LARGE SODIUM VALVE ACTUATOR

• US 3,871,176 A
• Filed: 03/08/1973
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Glen Elwin Schukei
• Original Assignee: Glen Elwin Schukei
• Inventors: Schukei, Glen Elwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Geoghegan, Edgar W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woods, William F.
• Application Number:
  US05/339,256
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 60/326,364 417/50 310/11 308/9 251/59
• US Class Current: 60/326
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic

Abstract

A large valve actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting liquid enclosed in a hermetically sealed housing. The conducting liquid contained within the housing is circulated by electromagnetic forces without housing penetrations. The circular flow of the liquid impinges on a vane structure causing it to rotate. The vane structure'"'"''"'"'s rotation is mechanically translated from a rotary to a linear motion for valve stem actuation. The electromagnetic forces operate on principles of electromagnetic induction similar to those found in the operation of an electric motor. A circularly advancing magnetic field is imposed on the electrically conducting liquid. Magnetic coupling between the liquid and the advancing field cause the liquid to rotate and in so doing impart rotation to the vane structure.

Claims

1. A valve actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting working fluid for an electrically conducting fluid handling system, comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a vane assembly adapted to rotate within said housing;

c. means suspending said vane assembly within said housing for allowing low friction rotation of said vane assembly;

d. power delivery means operably coupled to said vane assembly for utilizing said rotation;

e. a passage in said housing adapted to permit utilization of said rotation;

f. a passage in said housing adapted to permit the interchange of said electrically conducting fluid within said housing with said electrically conducting fluid of said fluid handling system; and

g. electromagnetic pumping means operating on said electrically conducting liquid surrounding said vanes for imparting a rotary motion to said liquid and thereby impelling said vane assembly into rotation.

2. An actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting liquid as recited in claim 1 wherein said power delivery means includes:

a. a threaded shaft movable in the direction of its axis;

b. means suspending said shaft within said housing for allowing low friction translation of said shaft; and

c. means interconnecting said vane assembly and said shaft for transforming said vane assembly'"'"''"'"'s rotary motion into translation of said shaft.

3. An actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting liquid as recited in claim 1 wherein said vane assembly includes blades extending radially outwardly and whose flat surfaces lie perpendicularly to the plane of rotation;

and wherein said housing surrounding said vane assembly having essentially a hollow disk shape with said vane assembly contained in the interior; and

wherein said electromagnetic pumping means includes a plurality of AC activated polyphase wound electromagnets distributed around the top and bottom surfaces of said disk shaped housing for generating a wave of magnetic field which travels in a clockwise direction around said disk shaped housing; and

wherein said electromagnetic pumping means further includes an electrical means for reversing the phase of the polyphase wound electromagnets so that the wave of magnetic field travels around said disk shaped housing in a counterclockwise direction.

4. An actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting liquid as recited in claim 1 wherein, said means for allowing low friction rotation of said vane assembly comprises:

a. a self-balancing hydrostatic bearing; and

b. pumping means connected to both sides of said hydrostatic bearing and to said housing by fluid passages for supplying said hydrostatic bearing with a pressurized source of liquid.

5. An actuator assembly driven by an electrically conducting liquid as recited in claim 1 wherein:

said electrically conducting liquid is liquid sodium; and

wherein said housing is a hermetically sealed housing hermetically sealed to said fluid handling system.

6. A valve actuator assembly for an electrically conducting liquid handling system, comprising:

a. a hermetically sealed housing hermetically sealed to said electrically conducting liquid hAndling system;

b. a vane assembly adapted to rotate in said housing, said vane assembly including blades extending radially outwardly and whose flat surfaces lie perpendicularly to the plane of rotation;

c. means suspending said vane assembly within said housing for allowing low friction rotation of said vane assembly, said means including a self-balancing hydrostatic bearing;

d. power delivery means operably coupled to said vane assembly for utilizing said rotation, said power delivery means including a threaded shaft movable in the direction of its axis, means suspending said shaft within said housing for allowing low friction translation of said shaft, and means interconnecting said vane assembly and said shaft for transforming said vane assembly'"'"''"'"'s rotary motion into translation of said shaft;

e. a passage in said housing adapted to utilize said rotation;

f. a passage in said housing adapted to permit the interchange of said electrically conducting liquid within said housing with said electrically conducting liquid of said system; and

g. electromagnetic pumping means operating on said electrically conducting liquid surrounding said vanes for imparting a rotary motion to said liquid and thereby impelling said vane assembly into rotary motion.