Drain valve, rocket engine and rocket

Abstract

The application relates to a relief valve, a rocket engine and a rocket. The relief valve comprises a shell assembly, a main valve core, a limiting piece, a pilot valve core, a driving mechanism, a first reset piece and a second reset piece. The shell assembly is provided with a containing cavity, a medium inlet and a medium outlet. The main valve core is arranged in the containing cavity, the main valve core has a first opening position and a first closing position, the main valve core is provided with a liquid passing cavity and a liquid passing hole. The limiting piece is fixed in the liquid passing cavity, the pilot valve core is arranged in the liquid passing cavity and is located on the side of the limiting piece close to the medium outlet, the pilot valve core has a second opening position and a second closing position. The driving mechanism is connected with the pilot valve core. The first reset piece is connected with the main valve core, and the second reset piece is connected with the pilot valve core. The relief valve can reduce the size of the driving mechanism, so that the weight of the relief valve is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of rocket engine valve technology, and in particular to venting valves, rocket engines, and rockets. Background Technology

[0002] Cost reduction, improved maintainability, and versatility are the future development trends of liquid rocket engines, which places new demands on the design concepts of valves in engine systems. The vent valve is a crucial component of rocket engine valves; during engine shutdown, controlling the opening of the vent valve allows for the release of propellant.

[0003] In related technologies, the valve core of the vent valve of rocket engine mostly adopts a direct-acting structure. Under high pressure and high flow, the thrust required to open the valve core is large, which leads to a large size of the push rod or piston structure that pushes the valve core to move, resulting in a large vent valve structure size and increased weight of the vent valve. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a discharge valve, rocket engine, and rocket to address the problem of the large size of the direct-acting valve structure in current liquid rocket engines.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a relief valve, comprising:

[0006] A housing assembly having a cavity and a medium inlet and a medium outlet communicating with the cavity wall;

[0007] The main valve core is movably disposed in the cavity and clearance-fitted with the cavity wall. The main valve core has a first open position that connects the medium inlet and the medium outlet, and a first closed position that isolates the medium inlet from the medium outlet. The main valve core has a liquid passage cavity that extends through one end of the main valve core away from the medium outlet, and a liquid passage hole is also provided at one end of the main valve core near the medium outlet.

[0008] A limiting member is provided in the liquid passage chamber and fixedly connected to the main valve core, and the limiting member has a liquid passage through it;

[0009] A pilot valve core is movably disposed in the liquid passage chamber and located on the side of the limiting member near the liquid passage hole. The pilot valve core has a second open position that opens the liquid passage hole and a second closed position that blocks the liquid passage hole. When the pilot valve core is in the second open position, the pilot valve core abuts against the limiting member.

[0010] A drive mechanism is connected to the pilot valve core. The drive mechanism is used to drive the pilot valve core from the second closed position to the second open position, and to cause the pilot valve core, which has entered the second open position, to drive the main valve core from the first closed position to the first open position through the limiting member.

[0011] A first reset element, one end of which is connected to the housing assembly, and the other end of which is connected to the limiting element, is used to drive the main valve core to reset to the first closed position; and

[0012] The second reset member has one end connected to the limiting member and the other end connected to the pilot valve core. The second reset member is used to drive the pilot valve core to reset to the second closed position.

[0013] The technical solution will be further explained below:

[0014] In one embodiment, the housing assembly includes a housing and a first end cap, the cavity extends through both ends of the housing, the medium inlet and the medium outlet are respectively opened on opposite sides of the housing, and the medium inlet and the medium outlet are spaced apart in the axial direction of the housing, and the cavity wall of the cavity is formed with a first protrusion, the first protrusion being located between the medium inlet and the medium outlet;

[0015] The main valve core is located on the side of the first boss away from the medium outlet, and a first sealing element is provided at the end of the main valve core near the medium outlet; when the main valve core is in the first closed position, the first sealing element seals against the first boss to isolate the medium inlet from the medium outlet; when the main valve core is in the first open position, the first sealing element separates from at least a portion of the first boss to connect the medium inlet with the medium outlet.

[0016] The first end cap is sealed to one end of the housing, and the drive mechanism is sealed to the other end of the housing.

[0017] In one embodiment, a second protrusion is formed between the liquid passage hole and the liquid passage cavity, and a second sealing member is provided at one end of the valve core near the second protrusion. When the valve core is in the second closed position, the second sealing member seals against the second protrusion to block the liquid passage hole; when the valve core is in the second open position, the second sealing member separates from at least a portion of the second protrusion to open the liquid passage hole.

[0018] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism includes:

[0019] A cylinder housing, wherein a piston chamber is provided in the cylinder housing, and the cylinder housing is connected to the end of the housing opposite to the first end cover;

[0020] A piston assembly, which is movably disposed within a piston chamber;

[0021] A push rod, one end of which is connected to the piston, and the other end of which passes through the cylinder housing and through the liquid passage hole and is positioned opposite to the pilot valve core;

[0022] A second end cap is connected to the end of the cylinder housing opposite to the housing. The second end cap has a pneumatic control port communicating with the piston chamber. This port is used to introduce control air to drive the piston towards the main valve core, thereby causing the push rod to move the pilot valve core to the second open position and vice versa.

[0023] The third reset member is connected to the piston member and is used to drive the piston member to move away from the main valve core so as to reset the piston member.

[0024] In one embodiment, a first spring-storage seal is provided between the piston and the cylinder housing; and / or, a second spring-storage seal is provided between the push rod and the cylinder housing.

[0025] In one embodiment, the diameter of the piston is larger than the diameter of the pilot valve core.

[0026] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism further includes a discharge nozzle connected to the cylinder housing, the discharge nozzle having an outlet communicating with the piston chamber, the outlet for discharging the working medium entering the piston chamber; and / or,

[0027] The piston component has a weight reduction hole, which penetrates the end of the piston component away from the push rod to form an opening. A plug is provided in the weight reduction hole to seal the opening.

[0028] In one embodiment, the outer wall of the main valve core is provided with an annular pressure equalization groove; and / or, the pilot valve core is provided with a liquid passage groove for the flow of the working medium.

[0029] Secondly, this application also provides a rocket engine, including the aforementioned vent valve.

[0030] Thirdly, this application also provides a rocket, including the aforementioned rocket engine.

[0031] In the aforementioned venting valve, rocket engine, and rocket, the venting valve features a liquid passage chamber and a liquid passage orifice in the main valve core. A pilot valve core is positioned within the liquid passage chamber, and this pilot valve core has a second open position (opening the liquid passage orifice) and a second closed position (closing the liquid passage orifice). Thus, when the venting valve needs to be opened, the smaller-diameter pilot valve core is first moved to the second open position via a drive mechanism. This allows the working medium entering the liquid passage chamber from the gap between the main valve core and the chamber wall to be discharged through the liquid passage orifice, relieving the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core. Subsequently, driven by the drive mechanism, the pilot valve core moves the main valve core to the first open position, thereby opening the venting valve and ensuring that the working medium can flow from the medium inlet to the medium outlet. Compared to traditional direct-acting valve bodies that directly drive the main valve core to open, the venting valve of this application significantly reduces the driving force required to open the main valve core by first driving the pilot valve core to open and relieve the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core before driving the main valve core to open. Because the diameter of the pilot valve core is smaller than that of the main valve core, the driving force required to open the pilot valve core first is also smaller under the same working medium pressure. This reduces the structural strength requirements of the drive mechanism and the size of the drive mechanism, thereby reducing the size and weight of the discharge valve, and ultimately reducing the size and weight of the rocket and rocket engine. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application.

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to a 1:1 scale, and the relative dimensions of the various components are shown as examples only and not necessarily to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a relief valve according to one embodiment.

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the drain valve in the closed state.

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the drain valve in the open state.

[0038] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the main valve core of a relief valve according to one embodiment.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pilot valve core of a relief valve according to one embodiment.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism of a relief valve according to one embodiment.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0042] 10. Housing assembly; 11. Housing; 111. Medium inlet; 112. Medium outlet; 113. Cavity; 114. First boss; 12. First end cap; 121. First sealing gasket; 20. Drive mechanism; 21. Cylinder housing; 211. Piston chamber; 212. Second sealing gasket; 22. Second end cap; 221. Pneumatic control port; 222. Third sealing gasket; 23. Piston component; 231. Weight reduction hole; 232. Plug; 24. Push rod; 25. Third reset component; 26. Discharge nozzle; 261. Discharge outlet; 271. Second spring-loaded sealing ring; 272. Second retaining ring; 273. First spring-loaded sealing ring; 274. First retaining ring; 30. Main valve core; 31. Liquid passage chamber; 32. Liquid passage hole; 33. Annular pressure equalization groove; 34. First sealing element; 35. Second boss; 40. Pilot valve core; 41. Second sealing element; 42. Liquid passage groove; 50. Limiting element; 51. Liquid passage; 61. First reset element; 62. Second reset element. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0045] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0046] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0048] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0049] As described in the background section, current direct-acting relief valves require a large thrust to open the valve core under high pressure and high flow conditions. This results in a large push rod or piston structure to actuate the valve core, leading to a large relief valve structure and increased weight. The reason is that when the valve core is closed, the working medium enters the side of the valve core away from the push rod along the fit gap between the valve core and the housing, resulting in a high load on that side. When the push rod pushes the valve core open, it needs to overcome this large load, resulting in a large driving force required to open the valve core. This also places higher demands on the structural strength of the push rod, leading to a larger push rod size and consequently a larger relief valve structure and increased weight.

[0050] Based on this, one embodiment of this application provides a venting valve, which can be used in the liquid oxygen circuit of a liquid rocket engine to vent residual liquid oxygen in the engine after shutdown. It can also be used in engine systems with other cryogenic working media (liquid methane, liquid hydrogen) and ambient temperature working media (kerosene), and is not limited thereto. Specifically, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 One embodiment of the relief valve includes a housing assembly 10, a main valve core, a limiting member, a pilot valve core 40, a drive mechanism 20, a first reset member 61, and a second reset member 62. Wherein:

[0051] See Figure 2 The housing assembly 10 has a cavity 113, a medium inlet 111, and a medium outlet 112. Both the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 are connected to the cavity 113. The medium inlet 111 is used to allow the working medium to enter the cavity 113, and the medium outlet 112 is used to allow the working medium to flow out of the cavity 113. The working medium includes, but is not limited to, liquid oxygen, liquid methane, liquid hydrogen, and kerosene.

[0052] See Figure 2 The main valve core 30 is movably disposed in the cavity 113 and is in clearance fit with the cavity wall of the cavity 113. The main valve core 30 has a first open position and a first closed position. See also Figure 3 In the first open position, the media inlet 111 is connected to the media outlet 112, allowing the working medium to flow into the cavity 113 from the media inlet 111 and out from the media outlet 112. (See also...) Figure 2 In the first closed position, the medium inlet 111 is separated from the medium outlet 112 to block the flow of working medium between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112.

[0053] See also Figure 2Furthermore, the main valve core 30 has a liquid-passing chamber 31, which extends through the end of the main valve core 30 away from the medium outlet 112. A liquid-passing hole 32 is also provided at the end of the main valve core 30 near the medium outlet 112. It is easily understood that when the main valve core 30 is in the first closed position, the working medium entering from the medium inlet 111 can enter the liquid-passing chamber 31 along the fitting gap between the main valve core 30 and the cavity wall of the chamber 113.

[0054] See Figure 2 The limiting member 50 is disposed in the liquid passage chamber 31 and fixedly connected to the main valve core 30. The limiting member 50 has a through-hole liquid passage 51 for the flow of the working medium. Optionally, the limiting member 50 can be a screw plug, and the limiting member 50 is threadedly connected to the cavity wall of the liquid passage chamber 31, thereby facilitating the installation and removal of the limiting member 50.

[0055] See Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The pilot valve core 40 is movably disposed in the liquid passage chamber 31, and is located on the side of the limiting member 50 near the liquid passage hole 32. The pilot valve core 40 has a second open position that opens the liquid passage hole 32 and a second closed position that blocks the liquid passage hole 32. When the pilot valve core 40 is in the second open position, the pilot valve core 40 abuts against the limiting member 50. It is easy to understand that when the pilot valve core 40 is in the second closed position, the liquid passage hole 32 is blocked by the pilot valve core 40, and the pilot valve core 40 can be maintained in the second closed position under the high pressure of the working medium in the liquid passage chamber 31. When the pilot valve core 40 is in the second open position, the working medium in the liquid passage chamber 31 can flow out from the liquid passage hole 32. At the same time, the limiting member 50 abuts against the pilot valve core 40 in the second open position, which can limit the pilot valve core 40 in the second open position. At the same time, the limiting member 50 can transmit the thrust of the pilot valve core 40 to the main valve core 30, so that the pilot valve core 40 drives the main valve core 30 to move.

[0056] The drive mechanism 20 is connected to the pilot valve core 40. The drive mechanism 20 is used to drive the pilot valve core 40 from the second closed position to the second open position, and cause the pilot valve core 40, which has entered the second open position, to drive the main valve core 30 from the first closed position to the first open position. In this way, the discharge valve can be opened, and the working medium can flow from the medium inlet 111 to the medium outlet 112.

[0057] See Figure 2 One end of the first reset member 61 abuts against the housing assembly 10, and the other end of the first reset member 61 abuts against the limiting member 50. The first reset member 61 is used to drive the main valve core 30 to reset to the first closed position. Optionally, the first reset member 61 can be a linear spring.

[0058] Similarly, the second reset member 62 is connected to the pilot valve core 40, and the second reset member 62 is used to drive the pilot valve core 40 to reset to the second closed position. Optionally, the second reset member 62 can be a linear spring. Specifically, one end of the second reset member 62 abuts against the limiting member 50, and the other end of the second reset member 62 is connected to a spring seat, which abuts against the pilot valve core 40, thereby pushing the pilot valve core 40 to reset.

[0059] Specifically, see Figure 2 , Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the structure of the relief valve in the closed state. When the relief valve is closed, the main valve core 30 is maintained in the first closed position under the combined action of the first reset element 61 and the working medium entering the liquid passage 31. At this time, the main valve core 30 isolates the channel between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112, thereby blocking the flow of the working medium between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112. Simultaneously, the pilot valve core 40 is maintained in the second closed position under the combined action of the second reset element 62 and the working medium entering the liquid passage 31. At this time, the pilot valve core 40 blocks the liquid passage 32 to ensure that the main valve core 30 and the pilot valve core 40 jointly cut off the channel between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112, forming a reliable seal and realizing the closure of the relief valve.

[0060] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the discharge valve needs to be opened, the drive mechanism 20 first drives the pilot valve core 40 to overcome the reset force of the second reset member 62 and the pressure of the working medium in the liquid passage 31 to move to the second open position. At this time, the liquid passage 32 is opened, and the working medium in the liquid passage 31 can flow out from the liquid passage 32, so that the pressure of the working medium on the side of the main valve core 30 away from the medium outlet 112 is reduced. At the same time, the pilot valve core 40 abuts against the limiting member 50. As the drive mechanism 20 continues to drive the pilot valve core 40 to move away from the medium outlet 112, the pilot valve core 40 can drive the main valve core 30 to overcome the reset force of the first reset member 61 and the pressure of the working medium to move to the first open position through the limiting member 50. At this time, the discharge valve is opened, and the working medium can flow from the medium inlet 111 to the medium outlet 112.

[0061] In the aforementioned relief valve, a liquid passage chamber 31 and a liquid passage hole 32 are provided in the main valve core 30. A pilot valve core 40 is also provided in the liquid passage chamber 31, and the pilot valve core 40 has a second open position that opens the liquid passage hole 32 and a second closed position that blocks the liquid passage hole 32. Thus, when the relief valve needs to be opened, the drive mechanism 20 first drives the smaller diameter pilot valve core 40 to the second open position, allowing the working medium that enters the liquid passage chamber 31 from the gap between the main valve core 30 and the cavity wall of the chamber 113 to be discharged from the liquid passage hole 32, thereby relieving the pressure of the working medium in the liquid passage chamber 31 on the main valve core 30. Subsequently, under the continuous drive of the drive mechanism 20, the pilot valve core 40 drives the main valve core 30 to the first open position, thus opening the relief valve and ensuring that the working medium can flow from the medium inlet 111 to the medium outlet 112. Compared to traditional direct-acting valves that directly drive the main valve core 30 to open, the relief valve of this application first drives the pilot valve core 40 to open, thereby relieving the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core 30, and then drives the main valve core 30 to open. This significantly reduces the driving force required to open the main valve core 30. Since the diameter of the pilot valve core 40 is smaller than that of the main valve core 30, under the same working medium pressure, the driving force required to open the pilot valve core 40 first is smaller, thereby reducing the structural strength requirements of the drive mechanism 20, and thus reducing the size of the drive mechanism 20, ultimately reducing the size and weight of the relief valve.

[0062] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the housing assembly 10 includes a housing 11 and a first end cap 12. A cavity 113 extends through both ends of the housing 11. A medium inlet 111 and a medium outlet 112 are respectively located on opposite sides of the housing 11, and the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 are spaced apart axially on the housing 11, that is, the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 are axially offset on the housing 11. Understandably, in other embodiments, the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 may also be arranged opposite each other or at right angles, which is not limited here.

[0063] Furthermore, the cavity wall of the cavity 113 is formed with a first boss 114, which is located between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112. The main valve core 30 is located on the side of the first boss 114 away from the medium outlet 112, and a first sealing element 34 is provided at the end of the main valve core 30 near the medium outlet 112. When the main valve core 30 is in the first closed position, the first sealing element 34 abuts against the first boss 114 to isolate the medium inlet 111 from the medium outlet 112. When the main valve core 30 is in the first open position, the first sealing element 34 separates from the first boss 114 to connect the medium inlet 111 with the medium outlet 112.

[0064] By cooperating with the first boss 114 and the first seal 34, the blocking effect of the main valve core 30 on the channel between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 can be improved. Understandably, in other embodiments, the channel between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112 can also be blocked by directly blocking the medium inlet 111 or blocking the medium outlet 112 with the main valve core 30, thereby eliminating the need to provide the first boss 114 and the first seal 34.

[0065] Optionally, the first seal 34 can be a non-metallic sealing material. The end face of the main valve core 30 near the medium outlet 112 is provided with a first annular groove, and the first seal 34 is embedded in the first annular groove, thereby ensuring that the first seal 34 is reliably connected to the main valve core 30.

[0066] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the first end cap 12 is sealed to one end of the housing 11, and the drive mechanism 20 is sealed to the other end of the housing 11. Specifically, the first end cap 12 and the housing 11 can be connected by a flange with a double-ended stud and nut, and a first sealing gasket 121 is provided between the first end cap 12 and the housing 11 to achieve a seal between the first end cap 12 and the housing 11. Understandably, in other embodiments, the first end cap 12 and the housing 11 can also be an integrally formed structure, which is not limited here.

[0067] See Figure 2 The drive mechanism 20 is sealed to the other end of the housing 11. Similarly, the drive mechanism 20 and the housing 11 can be connected by a flange with a double-ended stud and nut, and a second sealing gasket 212 is provided between the drive mechanism 20 and the housing 11 to achieve a seal between the drive mechanism 20 and the housing 11.

[0068] See Figure 4 In some embodiments, a second protrusion 35 is formed between the liquid passage 32 and the liquid passage cavity 31. See also Figure 5 The pilot valve core 40 has a second seal 41 at one end near the second boss 35. (Combined) Figure 2 When the pilot valve core 40 is in the second closed position, the second seal 41 abuts against the second boss 35 to block the liquid passage 32. Figure 3 When the pilot valve core 40 is in the second open position, the second seal 41 separates from the second boss 35, thereby opening the liquid passage 32. The cooperation between the second boss 35 and the second seal 41 improves the sealing effect of the valve core on the liquid passage 32. Understandably, in other embodiments, the pilot valve core 40 can also be directly embedded in the liquid passage 32 to achieve sealing, thus eliminating the need for the second boss 35 and the second seal 41.

[0069] Optionally, the second seal 41 can be a non-metallic sealing material. The end face of the pilot valve core 40 near the liquid passage 32 is provided with a second annular groove. The second seal 41 is embedded in the second annular groove, thereby ensuring that the second seal 41 is reliably connected to the pilot valve core 40.

[0070] See Figure 4 The outer wall of the main valve core 30 is provided with annular pressure equalizing grooves 33. Optionally, there are multiple annular pressure equalizing grooves 33, which are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the main valve core 30. In this way, the working medium entering the mating gap between the main valve core 30 and the housing 11 can be evenly distributed to the outer periphery of the main valve core 30 along the annular pressure equalizing grooves 33, thereby improving the stability of the main valve core 30 during opening and closing.

[0071] See Figure 5 The pilot valve core 40 has a liquid-passing groove 42 for the flow of the working medium. Specifically, the liquid-passing groove 42 penetrates the side wall of the pilot valve core 40, and there are multiple liquid-passing grooves 42, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the pilot valve core 40. This reduces the obstruction of the working medium in the liquid-passing chamber 31 to the opening process of the pilot valve core 40, ensuring that the pilot valve core 40 can be reliably opened to the second open position.

[0072] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 20 includes a cylinder housing 21, a piston 23, a push rod 24, a second end cap 22, and a third reset member 25. Wherein:

[0073] The cylinder housing 21 has a piston chamber 211, and the cylinder housing 21 is connected to the end of the housing 11 opposite to the first end cover 12. Figure 2 Optionally, the cylinder housing 21 and the housing 11 can be connected by a flange with a double-ended stud and nut, and a second sealing gasket 212 is provided between the cylinder housing 21 and the housing 11 to achieve sealing between the cylinder housing 21 and the housing 11.

[0074] The piston component 23 is movably disposed in the piston chamber 211. One end of the push rod 24 is connected to the piston component 23, and the other end of the push rod 24 extends out of the cylinder housing 21 and passes through the fluid passage 32 before being disposed opposite to the pilot valve core 40. Optionally, in one embodiment, the piston component 23 and the push rod 24 are integrally formed. In other embodiments, the piston component 23 and the push rod 24 may also be connected by means of threaded connection, nested connection, or bonding.

[0075] The second end cap 22 is connected to the end of the cylinder housing 21 opposite to the housing 11. Optionally, the second end cap 22 and the cylinder housing 21 can also be connected by a flange with a double-ended stud and nut, and a third sealing gasket 222 is provided between the second end cap 22 and the cylinder housing 21 to achieve a seal between the second end cap 22 and the cylinder housing 21.

[0076] Furthermore, the second end cap 22 is provided with a pneumatic control port 221 that communicates with the piston chamber 211. The pneumatic control port 221 is used to introduce control air to drive the piston 23 to move toward the main valve core 30, thereby driving the push rod 24 to drive the pilot valve core 40 to the second open position and drive the main valve core 30 to the first open position.

[0077] Specifically, by introducing high-pressure control gas into the pneumatic control port 221, the piston 23 is driven to move closer to the main valve core 30. At the same time, the push rod 24 moves synchronously with the piston 23, causing the push rod 24 to abut against the pilot valve core 40 and push the pilot valve core 40 to move to the second open position. At this time, the pilot valve core 40 abuts against the limiting member 50, causing the liquid passage 32 to open, thereby relieving the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core 30 in the liquid passage chamber 31. As the push rod 24 continues to push the pilot valve core 40 to move, the pilot valve core 40 can drive the main valve core 30 to move to the first open position through the limiting member 50, thereby opening the channel between the medium inlet 111 and the medium outlet 112.

[0078] See also Figure 6 The third reset member 25 is connected to the piston member 23. The third reset member 25 is used to drive the piston member 23 to move away from the main valve core 30, so that the piston member 23 is reset. Specifically, the third reset member 25 can be a linear spring, with one end of the third reset member 25 abutting against the cylinder housing 21 and the other end of the third reset member 25 abutting against the piston member 23. In this way, when the control air is not introduced into the pneumatic control port 221 or when the control air is removed, the piston member 23 can be reset to the initial position away from the main valve core 30 under the elastic force of the third reset member 25, so that the push rod 24 is separated from the pilot valve core 40. Then, the pilot valve core 40 is reset to the second closed position under the combined action of the second reset member 62 and the working medium entering the liquid passage 31. The main valve core 30 is reset to the first closed position under the combined action of the first reset member 61 and the working medium entering the liquid passage 31, so as to realize the closure of the relief valve.

[0079] Specifically, in this embodiment, a cylinder mechanism is used as the drive mechanism 20 to drive the pilot valve core 40 and the main valve core 30 to open. The control is simple. Since the cylinder mechanism is installed in the valve housing 11 in a disassembled form, the cylinder mechanism designed in this way is installed on the housing 11 as an independent component. Its structure and function are independent, and it can be independently processed, assembled, tested, and stored. It can also be quickly replaced according to product maintenance or product function changes, which improves the maintainability of the relief valve.

[0080] It is worth noting that in other embodiments, electric push rods or solenoid valves can also be used as the driving mechanism 20, which can also drive the pilot valve core 40 and the main valve core 30 to open. No limitation is made here.

[0081] See also Figure 6 Optionally, in some embodiments, a first spring-loaded sealing ring 273 is provided between the piston 23 and the cylinder housing 21 to achieve a seal between the piston 23 and the cylinder housing 21, preventing leakage of the working medium. Specifically, the first spring-loaded sealing ring 273 is sleeved on the end of the piston 23 near the second end cap 22. Further, a first retaining ring 274 is also sleeved on the end of the piston 23 near the second end cap 22. The first retaining ring 274 is located on the side of the first spring-loaded sealing ring 273 near the second end cap 22, and is used to limit the first spring-loaded sealing ring 273 to prevent it from detaching from the piston 23.

[0082] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, a second spring-loaded sealing ring 271 is provided between the push rod 24 and the cylinder housing 21 to achieve a seal between the push rod 24 and the cylinder housing 21, preventing leakage of the working medium. Specifically, the second spring-loaded sealing ring 271 is sleeved on the section of the push rod 24 that extends out of the piston chamber 211. Further, a second retaining ring 272 is also sleeved on the push rod 24. The second retaining ring 272 is located on the side of the second spring-loaded sealing ring 271 near the main valve core 30. The second retaining ring 272 is used to limit the second spring-loaded sealing ring 271 and prevent it from detaching from the push rod 24.

[0083] Specifically, in this embodiment, a spring-loaded sealing ring is used instead of the bellows used as the dynamic seal in traditional cryogenic valves. This is because bellows have drawbacks such as complex structure, weak pressure-bearing capacity, increased wall thickness and rigidity at high pressures leading to small deformation displacement, and high cost and long development cycle due to difficulties in hydraulic forming or other processing methods. In contrast, the spring-loaded sealing ring theoretically allows for an infinitely large and unrestricted displacement of the dynamic seal. It not only possesses the advantages of a simple spring + external non-metallic skeleton structure capable of withstanding high pressure, but also offers the advantage of easy procurement. These advantages simplify the dynamic seal design of the relief valve, reduce the R&D and manufacturing costs, shorten the R&D cycle, and improve the economic efficiency of the relief valve. Furthermore, the simple structure of the spring-loaded sealing ring also meets the requirements for weight reduction.

[0084] In some embodiments, the diameter of the piston 23 is larger than the diameter of the pilot valve core 40. Specifically, according to the pressure formula, under a constant force, the pressure is inversely proportional to the pressure-bearing area. Therefore, by configuring the diameter of the piston 23 to be larger than the diameter of the pilot valve core 40, the piston 23 can be driven by a smaller air pressure to move the pilot valve core 40 against a larger working medium pressure, ensuring that the pilot valve core 40 can be smoothly opened under a lower control pressure.

[0085] See Figure 6 The drive mechanism 20 also includes a discharge nozzle 26, which is connected to the cylinder housing 21. The discharge nozzle 26 has an outlet 261 communicating with the piston chamber 211. The outlet 261 is used to discharge the working medium entering the piston chamber, preventing the working medium from affecting the movement of the piston component 23. Optionally, the discharge nozzle 26 is connected to the flange of the cylinder housing 21. There can be multiple discharge nozzles 26, such as two, three, four or more, arranged circumferentially around the cylinder housing 21.

[0086] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, the piston member 23 has a weight reduction hole 231, which extends through the end of the piston member 23 away from the push rod 24 to form an orifice. A plug 232 is provided in the weight reduction hole 231 to seal the orifice. The weight reduction hole 231 can further reduce the weight of the relief valve. By sealing the orifice of the weight reduction hole 231 with a plug 232, control gas can be prevented from entering the weight reduction hole 231, reducing the amount of control gas required and improving the response time of the relief valve.

[0087] In some embodiments, this application also provides a rocket engine, which may specifically be a liquid rocket engine. One embodiment of the rocket engine includes a vent valve from any of the above embodiments. The vent valve can be used in the liquid oxygen circuit of the liquid rocket engine, enabling the release of residual liquid oxygen from the engine after shutdown.

[0088] In some embodiments, this application also provides a rocket, which may specifically be a liquid-fueled rocket. One embodiment of the rocket includes the rocket engine of any of the above embodiments.

[0089] In the aforementioned rocket and rocket engine, the vent valve utilizes a liquid passage chamber 31 and a liquid passage hole 32 within the main valve core 30. A pilot valve core 40 is installed within the liquid passage chamber 31, and the pilot valve core 40 has a second open position (opening the liquid passage hole 32) and a second closed position (closing the liquid passage hole 32). Thus, when the vent valve needs to be opened, the smaller-diameter pilot valve core 40 is first moved to the second open position by the drive mechanism 20. This allows the working medium entering the liquid passage chamber 31 through the gap between the main valve core 30 and the cavity wall of the chamber 113 to be discharged through the liquid passage hole 32, relieving the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core 30. Subsequently, driven by the drive mechanism 20, the pilot valve core 40 moves the main valve core 30 to the first open position, thereby opening the vent valve and ensuring that the working medium can flow from the medium inlet 111 to the medium outlet 112. Compared to traditional direct-acting valves that directly drive the main valve core 30 to open, the vent valve of this application first drives the pilot valve core 40 to open, thereby relieving the pressure of the working medium on the main valve core 30, and then drives the main valve core 30 to open. This significantly reduces the driving force required to open the main valve core 30. Since the diameter of the pilot valve core 40 is smaller than that of the main valve core 30, under the same working medium pressure, the driving force required to open the pilot valve core 40 first is also smaller. This reduces the structural strength requirements of the drive mechanism 20, reduces the size of the drive mechanism 20, and consequently reduces the size and weight of the vent valve, ultimately reducing the size and weight of the rocket and rocket engine.

[0090] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0091] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A relief valve, characterized in that, include: A housing assembly having a cavity and a medium inlet and a medium outlet communicating with the cavity; The main valve core is movably disposed in the cavity and clearance-fitted with the cavity wall. The main valve core has a first open position that connects the medium inlet and the medium outlet, and a first closed position that isolates the medium inlet from the medium outlet. The main valve core has a liquid passage cavity that extends through one end of the main valve core away from the medium outlet, and a liquid passage hole is also provided at one end of the main valve core near the medium outlet. A limiting member is provided in the liquid passage chamber and fixedly connected to the main valve core, and the limiting member has a liquid passage through it; A pilot valve core is movably disposed in the liquid passage chamber and located on the side of the limiting member near the liquid passage hole. The pilot valve core has a second open position that opens the liquid passage hole and a second closed position that blocks the liquid passage hole. When the pilot valve core is in the second open position, the pilot valve core abuts against the limiting member. A driving mechanism is connected to the pilot valve core. The driving mechanism is used to drive the pilot valve core from the second closed position to the second open position to open the liquid passage hole, so that the working medium in the liquid passage chamber can flow out from the liquid passage hole, thereby reducing the pressure of the working medium on the side of the main valve core away from the medium outlet, and causing the pilot valve core entering the second open position to drive the main valve core from the first closed position to the first open position through the limiting member; A first reset element, one end of which is connected to the housing assembly and the other end of which is connected to the limiting element, is used to drive the main valve core to reset to the first closed position. as well as The second reset member has one end connected to the limiting member and the other end connected to the pilot valve core. The second reset member is used to drive the pilot valve core to reset to the second closed position.

2. The relief valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a housing and a first end cap. The cavity extends through both ends of the housing. The medium inlet and the medium outlet are respectively opened on opposite sides of the housing, and the medium inlet and the medium outlet are spaced apart in the axial direction of the housing. A first protrusion is formed on the cavity wall of the cavity, and the first protrusion is located between the medium inlet and the medium outlet. The main valve core is located on the side of the first boss away from the medium outlet, and a first sealing element is provided at the end of the main valve core near the medium outlet; when the main valve core is in the first closed position, the first sealing element seals against the first boss to isolate the medium inlet from the medium outlet; when the main valve core is in the first open position, the first sealing element separates from at least a portion of the first boss to connect the medium inlet with the medium outlet. The first end cap is sealed to one end of the housing, and the drive mechanism is sealed to the other end of the housing.

3. The relief valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second protrusion is formed between the liquid passage hole and the liquid passage cavity. A second sealing element is provided at one end of the valve core near the second protrusion. When the valve core is in the second closed position, the second sealing element seals against the second protrusion to block the liquid passage hole. When the valve core is in the second open position, the second sealing element separates from at least a portion of the second protrusion to open the liquid passage hole.

4. The relief valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes: A cylinder housing, wherein a piston chamber is provided in the cylinder housing, and the cylinder housing is connected to the end of the housing opposite to the first end cover; A piston assembly, which is movably disposed within a piston chamber; A push rod, one end of which is connected to the piston, and the other end of which passes through the cylinder housing and through the liquid passage hole and is positioned opposite to the pilot valve core; A second end cap is connected to the end of the cylinder housing opposite to the housing. The second end cap has a pneumatic control port communicating with the piston chamber. This port is used to introduce control air to drive the piston towards the main valve core, thereby causing the push rod to move the pilot valve core to the second open position and vice versa. The third reset member is connected to the piston member and is used to drive the piston member to move away from the main valve core so as to reset the piston member.

5. The relief valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, A first spring-storage seal is provided between the piston and the cylinder housing; and / or, a second spring-storage seal is provided between the push rod and the cylinder housing.

6. The relief valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The diameter of the piston is larger than the diameter of the pilot valve core.

7. The relief valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive mechanism further includes a discharge nozzle connected to the cylinder housing, the discharge nozzle having an outlet communicating with the piston chamber, the outlet being used to discharge the working medium entering the piston chamber; and / or, The piston component has a weight reduction hole, which penetrates the end of the piston component away from the push rod to form an opening. A plug is provided in the weight reduction hole to seal the opening.

8. The relief valve according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The outer wall of the main valve core is provided with an annular pressure equalization groove; and / or, the pilot valve core is provided with a liquid passage groove for the flow of working medium.

9. A rocket engine, characterized in that, The relief valve includes any one of claims 1-8.

10. A rocket, characterized in that, Including the rocket engine as described in claim 9.

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