IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0188693
(2005-07-26)
|
등록번호 |
US-7445662
(2008-11-04)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Metso Automation USA, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
19 |
초록
▼
A valve assembly for use in a gas purification system having a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening. The gas purification system includes a first valve element having at least a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of a vessel to an ou
A valve assembly for use in a gas purification system having a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening. The gas purification system includes a first valve element having at least a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of a vessel to an outlet of the first valve element. The gas purification system also includes at least a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of a vessel to an input of the second valve element. Also provided is a drive mechanism configured to cause intermittent movement. The first and second valve elements are intermittently moved by the drive mechanism such that the intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to the second aperture and the vessel connected to the first aperture.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent of the United States is: 1. A valve assembly for a gas purification system in which the gas purification system includes a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening, the valve assembly comprisin
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent of the United States is: 1. A valve assembly for a gas purification system in which the gas purification system includes a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening, the valve assembly comprising: a drive unit including at least one of, a) a motor adapted to rotate continuously and a converting mechanism that converts continuous movement of said motor into intermittent movement, b) a multi-bar linkage mechanism, a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an outlet of the first valve element, said first valve element further including a first passageway for selectively interconnecting first port openings of a pair of said plurality of vessels, wherein said first valve element is intermittently moved by said drive unit such that intermittent movement of the first valve element changes the vessel connected to said first aperture and changes the pair of vessels connected by said first passageway; and a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an input of the second valve element, wherein said second valve element is intermittently moved by said drive unit such that intermittent movement of the second valve element changes the vessel connected to said second aperture. 2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein said first aperture and said second aperture are concurrently connected to a first port opening and a second port opening, respectively, of a same one of said plurality of vessels. 3. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a flow control member arranged to control a fluid flow within said first passageway. 4. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein said second valve element comprises: at least one additional aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of another one of said plurality of vessels to an output of the second valve element, wherein each intermittent movement of said drive unit changes the vessel connected to said at least one aperture. 5. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the converting mechanism is a Geneva mechanism. 6. A valve element comprising: a first valve section including at least two holes; a second valve section positioned adjacent to said first valve section, said second valve section including, at least two apertures arranged to align with said at least two holes, and a first passageway arranged to allow fluid communication between said at least two apertures; and a driving unit arranged to rotate said second valve section relative to said first valve section such that a positional relationship between said at least two holes and said at least two apertures is changed, held constant for a period of time, and changed again, wherein said first valve section includes at least five holes including said two holes, and said second valve section includes at least five apertures including said two apertures, said at least five apertures including a first aperture, a second aperture, a third aperture, a fourth aperture, and a fifth aperture respectively arranged to align with said five holes, said first and fifth apertures are connected by a second passageway, said second and fourth apertures are connected by a third passageway, and said two apertures correspond to said second aperture and said fifth aperture and a check valve is disposed between the second and fifth apertures and the check valve prevents flow from the fifth aperture to the second aperture. 7. The valve element of claim 6, further comprising: a flow control member arranged to control a fluid flow within said first passageway. 8. The valve element of claim 6, wherein said driving unit is arranged to rotate said second valve section and then hold said second valve section in a fixed position such that one of said at least two apertures is rotated from one of said at least two holes to another one of said at least two holes. 9. The valve element of claim 6, further comprising: adjustable components arranged to vary a fluid flow rate within said second and third passageways. 10. The valve element of claim 6, further comprising a flow control disposed in each of the second and third passageways. 11. The valve element of claim 10, wherein the flow controls are screw members. 12. The valve element of claim 6, wherein said driving unit comprises a linear actuator. 13. The valve element of claim 6, further comprising: sealing components positioned between said first and second valve sections, said sealing components being arranged to maintain a fluid seal between said first and second valve sections during an intermittent rotation between said first and second valve sections. 14. A valve element comprising: a first valve section including at least two holes; a second valve section positioned adjacent to said first valve section, said second valve section including, at least two apertures arranged to align with said at least two holes, and a first passageway arranged to allow fluid communication between said at least two apertures; and a driving unit arranged to rotate said second valve section relative to said first valve section such that a positional relationship between said at least two holes and said at least two apertures is changed, held constant for a period of time, and changed again, wherein, said first valve section is positioned between said driving unit and said second valve section, said first valve section includes a center hole, and said driving unit is rotatably connected to said second valve section via a shaft positioned in said center hole. 15. The valve assembly of claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism includes a Geneva mechanism. 16. A fluid treatment system comprising: a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening; a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an outlet of the first valve element; a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an input of the second valve element; a drive mechanism that produces intermittent movement by accepting continuous rotational movement produced by a motor and converting the continuous rotational movement into intermittent rotational movement, wherein said first and second valve elements are intermittently moved by said drive mechanism such that the intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to said second aperture and the vessel connected to said first aperture. 17. The fluid treatment system of claim 16, wherein, said first and second valve elements are connected by a rod, and said plurality of vessels are positioned on different sides of said rod and between said first and second valve elements. 18. The fluid treatment system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels includes adsorbent material. 19. A method of handling a fluid in a gas purification system including at least one vessel in fluid communication with a first valve element, comprising the steps of: (i) positioning said first valve element in a first position to remove a product fluid from a first port opening of a first one of said at least one vessel; (ii) moving said first valve element to a second position such that the first valve element remains stationary in the second position to depressurize said first vessel in a first direction; (iii) moving said first valve element to a third position such that the first valve element remains stationary in the third position to depressurize said first vessel in a second direction; (iv) moving said first valve element to a fourth position such that the first valve element remains stationary in the fourth position; and (v) moving said first valve element to a fifth position such that the first valve element remains stationary in the fifth position to pressurize said first vessel, said step (iv) comprising the step of: purging impurities from said first vessel with a product fluid transferred from a second vessel via a first passageway of said first valve element, said step (v) comprising the step of: pressurizing said first vessel with product fluids transferred from third and fourth vessels respectively via second and third passageways of said first valve element, said step (v) comprising the step of: controlling a flow of said product fluid within said third passageway with a check valve. 20. The method of claim 19, said step (i) comprising the step of: removing impurities from a feed fluid to create said product fluid. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein step (i) comprises the step of: positioning a second valve element at said first position to provide said feed fluid to a second port opening of said first vessel. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (iii) comprises the step of: positioning said second valve element at said third position to remove an initial tail fluid from said second port opening of said first vessel. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (iv) comprises the step of: positioning said second valve element at said fourth position to remove a purged tail fluid from said second port opening of said first vessel. 24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of moving the first valve element to each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth positions with a linear actuator.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.