Pilot Microvalve Spool Valve Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microvalve systems face challenges in efficiently controlling fluid flow due to increasing output force requirements for actuators as displacement and flow rate demands rise, leading to larger actuator sizes and higher power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The development of a microvalve device incorporating a pilot microvalve and a pilot-operated spool valve with adjustable cross-sectional flow areas, where the ratio of the spool input port to output port matches the ratio of the pilot input orifice to output orifice, allowing for linear control of fluid flow and reduced actuator power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the displacement requirement of the beam increases or the flow rate through the fluid ports increases, then the output force required by the actuator increases, but the actuator size and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system is divided into two stages: a pilot stage with a small beam valve and a main stage with a spool valve. The pilot stage generates a small control force to modulate pilot flow, while the main stage uses the resulting pressure differential to move the spool and control the main fluid flow. This segmentation allows the actuator to operate at low force levels while still achieving large flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot flow acts as an intermediary between the actuator and the main fluid flow. The actuator controls the pilot flow, which in turn creates a pressure differential that moves the spool to control the main flow. This intermediary mechanism amplifies the actuator's effect, allowing small forces to control large flows.
2Productivity
If the flow rate through the fluid ports increases, then the fluid flow forces acting on the beam increase, but the actuator force requirement and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control is segmented into pilot flow control and main flow control. The actuator only needs to control the small pilot flow, while the main flow is controlled by the spool movement resulting from the pilot flow's pressure differential effect. This allows high main flow rates with minimal actuator force.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic amplification where the pilot flow creates a pressure differential that acts on the spool surface area to generate the force needed for main flow control. The pressure differential, rather than direct actuator force, drives the main valve operation, enabling high flow control with low actuator power.
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 configuration enables efficient fluid flow control with reduced actuator power consumption and size, maintaining a linear relationship between pilot travel and spool travel, thus optimizing microvalve performance.
Implementation Method 1
The pilot microvalve includes a pilot input orifice and a pilot output orifice, at least one of the pilot input orifice and the pilot output orifice having a cross-section flow area that changes as the pilot microvalve is actuated
Implementation Method 2
In operation, a differential pressure is exerted across the main valve body to move the main valve body into a desired position
Data Source
AI summary
The microvalve device includes a pilot microvalve and a pilot operated spool valve. The pilot microvalve includes a pilot input orifice; a pilot output orifice, at least one of the pilot input orifice and the pilot output orifice having a cross-section flow area that changes as the pilot microvalve is actuated; and a passageway providing fluid communication between the pilot input orifice and the pilot output orifice. The pilot operated spool valve includes a spool having a surface in fluid communication with the passageway; a spool input port; and a spool output port, at least one of the spool input port and the spool output port having a cross-section flow area that changes as the spool is actuated. The spool valve is operable by the pilot microvalve such that a ratio of the cross-sectional flow area of the spool input port to the spool output port will substantially equal to a ratio of the cross-sectional flow area of the pilot input orifice to the pilot output orifice. The spool valve may be a microvalve or a standard size valve.