Pilot-Controlled Coolant Valve for Fast Closure at Low Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilot-controlled coolant valves struggle to close quickly enough during small volumetric flows due to insufficient differential pressures, which can lead to incomplete valve closure, especially when the closing piston is loaded by a return spring.
Innovation Solution
The coolant valve design includes a pressure chamber with a control opening connected to a pressure release chamber, an actuator with a plunger that stroke-actuates both the control piston and the closing piston, and a pressure channel connecting the stagnation pressure chamber to the in-flow, allowing mechanical actuation of the closing piston to supplement insufficient pressure differences and ensure complete closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the closing piston relies solely on pressure difference to close the valve, then the valve structure remains simple, but the valve closure speed becomes insufficient at small volumetric flows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hydrodynamic pressure difference forces with mechanical actuation forces in a single integrated system. The control piston and closing piston work together, where the control piston responds to pressure differences and mechanically actuates the closing piston, merging fluid-based control with direct mechanical action to ensure reliable valve closure across all flow conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control piston serves as an intermediary between the pressure difference (hydrodynamic force) and the closing piston. It translates the pressure-driven motion into mechanical actuation of the closing piston, enabling the system to overcome the insufficient closing force at small flows without requiring a completely different actuation mechanism.
2Reliability
If the closing piston is loaded with a return spring to ensure closure, then valve closure reliability improves, but the force required to open the valve increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional return spring mechanical system with a hydrodynamic-mechanical actuation system. Instead of using elastic storage (spring) to ensure closure, the system uses pressure-driven control piston motion that mechanically actuates the closing piston, eliminating the need for high opening forces against a spring while maintaining closure reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic principles where pressure differences in the fluid directly drive the control piston, which in turn actuates the closing piston. This hydraulic-mechanical coupling provides reliable valve closure without requiring mechanical springs, thereby avoiding the increased opening force requirement that would result from spring loading.
3Measurement precision
If the control opening is completely sealed by the control piston, then pressure control precision improves, but the closing force at small flows becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the valve control into two independent but coupled functions: the control piston handles pressure control with precise sealing at the control opening, while the closing piston handles the actual valve closure force generation. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
While segmented into two pistons, the system merges the functions by mechanically coupling them through the actuation mechanism. The control piston's precise pressure control enables the generation of actuation force that is directly transmitted to the closing piston, combining pressure precision with closing force capability.
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 enables the coolant valve to close reliably and quickly even at small volumetric flows by combining mechanical and hydrodynamic forces, ensuring effective sealing and maintaining valve closure without relying solely on pressure differences.
Implementation Method 1
The closing movement of the closing piston from the open to the closed valve position is generated by the difference in static pressures which act on the respective axial end side of the closing piston
Implementation Method 2
the hydrodynamically constrained compressive forces acting on the closing piston within the working range of smaller volumetric flows
Implementation Method 3
The closing piston pauses in the closed position, i.e. in sealing contact with the valve seat, only due to the pressure of the coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A pilot-controlled coolant valve is provided that includes a pressure chamber, a pressure release chamber, a control opening, a pressure release channel, an actuator having a plunger, a control piston stroke-actuated by the plunger, a closing piston moving in the pressure chamber, and a valve seat. The pressure chamber has an in-flow and an out-flow for coolant. The control opening connects the pressure release chamber to the pressure chamber. The control piston closes the control opening during the stroke actuation by the plunger, except for a radial sealing gap between the control piston and the control opening. When the control opening is closed, the closing piston sealingly rests on the valve seat and interrupts the connection of the through-flow chamber with the in-flow. Axial end sides of the closing piston delimit a stagnation pressure chamber on one side and a through-flow chamber on the other side.