US 12,345,355 B2
Air release valve monitoring systems and methods
Richard J. Vanek, Summerland Key, FL (US); Rodney C. Montrose, Pensacola, FL (US); and Donald R. Conner, El Dorado, AR (US)
Filed by Richard J. Vanek, Summerland Key, FL (US); Rodney C. Montrose, Pensacola, FL (US); and Donald R. Conner, El Dorado, AR (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/373,747.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/050,599, filed on Jul. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0065364 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. F16K 37/00 (2006.01); E03F 5/08 (2006.01); G08B 5/22 (2006.01); H04Q 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 37/0083 (2013.01) [E03F 5/08 (2013.01); G08B 5/22 (2013.01); H04Q 9/00 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air release valve monitoring system, comprising:
an air release valve assembly, the air release valve assembly comprising:
an air release valve, wherein the air release valve comprises a housing having a float, a guide barrel, a nozzle seat, and a sealing cap for the nozzle seat, wherein the housing of the air release valve has a cover and a manual pressure exhaust that is used to release air pressure inside the air release valve;
wherein the air release valve includes a bonnet and the cover mounted to the housing, wherein the bonnet of the air release valve leads to an air release valve outlet, which is adapted to discharge air or a mixture of air and liquid that is forced from a pipeline when under pressure; and
wherein when flow pressure of liquid is high, the liquid flows into the air release valve, water pressure lifts the float, the lifted float then plugs the nozzle seat and prevents a further flow of the liquid to the air release valve outlet, so as to avoid a liquid spillage in the air release valve assembly;
a first sensor connected to the air release valve, wherein the first sensor is adapted to monitor at least one physical characteristic of the air release valve and the air and the liquid in the air release valve, wherein the air release valve is coupled to the pipeline via a valve connector, wherein the first sensor is coupled to the air release valve assembly at an angle ranging between 22 and 45 degrees to vertical at an air vent to avoid condensation or water buildup on a bottom of the first sensor;
an IPCT (information processor and cloud transceiver) coupled to the air release valve assembly;
wherein the IPCT:
obtains a first reading from the first sensor,
processes the first reading from the first sensor and compares the first reading with a prestored value,
flags the first reading when the first reading is outside the prestored value, and
sends the first reading to a server;
the server in communication with the IPCT across a communication network, the server receiving the first reading from the IPCT, and processing the first reading; and
the server is adapted to generate a first notification based on the processing, the first notification for communication to a user device.