Control valve and air starting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352470-B2
Application number	US-201514943188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A control valve and an air starting system for an engine having a pressurized air source, an air starter, and a control valve. The control valve having a housing defining a flow passage with an inlet port fluidly coupled to the pressurized air source and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the air starter, a valve body movable between an opened and closed positions to selectively open and close one of the inlet and outlet ports, resulting in a corresponding opening and closing of the control valve, and a linear motor operably coupled to the valve body to move the valve body between the opened and closed positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control valve comprising:
a housing defining an interior, with an inlet port fluidly coupled to a fluid source and an outlet port formed in the housing, wherein a flow passage is defined through the interior from the inlet port to the outlet port;
a piston having a head and a shaft extending from the head and reciprocally movable between opened and closed positions for opening and closing the flow passage, a fluid received through the inlet port from the fluid source and exerting a push force upon the piston head to urge the piston toward an open position;
a biasing element applying a biasing force to the piston to urge the piston to the closed position; and
a linear motor including a permanent magnet mounted to the shaft and an electromagnetic coil circumscribing the shaft;
wherein when electricity is passed through the electromagnetic coil it generates a magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnet to apply a force to the shaft which when combined with the push force exerted by the fluid from the fluid source is sufficient to overcome the biasing force to cause a movement of the piston from the closed position to the opened position.

2. The control valve of claim 1 wherein the flow passage is sized to permit a flow rate of at least 900 scfm.

3. The control valve of claim 2 wherein the linear motor moves the head between the closed and opened positions in a response time of 30 ms or less.

4. The control valve of claim 3 wherein the flow rate is at least up to 1700 scfin and the response time is less than 25 ms.

5. The control valve of claim 1 wherein the biasing element includes a coil spring having one end abutting the head of the piston.

6. The control valve of claim 5 wherein the linear motor includes a housing and the coil spring circumscribes the housing of the linear motor.

7. The control valve of claim 6 wherein the head has a lower end defining an opening to a recess and at least a portion of the housing of the linear motor is provided within the recess.

8. The control valve of claim 7 wherein the electromagnetic coil resides within the housing of the linear motor, at least a portion of the shaft extends into the housing of the linear motor, and the permanent magnet resides within the housing of the linear motor.

9. The control valve of claim 8 wherein the housing of the linear motor is fixed to the housing of the control valve.

10. The control valve of claim 9 , further comprising a bearing circumscribing the shaft and mounted to the housing of the linear motor.

11. An air starting system for an engine comprising:
a pressurized air source;
an air starter; and
a control valve including a housing defining a flow passage with an inlet port fluidly coupled to the pressurized air source and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the air starter, a valve body movable between an opened and closed positions to selectively open and close one of the inlet and outlet ports, resulting in a corresponding opening and closing of the control valve, air from the pressurized air source received through the inlet port and exerting a push force upon the valve body to urge the valve body toward an open position, a biasing element applying a biasing force to the valve body to urge the valve body to the closed position, and a linear motor comprising a linear motor housing located within the housing of the control valve wherein at least a portion of the linear motor housing is further located within the valve body and operably coupled to the valve body to move the valve body between the opened and closed positions, the linear motor applying a force to the valve body which when combined with the push force exerted by the air from the pressurized air source is sufficient to overcome the biasing force to cause a movement of the valve body from the closed position to the opened position;
wherein the flow passage is sized to permit a flow rate of at least 900 scfm, and the linear motor moves the valve body between the closed and opened positions in a response time of 30 ms or less.

12. The air starting system of claim 11 wherein the flow rate is at least up to 1700 scfm and the response time is less than 25 ms.

13. The air starting system of claim 11 wherein the valve body includes a piston having a head and a shaft extending from the head, and the linear motor includes a permanent magnet mounted to the shaft and an electromagnetic coil, wherein when electricity is passed through the electromagnetic coil it generates a magnetic field that moves the permanent magnet, causing a corresponding movement of the piston, resulting in the head moving from the closed position to the opened position.

14. The air starting system of claim 13 wherein the control valve further includes a biasing element applying a biasing force moving the piston to closed position absent a countering force from the linear motor.

15. The air starting system of claim 14 wherein the electromagnetic coil defines an interior and the permanent magnet reciprocates through the interior.

16. The air starting system of claim 15 wherein the shaft extends through the interior.

17. The air starting system of claim 16 wherein the biasing element includes a coil spring circumscribing the electromagnetic coil.

18. The air starting system of claim 17 wherein the coil spring abuts the head.

19. The air starting system of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the electromagnetic coil lies within the head.

20. An air starting system for an engine comprising:
a pressurized air source;
an air starter; and
a control valve, comprising:
a housing defining an interior, with an inlet port and an outlet port formed in the housing, wherein a flow passage is defined through the interior from the inlet port to the outlet port and the inlet port is fluidly coupled to the pressurized air source and the outlet port is fluidly coupled to the air starter;
a valve body having a piston having a head and a shaft extending from the head and reciprocally movable between opened and closed positions for opening and closing at least one of the inlet and outlet ports, air from the pressurized air source received through the inlet port and exerting a push force upon the valve body to urge the valve body toward an open position;
a biasing element applying a biasing force to the valve body to urge the valve body to the closed position; and
a linear motor comprising a linear motor housing located within the housing of the control valve wherein at least a portion of the linear motor housing is further located within the valve body and operably coupled to the valve body to move the valve body between the opened and closed positions, the linear motor applying a force to the valve body which when combined with the push force exerted by the air from the pressurized air source is sufficient to overcome the biasing force to cause a movement of the valve body from the closed position to the opened position;

wherein the flow passage is sized to permit a flow rate of at least 900 scfm, and the linear motor moves the valve body between the closed and opened positions in a response time of 30 ms or less.

Assignees

• Ge Aviation Systems Llc

Inventors

• Zinger Marc David
• Zalusky James Thomas
• Roslund Eric Sidney

Classifications

• F02N7/00 Primary

  Starting apparatus having fluid-driven auxiliary engines or apparatus · CPC title

• F02C7/26

  Starting; Ignition · CPC title

• F02B21/00

  Engines characterised by air-storage chambers · CPC title

• F16K31/0658

  Armature and valve member being one single element · CPC title

• F02N2200/041

  Starter speed · CPC title