Servovalve Torque Motor Cooling via Integrated Body Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrohydraulic valves face challenges in withstanding high temperatures due to temperature-sensitive components like epoxy resin, sealing gaskets, and aluminum bodies, which can be costly to replace with more suitable materials.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating cooling passages within the body of the torque motor to direct cooling fluid onto the spring, armature, and flapper assembly, optimizing cooling while reducing the number of passages required, thereby enhancing the servovalve's temperature resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials (epoxy resin, sealing gaskets, aluminum body) are used in high temperature environments, then the servovalve can be manufactured cost-effectively, but the temperature resistance and reliability of components deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling fluid is introduced as an intermediary substance to transfer heat away from temperature-sensitive components. The cooling passages allow the fluid to flow directly over the spring, armature, and flapper assembly, acting as a thermal mediator that protects these components from high ambient temperatures without requiring material substitution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic or pneumatic cooling fluid flowing through integrated passages to remove heat from the torque motor components. This approach leverages fluid dynamics to achieve active cooling, allowing conventional materials to operate reliably in high-temperature environments by continuously removing accumulated heat
2Reliability
If cooling passages are added to the body, then the temperature resistance of the servovalve is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The body is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the torque motor components and simultaneously acts as a cooling channel through which cooling fluid flows. By integrating the cooling passages into the existing body structure rather than adding separate cooling components, the patent reduces overall device complexity while achieving effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling passages are merged with the body structure, combining the structural and thermal management functions into a single integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling housings or external cooling mechanisms, simplifying the overall device architecture
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 solution allows the servovalve to operate in high-temperature environments effectively, extending the shelf life of components and enabling wider tolerances in fittings, without the need for expensive materials, and ensures efficient temperature distribution prediction.
Implementation Method 1
one or more cooling passages are provided within the body and are configured to receive a fluid (e.g., a cooling fluid such as cooling air) and direct the fluid onto the spring, armature, flapper assembly of the torque motor
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus comprising a torque motor comprising a spring, armature, flapper assembly (“SAFA”), a body, wherein the spring, armature, flapper assembly is mounted onto the body, and a cap enclosing the spring, armature, flapper assembly. One or more cooling passages are provided within the body and are configured to receive cooling air and direct the cooling air onto the spring, armature, flapper assembly of the torque motor.