Spaceship valve with actuator made of shape-memory alloy

• US 20050173661A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Techspace Aã©Ro SA (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Techspace Aã©Ro SA (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Stalmans, Rudy, Mignon, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/015,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20050173661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/11
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a valve with an actuator (3) essentially made of shape-memory alloy (SMA) and provided with means for controlling the activation temperature of the actuator, wherein the means comprises a reverse biasing mechanism (2).

Claims

1. A valve comprising:

an actuator essentially made of a shape-memory alloy and provided with means for controlling an activation temperature of said actuator, wherein said means comprises a reverse biasing mechanism.

2. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the reverse biasing mechanism is of a breakable “

pin”

type.

3. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the reverse biasing mechanism is of a spring latch type.

4. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the shape-memory alloy is a titanium-nickel alloy.

5. The valve as in claim 1, wherein it is of a normally open or normally closed type.

6. The valve as in claim 1, wherein an activation temperature of the valve is higher than 100°

C.

7. The vale as in claim 6, wherein the activation temperature of the valve is higher than 110 °

C.

8. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured such that a force required to overcome the biasing element is related to a force required to open or close a flow section of a fluid.

9. The valve as in claim 8, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured such that a difference between the two forces is maximised.

10. The valve as in claim 1, further comprising an electrical heater for inducing activation of the shape-memory alloy actuator.

11. A method of using a valve comprising:

providing a valve made essentially of a shape-memory alloy and having means for controlling an activation temperature of said actuator, wherein said means comprises a reverse biasing mechanism, in a propulsion system of a spaceship.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the valve in a pressurisation circuit of said propulsion system.