Fluid distribution manifold

Abstract

A manifold includes a housing defining first and second inlets and outlets. With the housing, a valve retainer defines a first chamber in fluid communication with the first and second inlets. The valve retainer may engage a first valve assembly having a first actuator attached to a first valve member for regulating flow from the first outlet, and a second valve assembly having a second actuator attached to a second valve member for regulating flow from the second outlet port. A sensor assembly is configured to detect first and second operations of the first and second valve assemblies. A controller directs independent operations of the first and second actuators based on first and second flow rates derived from the first and second operations. The first and second valve members may be positioned within portions of respective first and second valve bodies in open fluid communication with the first chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid distribution manifold comprising:
 a housing, the housing defining first and second inlets, and first and second outlets;   a first valve assembly configured to regulate flow from the first outlet with a first actuator connected to a first valve member;   a second valve assembly configured to regulate flow from the second outlet with a second actuator connected to a second valve member;   a valve retainer engaged with the housing, the valve retainer defining a chamber within the housing that is in fluid communication with the first and second inlets;   a sensor assembly attached to the housing proximate to the first and second outlets, the sensor assembly configured to detect a first indication of a first operation of the first valve assembly and a second indication of a second operation of the second valve assembly; and   a controller configured to direct operations of the first actuator based on a first flow rate derived from the first indication and operations of the second actuator based on a second flow rate derived from the second indication;   wherein the first and the second valve members are positioned within portions of respective first and second valve housings that are in fluid communication with the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the first and first valve members are disposed in the first valve housing and the second actuator and second valve member are disposed in the second valve housing, and wherein the valve retainer is engaged with the first valve housing and the second valve housing. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third valve assembly configured to regulate flow from a third outlet defined by the housing with a third actuator connected to a third valve member,   wherein the third valve member is positioned within a portion of a third valve housing that are in fluid communication with the chamber, and   wherein the controller is configured to operate the third actuator based on first and second required flow rates for the first and second outlets.   
     
     
         4 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly detects an operation of a first flow sensor of the first valve assembly for the first operation, and wherein the first flow sensor is positioned downstream of the first valve member and upstream of a distal end of the first outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor assembly detects a movement of the first flow sensor for the first operation. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a bus and a Hall effect device attached to the bus in a location corresponding to the first outlet, wherein the first flow sensor includes an impeller and magnets positioned within the impeller, and wherein the Hall effect device detects a movement of the impeller for the first operation 
     
     
         7 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 5 , wherein the first outlet extends from a lower wall of the housing below the chamber, and wherein the impeller of the first flow sensor is disposed within the first outlet outside of the chamber. 
     
     
         8 . A fluid distribution manifold comprising:
 a first housing that defines first and second inlets, and first and second outlets;   a second housing;   a valve retainer positioned between the first housing and the second housing, the valve retainer and the first housing defining a first chamber, the valve retainer and the second housing defining a second chamber;   a first valve assembly including a first actuator configured to adjust a position of a first valve member within the first chamber to regulate a first flow rate through the first outlet;   a second valve assembly including a second actuator configured to adjust a position of a second valve member within the first chamber to regulate a second flow rate through the second outlet; and   a controller configured to instruct:
 operations of the first actuator to move the first valve member in first increments based on the first flow rate, and 
 operations of the second actuator to move the second member in second increments based on the second flow rate, 
   wherein the first and the second valve members are positioned within portions of respective first and second valve housings in fluid communication with the first chamber and the first and second inlets.   
     
     
         9 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the first valve assembly includes a first prime mover engaged with the first actuator and the first valve member, wherein the second valve assembly includes a second prime mover engaged with the second actuator and the second valve member. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 9 , wherein the first increments are at least one of time-based and based on a measure of displacement of the first prime mover, and wherein the second increments are at least one of time-based and based on a measure of displacement of the second prime mover. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 9 , wherein first and second movement paths of the first and second prime movers extend from the first chamber to the second chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the valve retainer defines a first slot and a second slot located between the first and second chambers, wherein the first valve assembly is engaged with the valve retainer and the first outlet and the second valve assembly is engaged with a second slot of the valve retainer and the second outlet, and wherein engagements between the first and second valve assemblies and the first and second slots seal the first chamber from the second chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to control a first stepper motor of the first actuator until the first fluid flow rate equals a first required flow rate specified in a control input, and wherein the controller is configured to control a second stepper motor of the second actuator to maintain the second fluid flow rate to compensate for any change to the second flow rate caused by the first flow rate changing to be equal to the first required flow rate. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid distribution manifold of  claim 8 , further comprising a sensor assembly attached to the first housing proximate to the first outlet and second outlet, the sensor assembly configured to detect a first indication of a first operation of the first valve assembly and a second indication of a second operation of the second valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to derive the first flow rate from the first indication and derive the second flow rate from the second indication. 
     
     
         15 . A method for distributing fluid with a fluid distribution manifold including a plurality of valve assemblies, the method comprising:
 continuously monitoring a fluid system including a plurality of fluid handling devices in fluid communication with the fluid distribution manifold;   receiving a control input, with a valve operation and coordination (“VOC”) controller, including a first required flow rate for a first fluid handling device;   determining, at the VOC controller, an operating direction for a first actuator of a first valve assembly of the plurality of valve assemblies, the VOC controller determining the operating direction based on a current flow rate of fluid flow to the first fluid handling device as regulated by the first valve assembly;   controlling operations of the plurality of valve assemblies to change the flow rate of fluid flow to the first fluid handling device to the first required flow rate;   controlling operations of the plurality of valve assemblies to maintaining required flow rates to a remaining group of the plurality of fluid handling devices; and   continuously performing flow rate balancing operations of the plurality of valve assemblies to deliver required flow rates based on:
 current flow rates for all the plurality of valve assemblies, 
 an input flow rate for the manifold, and 
 a total output flow rate for the manifold, 
   wherein the current flow rates are respectively derived from operations of the plurality of valve assemblies and the fluid distribution manifold includes a sensor assembly configured to detect indications of the operations of the plurality valve assemblies; and   wherein each of the plurality of valve assemblies includes an actuator connected to a valve member disposed in a portion of a respective valve housing that is in open fluid communication with a first chamber of the manifold that is in open communication with first and second inlets for the manifold; and   
     
     
         16 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor assembly detects movements of flow sensors disposed in the plurality of valve assemblies. 
     
     
         17 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a bus and a Hall effect device attached to the bus in a location corresponding to each of the valve assemblies, and wherein each of flow sensors includes an impeller and magnets positioned within the impeller, and wherein the Hall effect devices detect respective movements of the impellers for the operations. 
     
     
         18 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a prime mover engaged with an actuator and a valve member. 
     
     
         19 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 18 , wherein movement paths of the prime movers extend from the first chamber to a second chamber, and wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are separated by a valve retainer. 
     
     
         20 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 19 , valve housings of the plurality of valve assemblies engage the valve retainer and a first housing that defines the first chamber with the valve retainer. 
     
     
         21 . each of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a prime mover engaged with an actuator and a valve member. 
     
     
         22 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a prime mover engaged with an actuator and a valve member. 
     
     
         23 . The method for distributing fluid of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of valve assemblies includes a prime mover engaged with an actuator and a valve member.