Actuation mechanism for water hammer valve

Abstract

The present invention discloses an actuation mechanism for a water hammer valve. The water hammer valve is initially prevented from operating, and an actuation mechanism for the water hammer valve is actuated by dropping one or more balls or other objects onto the valve. Once actuated, the pilot and piston mechanism in the water hammer valve operate to produce hydraulic pulses from an upstream pressurized fluid.

1 . A flow-actuated valve comprising:
 a housing with an inlet and an outlet, wherein the flow-actuated valve is configured to periodically actuate and at least partially interrupt fluid flow through the housing; and   a releasable lock configured to initially prevent actuation of the flow-actuated valve, wherein the releasable lock is released by increasing the differential pressure through flow passages in the releasable lock.   
     
     
         2 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable lock is released by increasing the differential pressure through flow passages in the releasable lock until the differential pressure exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flow passages in the releasable lock include one or more flow restrictions wherein the differential pressure is increased by increasing a fluid flow rate though the flow passages. 
     
     
         4 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable lock comprises one or more shear pins that initially prevent actuation of the flow-actuated valve. 
     
     
         5 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable lock comprises a spring-loaded detent that initially prevents actuation of the flow-actuated valve. 
     
     
         6 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable lock comprises a friction detent that initially prevents actuation of the flow-actuated valve. 
     
     
         7 . A flow-actuated valve comprising:
 a housing with an inlet and an outlet, wherein the flow-actuated valve is configured to periodically actuate and at least partially interrupt fluid flow through the housing; and   a releasable lock configured to initially prevent actuation of the flow-actuated valve,   wherein the releasable lock is released by increasing the differential pressure through flow passages in the releasable lock, wherein increasing the differential pressure causes the releasable lock to move from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         8 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the flow passages of the releasable lock are open when the releasable lock is in the first position, wherein the flow passages are at least partially closed when the releasable lock is shifting from first position to second position, wherein the flow passages are open when the releasable lock is in the second position. 
     
     
         9 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the differential pressure is increased by seating one or more obstruction objects in the flow passages. 
     
     
         10 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more obstruction objects are one or more balls. 
     
     
         11 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more obstruction objects are one or more darts. 
     
     
         12 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the releasable lock is released by increasing the differential pressure through flow passages in the releasable lock until the differential pressure exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the flow passages in the releasable lock include one or more flow restrictions wherein the differential pressure is increased by increasing a fluid flow rate though the flow passages. 
     
     
         14 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the releasable lock comprises one or more shear pins that initially prevent actuation of the flow-actuated valve. 
     
     
         15 . The flow actuated valve of  claim 7 , wherein the releasable lock comprises a spring-loaded detent that initially prevents actuation of the flow-actuated valve. 
     
     
         16 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a pilot, the pilot initially being held in a first position by the releasable lock, the pilot able to move axially into a second position when not being held by the releasable lock; and   a poppet, wherein axial movement of the pilot from the first position to the second position causes the poppet to at least partially close, and axial movement of the pilot back into the first position causes the poppet to open,   wherein the pilot is released from the first position after the releasable lock is released.   
     
     
         17 . The flow-actuated valve of  claim 16 , wherein axial movement of the poppet into the at least partially closed position causes the pilot to move into the first position. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a flow-actuated valve, comprising:
 restricting actuation of a valve using a releasable lock, the releasable lock comprising flow passages to permit fluid flow;   increasing the differential pressure through the flow passages in the releasable lock;   releasing the releasable lock, wherein the releasable lock is released when the differential pressure through the flow passages in the releasable lock is increased above a threshold pressure; and   actuating the valve periodically when the releasable lock has released.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the releasable lock comprises one or more shear pins that initially restrict actuation of the valve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the releasable lock comprises a spring-loaded detent that initially restricts actuation of the valve. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the releasable lock comprises a friction detent that initially restricts actuation of the valve. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the differential pressure through the flow passages is increased by receiving one or more released obstruction objects into a seat in the flow passages. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the obstruction objects are balls. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the obstruction object are darts.