Aerogel-Coated Control Valve for Extreme-Temperature Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control valves used under extreme temperature conditions face issues with thermal expansion, altered gap geometries, and impaired sealing and control behavior due to temperature-related changes, leading to compromised internal tightness and rangeability.
Innovation Solution
The use of aerogel materials or aerogel coatings for the valve seat, valve member, and insulating bodies within the control valve to reduce thermal conductivity, minimize thermally induced changes, and maintain geometric relationships across a wider thermal range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional materials are used for valve seat and valve member, then the valve structure is simple, but thermal expansion causes altered gap geometries and compromised internal tightness under extreme temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by coating the valve seat and valve member with aerogel material. This creates a composite structure where the base material provides structural integrity while the aerogel coating provides thermal insulation, preventing thermal expansion and maintaining gap geometries under extreme temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the valve components by applying aerogel coating. This reduces heat transfer to the valve seat and valve member, minimizing thermally induced changes in length and maintaining reliable internal tightness behavior under extreme temperature conditions.
2Reliability
If aerogel coating is applied to valve seat and valve member, then thermal insulation and internal tightness are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes aerogel material, which is a highly porous solid with nanometer-range pores. This porous structure provides exceptional thermal insulation properties with minimal thickness, allowing the coating to be applied in a thin layer that reduces heat transfer while maintaining manufacturability.
3Reliability
If extreme temperature protection is provided to sealing arrangement, then sealing behavior is maintained, but valve height increases due to extension body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal insulation function from the traditional extension body structure and applies it directly as a coating on the valve components. This eliminates the need for a separate extension body, maintaining sealing behavior through aerogel coating while avoiding the increase in valve height.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional extension body structure to a two-dimensional surface coating approach. By applying aerogel coating directly to the valve seat and valve member surfaces, thermal protection is achieved without adding axial length to the valve structure.
4Ease of operation
If drive rod is sealed through housing cover, then external control is enabled, but temperature-related friction increases and may cause jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces aerogel material as an intermediary between the drive rod and the hot/cold environment. The aerogel coating on the drive rod acts as a thermal barrier, reducing heat transfer to the sealing arrangement and minimizing temperature-related friction, thereby preventing jamming while maintaining smooth actuation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures trouble-free operation of control valves under extreme temperatures by maintaining internal tightness, rangeability, and smooth actuation of the drive rod, while also allowing for more compact valve installations in cryogenic applications.
Implementation Method 1
The valve seat and/or the valve member (18, 16) is/are provided with an aerogel coating, in particular an essentially complete coating
Implementation Method 2
thermal expansion, particularly of the valve seat and valve member components, can result in altered gap geometries that will adversely affect the internal tightness
Implementation Method 3
the extreme temperatures of the process medium will also adversely affect the sealing and control behavior of the sealing arrangement installed in the housing cover
Implementation Method 4
a temperature-related increase in friction between the drive rod and the sealing arrangement must be taken into account
Data Source
AI summary
A control valve (10) comprises a valve housing (12) with a valve inlet and valve outlet (12-1, 12-2) and a valve cover (14), also comprising a housing-mounted valve seat (16), which is arranged in the flow channel between the valve inlet and valve outlet (12-1, 12-2), further comprising a valve member (18), which is designed to complement the valve seat (16), and additionally comprising a drive rod (20), which is guided in a sealing manner through the housing cover (14) and via which the valve member (18) is connected to a drive (22) outside the housing, wherein the valve cover (14) comprises a sealing arrangement (24), by means of which the drive rod (20) is sealed in relation to the valve cover (14). The valve seat (16) and/or the valve member (18) are/is formed from an aerogel material or are/is coated with an aerogel coating.