High-temperature thermal actuator utilizing phase change material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10047730-B2
Application number	US-201313801734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a high-temperature thermal actuator that utilizes the dimensional change of a phase change media hermetically sealed within a shell. This actuator regulates and controls flow of a fluid between an intake and an exhaust utilizing a valve. In one example, the disclosed embodiments operate in temperature range between 350° C. and 400° C. This actuation range is tailored for specific applications utilizing an exemplary combination of RbNO3 and CsNO3 in precise proportion that provides operation within this range.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A high-temperature thermal actuator comprising:
a sealed volumetric confine comprising:
a flexible metal wall with surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation that allows flexural displacement towards the outside of said confine;
an opposing wall with surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation, approximately parallel to, and offset by a distance from, said flexible wall;
at least one non-flexible wall that remains substantially rigid under operational circumstances, and that is disposed in a circumferential orientation to engage said flexible metal wall and said opposing wall thereby forming said sealed confine;

a phase change media located within wherein said volume of said confine, said phase change media expands upon a change of state from solid to liquid as the temperature of said phase change media increases beyond 200° C., wherein said phase change media does not substantially change volume due to expansion from temperature prior to said change of state from solid to liquid; and,
an actuator rod in contact with an outside surface of said flexible metal wall;
wherein said actuator rod undergoes actuation displacement by being displaced when said flexible wall changes distance from said opposing wall in response to said change of state of said phase change media.

2. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more inorganic salts.

3. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more metals.

4. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more non-metals.

5. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said phase change media comprises any combination of one or more inorganic salts, one or more metals, and one or more non-metals.

6. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said sealed volumetric confine is a cylinder.

7. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 1 wherein said sealed volumetric confine contains a combination of said phase change media and an inert filler media.

8. A high-temperature thermal actuated valve comprising:
a high-temperature thermal expansion module comprising:
a sealed volumetric confine comprising:
a flexible metal wall with planar surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation that allows flexural displacement towards the outside of said confine;
an opposing wall with planar surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation, approximately parallel to, and offset by a distance from, said flexible wall;
at least one non-flexible wall that remains substantially rigid under operational circumstances, and that is disposed in a circumferential orientation to engage said flexible metal wall and said opposing wall thereby forming said sealed confine; and,

a phase change media located within said volume of said confine, wherein said phase change media expands upon a change of state from solid to liquid as the temperature of said phase change media increases beyond 200° C., wherein said phase change media does substantially not change volume due to expansion from temperature prior to said change of state from solid to liquid;

an actuator rod in contact with an outside surface of said flexible metal wall, wherein said actuator rod undergoes actuation displacement by being displaced when said flexible wall changes distance from said opposing wall in response, to said change of state of said phase change media; and,
a valve assembly in communication with said actuator rod that opens and closes in response to actuation displacement of said actuator rod from said opposing wall, thereby regulating the flow of a fluid.

9. The high-temperature thermal actuated valve of claim 8 wherein at least one additional thermal expansion module is placed in series with said thermal expansion module to impart additional actuation.

10. The high-temperature thermal actuated valve of claim 9 wherein said at least one additional thermal expansion module utilizes a second phase change media that changes phase at a different temperature than said phase change media to impart additional actuation at a second temperature.

11. The high-temperature thermal expansion module of claim 8 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more inorganic salt.

12. The high-temperature thermal expansion module of claim 8 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more metals.

13. The high-temperature thermal expansion module of claim 8 wherein said phase change media comprises one or more non-metals.

14. The high-temperature thermal expansion module of claim 8 wherein said phase change media comprises any combination of one or more inorganic salts, one or more metals, and one or more non-metals.

15. The high-temperature thermal expansion module of claim 8 wherein said sealed volumetric confine is a cylinder.

16. The high-temperature thermal actuator of claim 8 wherein said sealed volumetric confine contains a combination of said phase change media and an inert filler media.

17. A method of causing displacement with a high-temperature thermal actuator comprising:
providing a sealed volumetric confine comprising:
a flexible metal wall with planar surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation that allows flexural displacement towards the outside of said confine;
an opposing wall with planar surfaces orthogonal to an axial orientation, approximately parallel to and offset by a distance from said flexible wall;
at least one non-flexible wall that remains substantially rigid under operational circumstances, and that is disposed in a circumferential orientation to engage said flexible metal wall and said opposing wall thereby forming said sealed confine;

providing a phase change media within said volume of said confine;
heating said phase change media past a phase transition point greater than 200° C., wherein said phase change media does not substantially change volume due to expansion from temperature prior to said change of state from solid to liquid;
expanding said phase change media upon a change of state between solid and liquid; and,
deflecting said metal wall away from said opposing wall and displacing an actuator rod in response to the force exerted by said phase change media upon said change of state.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing said phase change media comprising one or more inorganic salts.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing said phase change media comprising one or more metals.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing said phase change media comprising one or more non-metals.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing said phase change media comprising any combination of one or more inorganic salts, one or more metals, and one or more non-metals.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing said sealed volumetric confine in the shape of a cylinder.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step:
providing an inert filler media with said phase change media within said volume of said confine.

24. A method of opening and closing a valve with a high-temperature thermal actuator comprising:
providing a sealed volumetric confine comprising:
a flexi

Assignees

• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Riley Michael B
• Ambrosek James
• Gettamaneni Kumaresh
• Polley Nolan
• Way R J

Classifications

• B23P19/00

  Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation {(connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K)}; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes (hand tools in general B25) · CPC title

• G05D23/026

  the sensing element being placed outside a regulating fluid flow · CPC title

• G05D23/025

  the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G05D23/022

  the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow · CPC title