Active Combustion Flow Modulation Valve
First Claim
1. A flow modulation valve having a valve stroke comprising:
- a stem support, the stem support comprised of a stem support ferromagnetic section and having a longitudinal axis, the stem support having a hollow cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is displaced from the first end by the longitudinal dimension of the stem support, and wherein the first end comprises a flow inlet;
a valve seat positioned proximate to the second end of the stem support;
a valve stem slidably disposed on and radially surrounding the stem support, the valve stem having a hollow cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and the valve stem having a sliding range of motion along or parallel to the longitudinal axis at least equal to the valve stroke and sufficient to establish contact between a valve face at one end of the valve stem and the valve seat;
one or more energizable coils wound around the valve stem and fixably attached to the valve stem at the stem support ferromagnetic section, the one or more energizable coils wound such that a path of current flow through the one or more energizable coils exists in a substantially normal direction to the longitudinal axis of the stem support, wherein an individual coil within the one or more energizable coils is located longitudinally on the valve stem such that the individual coil is longitudinally displaced from an immediately neighboring coil, if any, by a longitudinal distance no less than the valve stroke, and wherein the individual coil is wound oppositely from the immediately neighboring coil, if any;
at least one permanent magnet arranged such that the magnetic moment of an individual permanent magnet in the at least one permanent magnet is parallel to but reversed from an immediately neighboring permanent magnet, if any, wherein the individual permanent magnet is positioned such that a vector extending from the individual permanent magnet and parallel to and having the same direction as the magnetic moment of the individual permanent magnet intersects the individual energizable coil at a direction normal to the direction of current flow over a translational distance of the valve stem at least equal to the valve stroke;
a magnetic circuit air gap between the at least one permanent magnet and the stem support ferromagnetic section, the magnetic circuit air gap containing the one or more energizable coils, such that a magnetic flux from the individual permanent magnet produces a Lorentz force on the individual energizable coil when a current flows through the individual energizable coil; and
a valve body having a flow outlet and supporting the valve seat such that the valve seat lies longitudinally between the flow inlet and the flow outlet, the valve body further supporting the stem support, and the valve body having a valve body ferromagnetic section further supporting the at least one permanent magnet, the at least one permanent magnet supported by the valve body ferromagnetic section such that the at least one permanent magnet separates the valve body ferromagnetic section and the magnetic circuit air gap.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flow modulation valve has a slidably translating hollow armature with at least one energizable coil wound around and fixably attached to the hollow armature. The energizable coil or coils are influenced by at least one permanent magnet surrounding the hollow armature and supported by an outer casing. Lorentz forces on the energizable coils which are translated to the hollow armature, increase or decrease the flow area to provide flow throttling action. The extent of hollow armature translation depends on the value of current supplied and the direction of translation depends on the direction of current flow. The compact nature of the flow modulation valve combined with the high forces afforded by the actuator design provide a flow modulation valve which is highly responsive to high-rate input control signals.
14 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A flow modulation valve having a valve stroke comprising:
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a stem support, the stem support comprised of a stem support ferromagnetic section and having a longitudinal axis, the stem support having a hollow cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is displaced from the first end by the longitudinal dimension of the stem support, and wherein the first end comprises a flow inlet; a valve seat positioned proximate to the second end of the stem support; a valve stem slidably disposed on and radially surrounding the stem support, the valve stem having a hollow cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and the valve stem having a sliding range of motion along or parallel to the longitudinal axis at least equal to the valve stroke and sufficient to establish contact between a valve face at one end of the valve stem and the valve seat; one or more energizable coils wound around the valve stem and fixably attached to the valve stem at the stem support ferromagnetic section, the one or more energizable coils wound such that a path of current flow through the one or more energizable coils exists in a substantially normal direction to the longitudinal axis of the stem support, wherein an individual coil within the one or more energizable coils is located longitudinally on the valve stem such that the individual coil is longitudinally displaced from an immediately neighboring coil, if any, by a longitudinal distance no less than the valve stroke, and wherein the individual coil is wound oppositely from the immediately neighboring coil, if any; at least one permanent magnet arranged such that the magnetic moment of an individual permanent magnet in the at least one permanent magnet is parallel to but reversed from an immediately neighboring permanent magnet, if any, wherein the individual permanent magnet is positioned such that a vector extending from the individual permanent magnet and parallel to and having the same direction as the magnetic moment of the individual permanent magnet intersects the individual energizable coil at a direction normal to the direction of current flow over a translational distance of the valve stem at least equal to the valve stroke; a magnetic circuit air gap between the at least one permanent magnet and the stem support ferromagnetic section, the magnetic circuit air gap containing the one or more energizable coils, such that a magnetic flux from the individual permanent magnet produces a Lorentz force on the individual energizable coil when a current flows through the individual energizable coil; and a valve body having a flow outlet and supporting the valve seat such that the valve seat lies longitudinally between the flow inlet and the flow outlet, the valve body further supporting the stem support, and the valve body having a valve body ferromagnetic section further supporting the at least one permanent magnet, the at least one permanent magnet supported by the valve body ferromagnetic section such that the at least one permanent magnet separates the valve body ferromagnetic section and the magnetic circuit air gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A flow modulation valve having a valve stroke comprising:
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a stem support, the stem support comprised of a stem support ferromagnetic section and having a longitudinal axis, the stem support having an annular cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is displaced from the first end by the longitudinal dimension of the stem support, and wherein the first end comprises a flow inlet; a valve seat positioned proximate to the second end of the stem support; a valve stem slidably disposed on and radially surrounding the stem support, the valve stem having an annular cross-section normal to the longitudinal axis and the valve stem having a sliding range of motion along or parallel to the longitudinal axis at least equal to the valve stroke and sufficient to establish contact between a valve face at one end of the valve stem and the valve seat; one or more energizable coils wound around the valve stem and fixably attached to the valve stem, the one or more energizable coils wound such that a path of current flow through the one or more energizable coils exists in a substantially normal direction to the longitudinal axis of the stem support, wherein an individual coil within the one or more energizable coils is located longitudinally on the valve stem such that the individual coil is longitudinally displaced from an immediately neighboring coil, if any, by a longitudinal distance no less than the valve stroke, and wherein the individual coil is wound oppositely from the immediately neighboring coil, if any; at least one permanent magnet having an annular cross-section and radial polarity, the at least one permanent magnet surrounding the valve stem and arranged such that the magnetic moment of an individual permanent magnet in the at least one permanent magnet is parallel to but reversed from an immediately neighboring permanent magnet, if any, wherein the individual permanent magnet is positioned such that a vector extending from the individual permanent magnet and parallel to and having the same direction as the magnetic moment of the individual permanent magnet intersects the individual energizable coil at a direction normal to the direction of current flow over a translational distance of the valve stem at least equal to the valve stroke; a magnetic circuit air gap between the at least one permanent magnet and the stem support ferromagnetic section, the magnetic circuit air gap containing the one or more energizable coils, such that a magnetic flux from the individual permanent magnet produces a Lorentz force on the individual energizable coil when a current flows through the individual energizable coil, and the magnetic circuit air gap providing a uniform separation between the at least one permanent magnet and the stem support ferromagnetic section, wherein the uniform separation is determined over a distance perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a spring mechanism biasing the valve stem at a predetermined position when the one or more energizable coils are deenergized; and a valve body having a flow outlet and supporting the valve seat such that the valve seat lies longitudinally between the flow inlet and the flow outlet, the valve body further supporting the stem support and the spring mechanism, and the valve body having a second ferromagnetic section further supporting the at least one permanent magnet, the at least one permanent magnet supported by the second ferromagnetic section such that the at least one permanent magnet separates the second ferromagnetic section and the magnetic circuit air gap. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification