Pressure regulation valve with integrated downstream pressure tap

• US 5,664,760 A
• Filed: 04/06/1995
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Nikkanen, John P., Donnelly, Brian G., Army, Donald E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US08/418,008
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 251/118, 251/305, 137/625.3, 138/39, 138/44
• US Class Current: 251/118
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/22 with axis of rotation crossing the valve member, e.g. butterfly valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/08 for decreasing pressure or noise level and having a throttling member separate from the closure member , e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths

Abstract

A baffle insert or sleeve is disclosed for the integration of the downstream pressure tap into a pressure regulation valve ("PRY") for an aircraft environmental control system ("ECS"). The purpose of this insert is to return the flow, disturbed by the pivoting disk of a butterfly valve, to a more normal distribution within the length of the valve body. This allows the PRV downstream pressure tap to be part of the valve, instead of it (along with additional plumbing) being located four more pipe diameters beyond the valve housing.

Claims

1. In a pressure regulation valve, for an aircraft environmental control system, of the type having a butterfly valve with a pivotable disk that controls fluid flow through a main body, a pressure tap downstream of the disk to sense fluid pressure, an actuator to move the disk, and a controller that positions the actuator and thus the disk, the improvement comprising:

a. a baffle insert sleeve which is adapted in size and shape to fit within a discharge channel of the butterfly valve, downstream from the disk, wherein the insert has an inlet end adjacent the disk and an outlet end adjacent an outlet of the discharge channel;

b. a flow baffle, within the insert, having a grid of throughbores for segmenting turbulent flow caused by the disk and making the turbulent flow more laminar within the valve body, wherein;

i. a plurality of the throughbores are generally parallel to a central axis of the discharge channel;

ii. a plurality of the throughbores are canted to direct the flow through them toward an inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert, downstream of the flow baffle;

c. a ring of pressure-tap holes in the insert, downstream of the flow baffle;

d. lip means for converting dynamic fluid pressure to static pressure at the pressure-tap holes, said lip means comprising an annular lip on the outlet end of the insert, adjacent the pressure-tap holes and downstream thereof, that acts as a dam to block the flow directed toward the inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert, by the canted throughbores in the flow baffle;

e. an annular cavity in the valve body, that surrounds the pressure-tap holes to communicate fluid pressure sensed by the holes to an adjacent pressure sensing line integrated within the valve body.

2. The pressure regulation valve of claim 1 wherein the inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert, initially diverges, starting adjacent the disk, and levels off before the pressure-tap holes.

3. The pressure regulation valve of claim 1 wherein the outlet end of the insert substantially coincides with the outlet of the discharge channel.

4. In a butterfly valve of the type having a main body through which fluid flows and a pivotable disk that selectively controls the flow and thus fluid pressure, the improvement comprising:

a. a baffle insert sleeve which is adapted in size and shape to fit within a discharge channel of the butterfly valve, downstream from the disk, wherein the insert has an inlet end adjacent the disk and an outlet end adjacent an outlet of the discharge channel;

b. a flow baffle, within the insert, having a grid of throughbores for segmenting turbulent flow caused by the disk and making the turbulent flow more laminar within the valve body, wherein;

i. a plurality of the throughbores are generally parallel to a central axis of the discharge channel;

ii. a plurality of the throughbores are canted to direct the flow through them toward an inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert, downstream of the flow baffle;

c. a ring of pressure-tap holes in the insert, downstream of the flow baffle;

d. lip means for converting dynamic fluid pressure to static pressure at the pressure-tap holes, said lip means comprising an annular lip on the outlet end of the insert, adjacent the pressure-tap holes and downstream thereof, that acts as a dam to block the flow directed toward the inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert by the canted throughbores in the flow baffle;

e. an annular cavity, in the valve body, that surrounds the pressure-tap holes to communicate fluid pressure sensed by the holes to an adjacent pressure sensing line integrated within the valve body.

5. The butterfly valve of claim 4 wherein the inner wall of the baffle sleeve insert initially diverges, starting adjacent the disk, and levels off before the pressure-tap holes.

6. The butterfly valve of claim 5 wherein the outlet end of the insert substantially coincides with the outlet of the discharge channel.

7. A baffle insert for segmenting turbulent flow within a valve body and returning the flow to a more laminar distribution, the insert comprising:

a frusto-conical shell adapted in size and shape to fit within a discharge channel of the valve body;

a flow baffle, within the shell, having a grid of throughbores, wherein a plurality of the throughbores are generally parallel to a central axis of the discharge channel and another plurality of the throughbores are canted to direct the flow through the cantel throughbores toward an inner wall of the shell, downstream of the flow baffle;

a ring of pressure-tap holes in the insert, downstream of the flow baffle; and

lip means for converting dynamic fluid pressure to static pressure at the pressure-tap holes, said lip means comprising an annular lip on an outlet end of the shell, adjacent the pressure-tap holes and downstream thereof, that acts as a dam to block the flow directed toward the inner wall of the shell by the canted throughbores in the flow baffle.