Valve Control Member Cooling Using Primary-Air-Driven Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic or electro-pneumatic valves in aircraft propulsion engine environments face challenges with high temperatures, requiring cooling solutions that either relocate control members to cooler areas or use limited air flow for ventilation, both of which complicate valve design and operation.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a containment casing and an air mover that uses a primary air supply with higher temperature and pressure to accelerate secondary fresh air for forced ventilation within the casing, maintaining control members at a safe temperature without relocating them, and allowing for efficient ventilation only when the valve is activated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If control members are relocated to cooler areas of the aircraft, then control members can operate at safe temperatures, but device complexity increases due to additional control lines and anchoring means
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the control members with the valve body by integrating them into a common containment casing. The control members are positioned in thermal contact with the valve body, allowing them to operate at elevated temperatures together with the valve rather than being relocated to cooler areas. This eliminates the need for separate control lines and anchoring means, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful high-temperature environment into a beneficial thermal coupling mechanism. The valve body acts as a heat transfer medium, conducting heat from the hot external environment to the control members through thermal contact. This intentional thermal coupling allows control members to operate at elevated temperatures, eliminating the need for complex cooling systems or relocation.
2Temperature
If air flow rate is increased for better cooling, then control members are cooled more effectively, but loss of substance increases due to higher air consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the valve body serve its own cooling function by acting as a thermal conduction path. The valve body, which is necessarily exposed to hot gases during operation, conducts heat to the control members through direct thermal contact. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional active cooling systems or high air flow rates, reducing air consumption while maintaining control member temperatures within acceptable ranges.
3Device complexity
If control members are integrated into compact valves, then device complexity is reduced, but control members are exposed to high temperatures they cannot withstand
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the control members with the valve body by integrating them into a common containment casing. The control members are positioned in thermal contact with the valve body, allowing them to operate at elevated temperatures together with the valve rather than being relocated to cooler areas. This eliminates the need for separate control lines and anchoring means, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational temperature parameter of the control members by selecting materials and designs that can withstand elevated temperatures. The control members are specifically designed to operate in the high-temperature environment created by the valve body's exposure to hot gases, transforming the temperature from a limiting factor to an acceptable operating condition.
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 solution enables the operation of heat-sensitive control members in high-temperature environments without relocating them, simplifies valve architecture, reduces size, and conserves primary air by providing effective forced ventilation only when needed, enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing self-heating.
Implementation Method 1
a first supply, called the primary supply, of air, called primary air, having a temperature and pressure greater than the temperature and pressure of the fresh air, to the acceleration column, so that the primary air may drive and accelerate the secondary air toward the air outlet
Implementation Method 2
a containment casing adapted to contain the control members of the valve; an air inlet, called the fresh air inlet, in the containment casing
Implementation Method 3
produce forced air ventilation in the containment casing between the air inlet and the air outlet
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (30) for cooling heat-sensitive control members (29) of a pneumatic or electropneumatic valve (20), comprising a containment casing (31) designed to contain said control members (29): a fresh air inlet (32) in said containment casing (31); an air outlet (33) of said containment casing, provided with a ventilation air tube (34) that comprises: an air acceleration column (35) which puts into fluidic communication said containment casing (31) and the air outlet (33); a primary supply (37) for supplying the acceleration column (35) with primary air; a secondary supply (38) for supplying the acceleration column (35) with secondary air, provided in said containment casing (31) such that the primary air can drive and accelerate the secondary air in the direction of the air outlet so as to produce forced air ventilation in said containment casing (31) between the air inlet (32) and the air outlet (33).