Flow rate scale field calibration for balancing valve

Abstract

A balance or flow limiting valve features a valve body / member having a flow rate indicator / scale containing setting having printed flow rates calibrated in units of measure in volume per time increment between a minimum flow rate position (MIN) and a maximum flow rate position (MAX); and a knob / handle having a position indicator and being moveable to any continuous position on the flow rate indicator / scale between MIN and MAX in response to a user applied force, where the relationship between the flow rate indicator / scale and the position indicator is based on calibrated flow characteristics of the balance or flow limiting valve. The user can set an exact desired flow rate in one operation by moving the knob / handle to a desired position between MIN and MAX without consulting a printed flow curve or balance calculator to determine the desired exact flow rate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims benefit to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 586,372, filed 13 Jan. 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a balancing valve; and more particularly to a new technique for providing a flow rate scale field calibration for such a balancing valve.[0004]2. Brief Description of Related Art[0005]Presently, flow setting with balance or flow limiting valves in a hydronic system requires the user to first set the valve position by turning a knob or handle on the valve to a position indicated on an adjacent scale. Current valve scales have either an arbitrary numbering scheme, or a number relating to the percentage of maximum rated flow of the specific valve. The user then must consult either a printed flow curve or other form of a balance calculator to determine the valve's flow rate, and ma...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a balancing valve with an added feature that shows the exact flow rate for a chosen setting, making it easier for users to set the desired flow rate. The valve has a relationship between the position of the knob or handle and the rated flow, which can be transcribed onto a scale for easy adjustment. The position indicator on the knob or handle allows for exact flow settings. The valve also has additional increments and indicators for greater flow accuracy and consistency. It includes more hash marks that correspond to actual flow calibrations and makes it easier to visually interpolate between them. The valve does not mix actual flow calibrations between the MIN and MAX indicators measured in the tenths. Overall, the invention provides a more efficient and accurate balancing valve.

Problems solved by technology

For complicated systems, this could add a significant amount of time for system balancing.

Because of this, the known balancing valve makes it harder to visually interpolate between the hash marks in tenths of a GPM.

In fact, a user must try to visually interpolate every intermediate setting in tenths of a GPM, which makes it harder to visually interpolate between the 8 numerically written increments and hash marks.

Both of these shortcomings lead to less flow accuracy when the user sets the flow rate of the known balancing valve.

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