Municipal delivery control systems

Abstract

A municipal fluids control system has an underground municipal fluids main, at least one consumer downstream from the main and an underground delivery channel joining the main with the consumer, an underground valve portion located either in the underground main, the underground delivery channel or there between for controlling the passage of fluids to the consumer. An underground valve activation portion is responsive to an activation signal for activating the underground valve portion between a closed condition and an open condition. A valve activation control portion is provided for issuing the activation signal and data channel portion for establishing a wired or wireless data channel between the valve activation control portion and the underground valve actuation portion to deliver the activation signal thereto.

1 . A control system for subterranean fluid transport systems, a valve portion operable between a first position to permit fluid flow and a second position to prevent fluid flow, the valve portion operable to be located in a subterranean location to establish fluid communication between a subterranean fluid supply line and a subterranean fluid delivery line, the valve portion including a valve housing, the valve housing having a first inlet and a first outlet and a channel there between, the valve housing containing a valve element movable between first and second positions respectively to open or close the channel, the valve actuator portion operable to be located in a subterranean location to actuate the valve between the first and second positions, a valve controller portion operable to exchange one or more activation signals with the valve actuator portion over a data path therebetween, the activation signal including a data component representative of a target position for the valve element, a position detector portion for detecting the current position of the valve element, and a comparison portion for comparing the target position with the current position.  
   
   
       2 . A system as defined in  claim 1 , the valve actuator portion including a motor, the motor having a motor axle coupled with the valve element, the position detector operable to detect the position of the motor axle.  
   
   
       3 . A system as defined in  claim 2 , the valve actuator portion including an above-ground control cabinet.  
   
   
       4 . A system as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising a lock portion for controlling access to the above-ground cabinet.  
   
   
       5 . A system as defined in  claim 1 , the valve controller portion including a first communications portion and the underground valve activation portion including a second communications portion, the first and second communications portions operable to establish a data link there between, the first and second communications portions being operable under an RS485 signal transmission protocol.  
   
   
       6 . A system as defined in  claim 1 , the valve controller portion including a portable housing.  
   
   
       7 . A system as defined in  claim 6 , the valve activation control portion including one or more batteries contained in the housing for powering the valve activation control portion.  
   
   
       8 . A system as defined in  claim 2 , the motor having a drive axle which is powered unidirectionally and the valve element is movable between the closed and open positions under the action of the motor travelling at least a portion of one rotation.  
   
   
       9 . A municipal fluids control system, comprising an underground municipal fluids main, at least one consumer downstream from the main and an underground delivery channel joining the main with the consumer, an underground valve portion located either in the underground main, the underground delivery channel or there between for controlling the passage of fluids to the consumer, an underground valve activation portion responsive to an activation signal for activating the underground valve portion between a closed condition and an open condition, a valve activation control portion for issuing the activation signal and data channel portion for establishing a wired or wireless data channel between the valve activation control portion and the underground valve actuation portion to deliver the activation signal thereto.