FIRE ACTIVATED COOLING FLUID VALVE

• US 20200132206A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Paradise, Bruce D., Owusu, Kofi
• Granted Patent: US 10,962,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/32 Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions extinguishing or preventing fires in aircraft A62C
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/12 responsive to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/16 characterised by cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/232 Fuel valves control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263; Draining valves or systems valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/25 Fire protection or prevention in general A62
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/28 Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/09 to cope with emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/303 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/50212 dissimilar
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/38 of excessive temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 49/005 Circulation means for a separate heat transfer fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2300/201 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2900/05141 Control or safety devices in liquid fuel supply line
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 5/142 Fuel pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 5/147 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 5/16 Safety devices cleaning or purging devices, e.g. filters F23K5/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A cooling fluid valve having an actuator portion extending outwardly beyond an outer surface of an actuator housing. The cooling fluid valve actuator portion includes a plug force fit into an orifice in a valve housing. The plug blocks flow of cooling fluid from a cooling fluid inlet to a cooling fluid outlet. The cooling fluid outlet is connected to communicate cooling fluid to the component. The plug is formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. A portion of the valve housing includes the orifice receiving the plug being formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion with the second coefficient of thermal expansion being higher than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, such that when the actuator portion of the valve is exposed to heat, the force fit may be eliminated as the valve housing expands at greater rate than the plug.

Claims

1. A control for supplying a cooling fluid comprising:

a component to be cooled, a cooling fluid valve for selectively providing cooling fluid to said component, said cooling fluid valve having an actuator portion; and

said actuator portion including a plug force fit into an orifice in a valve housing, and said plug blocking flow of cooling fluid from a cooling fluid inlet to a cooling fluid outlet, said cooling fluid outlet being connected to communicate cooling fluid to the component, and said plug being formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a portion of said valve housing including said orifice receiving said plug being formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion with said second coefficient of thermal expansion being higher than said first coefficient of thermal expansion such that when said actuator portion is exposed to sufficient heat, said force fit is eliminated as said valve housing expands at a greater rate than said plug.

2. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plunger is spring-biased to move said plug outwardly of said orifice to selectively allow supply of the cooling fluid to the component as said force fit is eliminated due to thermal expansion.

3. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cooling fluid inlet supplies fluid into a passage communicating with a fluid window, said fluid window being blocked by an outer surface of said plug when said plug is force fit into said orifice, and when said plug is moved by said spring and said actuator, said fluid window communicating with fluid passages in said plunger, to supply cooling fluid to said component.

4. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 3, wherein said plug is formed of a nickel-iron alloy.

5. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 4, wherein said valve housing is formed of titanium.

6. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plug is moved to a position such that it is entirely beyond said fluid window.

7. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 6, wherein said component has a component housing with an outer surface, and said valve is mounted in said component housing, with said valve actuator portion extending beyond said outer surface.

8. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 3, wherein said plug is moved to a position such that it is entirely beyond said fluid window.

9. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plug is formed of a nickel-iron alloy.

10. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 8, wherein said valve housing is formed of titanium.

11. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 10, wherein said component has a component housing with an outer surface, and said valve is mounted in said component housing, with said actuator portion extending beyond said outer surface.

12. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 9, wherein said component has a component housing with an outer surface, and said valve is mounted in said component housing, with said actuator portion extending beyond said outer surface.

13. The control for supplying a cooling fluid as set forth in claim 1, wherein said component has a component housing with an outer surface, and said valve is mounted in said component housing, with said actuator portion extending beyond said outer surface.

15. The fuel supply system as set forth in claim 7, wherein a plunger is spring-biased to move said plug outwardly of said orifice to selectively allow supply of the cooling fluid to the component as said force fit is eliminated due to thermal expansion.

16. The fuel supply system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said plug is formed of an invar material.

14. A fuel supply system comprising:

a fuel pump configured to supply fuel to a combustor in a gas turbine engine, said fuel pump also delivering fuel to at least one actuator as a hydraulic fluid, and said fuel pump also supplying fuel as a cooling fluid to said actuator, a valve selectively blocking or allowing the cooling fuel to pass to said actuator.

said actuator having an actuator housing, having an outer surface, a cooling fluid valve for selectively providing cooling fluid to said actuator, said cooling fluid valve having an actuator portion extending outwardly beyond said outer surface of said housing; and

said cooling fluid valve actuator portion including a plug force fit into an orifice in a valve housing, and said plug blocking flow of cooling fluid from a cooling fluid inlet to a cooling fluid outlet, said cooling fluid outlet being connected to communicate cooling fluid to the actuator, and said plug being formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a portion of said valve housing including said orifice receiving said plug being formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion with said second coefficient of thermal expansion being higher than said first coefficient of thermal expansion such that when said actuator portion of said valve is exposed to sufficient heat, said force fit may be eliminated as said valve housing expands at greater rate than said plug.

17. A fluid supply system for supplying a cooling fluid comprising:

a component to be cooled and having a housing, said housing having an outer surface, a cooling fluid valve for selectively providing cooling fluid to said component, said cooling fluid valve having an actuator portion extending outwardly beyond said outer surface of said housing; and

said cooling fluid valve actuator portion including a plug blocking flow of cooling fluid from a cooling fluid inlet to a cooling fluid outlet, said cooling fluid outlet being connected to communicate cooling fluid to the component, and said plug moving to allow flow of cooling fluid from said cooling fluid inlet to said cooling fluid outlet when said plug is exposed to sufficient heat.

18. The fluid supply system as set forth in claim 17, wherein a plunger is spring-biased to move said plug to selectively allow supply of the cooling fluid to the component.

19. The fluid supply system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the cooling fluid inlet supplies fluid into a passage communicating with a fluid window, said fluid window being blocked by an outer surface of said plug, and when said plug is moved by said spring and said actuator, said fluid window communicating with fluid passages in said plunger, to supply cooling fluid to said component.