Pilot-Actuated Flow Control Valve for Rapid Thrust Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow control valves for high-pressure applications, such as rocket or jet engines, face challenges in responsiveness due to delays associated with initial low flow stages and inherent electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic delays in remote actuator constructions, which affect the speed and accuracy of thrust control.
Innovation Solution
An electronically driven, pilot-actuated flow control valve with a pressure-balanced pilot poppet and primary poppet arrangement, utilizing an electromagnetic actuator for rapid positioning between seats, allowing for extremely short stroke lengths and rapid actuation times, enabling quick response to command signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a bi-modal operation with initial low flow stage is used to achieve fine impulse resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but response time deteriorates due to delays associated with the initial low flow stage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the initial low flow stage from the bi-modal operation sequence. By using a direct-acting solenoid valve that opens immediately upon energization, the system removes the delay associated with staged flow progression, achieving both rapid response and precise impulse control without the harmful intermediate low-flow phase
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system performs preliminary preparation by maintaining the valve in a normally closed state with pre-charged springs and pre-positioned components. When activated, the valve is already prepared for immediate full-flow operation, eliminating the need for gradual transition phases and enabling instantaneous response to control signals
2Ease of operation
If a remote actuator construction is used to control the valve, then ease of operation is improved, but response time deteriorates due to inherent electrical, mechanical and pneumatic delays
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the actuator with the valve body into an integrated unit. The solenoid is mounted directly on the valve housing, and the plunger is directly connected to the valve stem, eliminating separate mechanical linkages and intermediate pneumatic chambers. This integration removes dead volumes and reduces the number of moving interfaces, achieving both ease of operation and minimal actuation delay
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical and pneumatic actuation systems with a direct electromagnetic actuation system. The solenoid generates magnetic force that directly moves the plunger and valve stem without intermediate mechanical transmissions or pneumatic pressure build-up phases, substituting slow mechanical-pneumatic actuation with fast electromagnetic actuation while maintaining operational simplicity
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
The valve achieves rapid opening and closing times, with actuation times of less than 70 ms open and 12 ms close, ensuring precise and immediate thrust control in high-pressure environments, enhancing the responsiveness and accuracy of thrust management.
Implementation Method 1
The valve can combine pilot and primary poppet arrangements to rapidly open and close the valve in response to the drive command signal. The pilot poppet, which can act as a 3-way valve, can be pressure balanced and have an extremely short stroke to provide the speed and accuracy demanded by highly critical applications.
Data Source
AI summary
A fast acting flow control valve uses an electronically-actuated, short-stroke 3-way pilot poppet to actuate a primary poppet valve, for example, to provide impulse thrust to an air or space vehicle. The pilot poppet arrangement has an electromagnetic actuator for positioning the pilot poppet with respect to first and second seats. When the pilot poppet is sealed against the first seat a pressure passage communicates with seat openings and a vent passage of the valve is blocked from the seat openings. When the pilot poppet is sealed against the second seat the pressure passage is blocked from the seat openings and the vent passage communicates with the seat openings. The primary valve arrangement has a primary poppet that seals against a primary seat when the pilot poppet is sealed against the first seat and is unseated when the pilot poppet is sealed against the second seat.