INJECTION OR OTHER SYSTEM WITH ANTI-THERMAL LOCKDOWN MECHANISM AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20110192466A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bekkum, Frank Van
• Granted Patent: US 8,464,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/95 Fuel injection apparatus operating on particular fuels, e.g. biodiesel, ethanol, mixed fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/00 Fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels, or on a liquid fuel and another liquid, e.g. the other liquid being an anti-knock additive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/877 With flow control means for branched passages

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first valve configured to selectively direct material to first and second outlets and a second valve configured to block the second outlet. The first and second valves define a dead space that has a volume between the first and second valves. The apparatus also includes a pressure compensation unit configured to dynamically provide an additional volume for material trapped in the dead space when the trapped material expands. The pressure compensation unit could include a piston configured to move within a space of the pressure compensation unit, where increased pressure in the dead space causes the trapped material to push against the piston in order to provide the additional volume for the trapped material. The pressure compensation unit could further include a spring configured to bias the piston and a seal configured to substantially prevent the trapped material from passing the piston and contacting the spring.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first valve configured to selectively direct material to first and second outlets;

a second valve configured to block the second outlet, wherein the first and second valves define a dead space comprising a volume between the first and second valves; and

a pressure compensation unit configured to dynamically provide an additional volume for material trapped in the dead space when the trapped material expands.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the pressure compensation unit comprises a piston configured to move within a space of the pressure compensation unit; and

the pressure compensation unit is configured such that increased pressure in the dead space causes the trapped material to push against the piston in order to provide the additional volume for the trapped material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pressure compensation unit further comprises:

a spring configured to bias the piston.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pressure compensation unit further comprises:

a seal configured to substantially prevent the trapped material from passing the piston and contacting the spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure compensation unit is configured to receive some of the trapped material into the additional volume in order to maintain a pressure in the dead space below a threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a space within the pressure compensation unit and the dead space comprise connected spaces within a unibody structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first valve comprises a diverter valve;

the first outlet is configured to inject the material into a product stream;

the second valve comprises part of a test port; and

the second outlet is configured to inject the material into a test device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an inlet configured to receive the material;

a third valve configured to block the inlet;

a streamer configured to filter the material flowing through the third valve;

a dosing valve configured to control an amount of filtered material provided to the first valve;

a flow meter configured to measure the amount of filtered material provided to the first valve; and

a dosing controller configured to adjust the dosing valve based on feedback from the flow meter.

9. A method comprising:

operating first and second valves, wherein material is trapped in a dead space defined by the first and second valves during operation of the valves; and

as the trapped material expands, dynamically providing an additional volume for the trapped material to enter in order to maintain a pressure in the dead space below a threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein dynamically providing the additional volume comprises:

moving a piston within a space of a pressure compensation unit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein increased pressure in the dead space causes the trapped material to push the piston towards the spring in order to provide the additional volume for the trapped material.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

as the trapped material contracts, pushing the trapped material out of the additional volume and back into the dead space using the piston.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the space within the pressure compensation unit and the dead space comprise connected spaces within a unibody structure.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein operating the first and second valves comprises:

in a first mode of operation, operating the first valve to divert the material to a first outlet and opening the second valve to unblock the first outlet; and

in a second mode of operation, operating the first valve to divert the material to a second outlet and closing the second valve to form the dead space.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold comprises a pressure threshold above which a seal in the first or second valve bursts.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a dead space comprising a volume in which material becomes trapped; and

a pressure compensation unit comprising a piston configured to move within a space of the pressure compensation unit, wherein the pressure compensation unit is configured such that increased pressure in the dead space causes the trapped material to push against the piston in order to provide an additional volume for the trapped material.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pressure compensation unit further comprises:

a spring configured to bias the piston.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pressure compensation unit further comprises:

a seal configured to substantially prevent the trapped material from passing the piston and contacting the spring.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pressure compensation unit is configured to receive some of the trapped material into the additional volume in order to maintain a pressure in the dead space below a threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

multiple valves configured to create the dead space during operation of the valves.