be moved by an actuating drive 30 via an adjustment logic 32. Furthermore, a gear 31 with switchable gear ratio can be provided between the actuating drive 30 and the control element 22. The adjustment logic 32 can in turn receive signals for the adjustment of the control actuator 22 from the anti-surge regulator 28 and/or from the regulation element 22 or the actuating drive 26 for the regulation element 22.

[0102] The gas pressure present on the inlet side of the control element 22 acts towards opening. When a fast opening is requested, the gear 31 is switched to a different gear ratio, which causes the control element 22 to move much faster. This is possible because the actuating drive 30 is supported by the gas pressure in the opening direction.

[0103] In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the actuating drive 30 and the gear 31 with switchable gear ratio thus form a device 38 for quickly moving the control element 22 into a safety position.

[0104] FIG. 4 shows a fluid conveying system 10 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment in FIG. 4 differs from the embodiment in FIG. 2 only in the arrangement or design of the actuating device 18.

[0105] In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the actuating device 18 again has a control element 22 and a regulation element 24. The control element 22 and the regulation element 24 are designed as a dual actuating element and dual valve, respectively, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0106] The control element 22 according to FIG. 4 is designed as a large, pressure-compensated control valve and can move to a fail-safe position OPEN. Integrated in the housing of the control element 22 is the smaller regulation element 24, which can also move to a fail-safe position OPEN. The regulation element 24 is moved by the actuating drive 26 and the actuating drive 26 is controlled by the anti-surge regulator 28.

[0107] The control element 22 is moved by the actuating drive 30 via an adjustment logic 32. The adjustment logic 32 receives signals for adjusting the control actuator 22 from the anti-surge regulator 28 and/or from the regulation element 22 or the actuating drive 26 for the regulation element 22.

[0108] A gear 31 and a switchable coupling 33 can also be provided between the actuating drive 30 and the control element 22. When a quick opening or quick relief is required, the actuating drive 30 can be uncoupled from the gear 31 via the switchable coupling 33. For quick opening or quick relief, the control element is driven by the opening piston 34 into a safety position, in particular into an OPEN position. The opening piston 34 is actuated by the upstream pressure of control element 22 or by the pressure of the process medium from discharge line 16. The solenoid valve 36 is open to ensure fail-safe functionality in the de-energized state, so that in the event of a power failure, the pressure from the discharge line 16 actuates the opening piston 34. By decoupling the actuating drive 30 from the transmission 31, a quick release can be facilitated or accelerated by the opening piston.

[0109] Thus, in the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the opening piston 34, the solenoid valve 36, the actuating drive 30 with gear 31 and coupling 33 form a device 38 for quickly moving the control element 22 to a fail-safe position.

[0110] FIG. 5 shows a fluid conveying system 10 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment in FIG. 5 differs from the embodiment in FIG. 4 only in that the actuating device 18 is connected to the suction line 14 and the discharge line 16 via a fitting piece 20.

[0111] FIG. 6 shows a fluid conveying system 10 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment in FIG. 6 differs from the embodiment in FIG. 2 again by the arrangement or design of the actuating device 18.

[0112] In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the actuating device 18 has a control element 22 and a regulation element 24. The control element 22 and the regulation element 24 are installed as separately designed valves parallel to the discharge line 16 according to FIG. 5.

[0113] The control element 22 according to FIG. 6 is designed as a large, non-pressure compensated control valve and can move to a fail-safe position OPEN. Upstream and downstream of the control element, T-pieces of the pipeline are located in a parallel line, each of which has a connection for the regulation element 24. The small regulation element 24 connected to it can be moved to a fail-safe position OPEN. The regulation element 24 is moved by the actuating drive 26 and the actuating drive 26 is controlled by the anti-surge regulator 28.

[0114] The control actuator 22 may be moved by the actuating drive via an adjustment logic 32 and may receive signals from the anti-surge regulator 28 and/or from the regulating element 22, respectively, from the actuating drive 26 for the regulating valve 22 to adjust the control actuator 22.

[0115] A gear 31 and a switchable coupling 33 can also be provided between the actuating drive 30 and the control element 22. When a quick opening or quick relief is required, the actuating drive 30 can be uncoupled from the gear 31 via the switchable coupling 33.

[0116] The gas pressure present on the inlet side of the control element 22 acts towards opening. By decoupling the actuating drive 30 from the gear 31, rapid relief can be achieved by the pressure of the process medium acting directly on the control element 22 in the opening direction. This is possible because the control element 22 is designed as a non-pressure compensated control valve.

[0117] Thus, in the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the actuating drive 30 with gear 31 and coupling 33 form a device 38 for quickly moving the control element 22 into a fail-safe position.

[0118] FIG. 7 shows a logic 32 for controlling a control element 22 depending on the position of a regulation element 24 according to an embodiment of the present invention. By means of the logic 32 shown in FIG. 7, the position of the control element 22 is readjusted depending on the position of the regulation element 24 when a predefined actuating signal and/or a predefined position of the regulation element 24 is exceeded or undershot. The operating position of the regulating valve 24 can be defined or issued by the actuating signal 28 of the anti-surge regulator 28 as well as by the analog feedback signal 25 of the positioner 25. The adaptation can be made application-related and can be different for opening and closing processes.

[0119] In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 7, the control actuator 22 is repositioned if the regulation element 24 with a target operating range 27 between 10% and 90% exceeds a limit actuating value 31 of 90% or falls below a limit actuating value 29 of 10%. In the event of such an exceedance or undershooting, the logic 32 according to FIG. 7 initiates a movement of the control element 22 in the same direction of action and consequently supports the change in quantity targeted by the regulator 28. As soon as the regulation element 24 has reached a parameterizable position 33 or 35, which in the embodiment example is 50% in each case, the repositioning of the control element 22 is completed. This sequence can be repeated as desired, so that even very large quantities can be controlled sensitively.

[0120] To provide the functionality described above, the logic 32 of FIG. 7 includes comparators 40, 40, 42, and 44. The comparators 40, 40, 42 and 44 receive signals 28 from the anti-surge controller 28, which in turn controls the actuating drive 26 for the regulation element 24. Instead of receiving the control signal, the comparators 40, 40, 42 and 44 may also monitor the analog position feedback 25 from the regulation element. The comparator 40 or 40 detects and reports as soon as the regulation element 24 reaches the parameterized value 33 or 35 (for example 50%). The comparator 42 detects as soon as the regulation element 24 exceeds a limit actuating value 31 of 90%. The comparator 44 detects as soon as the regulation element 24 undershoots a limit actuating value 29 of 10%.

[0121] The values for the comparators 40, 40, 42 and 44 can be freely parameterizable.

[0122] The comparators 40, 40, 42 and 44 are followed by the pulser 46, 46, 48 and 50. The comparator 40 and the downstream pulser 46 reset the flip-flop switching element 54. The comparator 40 and the downstream pulser 46 reset the flip-flop switching element 52. The comparator 42 and the downstream pulser 48 reset the flip-flop switching element 52. The comparator 44 and the downstream pulser 50 reset the flip-flop switching element 54. A user-configurable ramp 56 is connected downstream of the flip-flop switching elements 52 and 54, via which the actuating drive 30 of the control element 22 is controlled.

[0123] If the comparator 42 detects that the regulating actuator 24 has exceeded a limit actuating value 31 of 90%, the flip-flop switching element 52 is set by the pulser 48 and the actuating drive 30 is actuated in the opening direction via a user-configurable ramp 56. By actuating the actuating drive 30, the control actuating element 22 is adjusted in such a way that the change in quantity targeted by the controller 28 is supported.

[0124] If the comparator 44 detects that the regulation element 24 has undershot a limit actuating value 29 of 10%, the flip-flop switching element 54 is set by the pulser 50 and the actuating drive 30 is activated in the closing direction via a user-configurable ramp 56. By actuating the actuating drive 30, the control element 22 is adjusted in such a way that the change in quantity targeted by controller 28 is supported.

[0125] If the limit actuating value 31 of 90% is exceeded, an adjustment of the control element 22 is activated until the comparator 40 detects that a position 35, for example 50%, has been passed. If this is detected, the flip-flop switching element 52 is reset by the pulser 46 and further actuation of the actuating drive 30 is stopped. The adjustment of the control element 22 is thereby terminated or at least interrupted. This process can be repeated as often as required as soon as the regulation element 24 passes through a limit actuating value.

[0126] If the value undershoots the limit actuating value 29 of 10%, an adjustment of the control element 22 is activated until the comparator 40 detects that a position 33, for example 50%, has been passed. If this is detected, the flip-flop switching element 54 is reset by the pulser 50 and further actuation of the actuating drive 30 is stopped. The adjustment of the control element 22 is thereby terminated or at least interrupted. This process can be repeated as often as required as soon as the regulation element passes a limit actuating value.