METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING GROUP OF ELECTROMAGNETIC MECHANISMS, PRIMARILY SHUTOFF VALVES Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: controlling actuating mechanisms with dc actuators such as those of shutoff valves installed in various pipelines.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes voltage supply to electromagnetic mechanisms from main and additional dc voltage sources upon arrival of valve opening control signal; termination of voltage supply to electromagnetic mechanisms from additional dc voltage source upon certain time delay long enough to open the valves; valve holding in open state by feeding voltage to electromagnetic mechanisms from main dc voltage source only; termination of voltage supply to electromagnetic mechanisms from main dc voltage source upon arrival of valve closing control signal. Valve control signals are additionally shaped in the form of serial code supplied over information processing network. Signals indicating current in circuits passing voltage to electromagnetic mechanisms from additional dc voltage source and signals indicating voltage supply to electromagnetic mechanisms from main dc voltage source are generated. All these signals are used to shape signals informing about condition of electromagnetic mechanisms of valves in the form of serial code signals to be transferred over information processing network. Information being transferred makes it possible to detect current in additional dc voltage source and voltage across main one, to check for time coincidence in current flow through circuits of additional dc source and voltage across main dc source thereby estimating condition of valves. Device implementing this method has main and additional dc voltage sources, timer, and two controlled switches with respective control units and two isolating diodes per each electromagnetic mechanism; newly introduced in device are remote input/output module, as well as one resistor, two shapers generating signals indicating ON-state of valve electromagnetic mechanism, one NOR gate, three AND gates, and one RS flip-flop per each electromagnetic mechanism. Microcontroller can be used as remote input/output module. Device provides for controlling remote group of valves, shaping information about condition of each valve, and remotely transferring this information over series communication line of information processing network.

EFFECT: enlarged functional capabilities, minimized number of information processing network conductors independent of number of valves.

3 cl, 1 dwg