Sublimator control valve system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10585443-B2
Application number	US-201815873562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2018
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A sublimator control valve system may include a sublimator having an injection port, a feedwater supply, a first solenoid valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the injection port of the sublimator, a first sensor in electronic communication with a first controller, the first sensor configured to measure at least one of a first pressure parameter or a first temperature parameter; and a first tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the first controller, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the first controller, cause the first controller to perform operations comprising receiving, by the first controller, a command signal and the first pressure parameter, and controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve in response to at least one of the command signal or the first pressure parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sublimator control valve system, comprising:
a sublimator having an injection port;
a feedwater supply;
a first solenoid valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the injection port of the sublimator;
a first sensor in electronic communication with a first controller, the first sensor configured to measure at least one of a first pressure parameter or a first temperature parameter; and
a first tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the first controller, the first tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the first controller, cause the first controller to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the first controller, a command signal and the first pressure parameter;
controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve in response to at least one of the command signal or the first pressure parameter;
determining, by the first controller, a steady state condition of the sublimator; and
controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve in response to the steady state condition, wherein the controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve in response to the steady state condition further comprises calculating, by the first controller, a measured amount of feedwater, opening, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve for a calculated duration and injecting, by the first controller, the measured amount of feedwater into the sublimator through the injection port.

2. The sublimator control valve system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the first controller, a startup time and controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve in response to at least one of the startup time, the first pressure parameter, a first pressure threshold, and a feedwater pressure.

3. The sublimator control valve system of claim 1 , wherein the steady state condition is determined by the first controller in response to at least one of the first pressure parameter, a second pressure threshold, a temperature parameter, a temperature threshold, or a steady state time function.

4. The sublimator control valve system of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of feedwater is dynamically modulated, by the first controller, in response to at least one of the first pressure parameter, a feedwater pressure, a temperature parameter, or the second pressure threshold.

5. The sublimator control valve system of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the first controller, a breakthrough event in response to a change in a rate of change of the first pressure parameter and controlling, by the first controller, the first solenoid valve.

6. The sublimator control valve system of claim 1 , further comprising a first isolation valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the first solenoid valve, wherein the first isolation valve is configured to interrupt the fluid communication between the first solenoid valve and the feedwater supply.

7. The sublimator control valve system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second solenoid valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the injection port of the sublimator;
a second isolation valve in fluid communication with the second solenoid valve and the feedwater supply, wherein the second isolation valve is configured to interrupt the fluid communication between the second solenoid valve and the feedwater supply;
a second sensor in electronic communication with a second controller, the second sensor configured to measure a second pressure parameter; and
a second tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the second controller, the second tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the second controller, cause the second controller to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the second controller, a command signal and the second pressure parameter; and,
controlling, by the second controller, the second solenoid valve in response to at least one of the command signal or the second pressure parameter.

8. A method for controlling a sublimator system, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a command signal and receiving, by the controller, at least one of a first sublimator system parameter or a second sublimator system parameter from a sensor in electronic communication with the controller;
controlling, by the controller, a solenoid valve in response to at least one of the command signal, the first sublimator system parameter, or the second sublimator system parameter,
wherein the first sublimator system parameter and the second sublimator system parameter comprise measured characteristics of a spacecraft cooling system having a sublimator control valve system comprising a sublimator having an injection port, a feedwater supply, and the solenoid valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the injection port of the sublimator;
determining, by the controller, a steady state condition of the sublimator; and
controlling, by the controller, the solenoid valve in response to the steady state condition,
wherein the controlling, by the controller, the solenoid valve in response to the steady state condition further comprises calculating, by controller, a measured amount of feedwater, opening, by the controller, the solenoid valve for a calculated duration and injecting, by the controller, the measured amount of feedwater into the sublimator through the injection port.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining, by the controller, a startup time and controlling, by the controller, the solenoid valve in response to at least one of the startup time, the first sublimator system parameter, a first pressure threshold, and a feedwater pressure.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the steady state condition is determined by the controller in response to at least one of the first sublimator system parameter, a second pressure threshold, the second sublimator system parameter, a temperature threshold, or a steady state time function.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising dynamically modulating, by the controller, the measured amount of feedwater in response to at least one of the first sublimator system parameter, a feedwater pressure, the second sublimator system parameter, or the second pressure threshold.

12. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the processor, a command signal and receiving, by the processor, at least one of a first sublimator system parameter or a second sublimator system parameter from a first sensor in electronic communication with the processor wherein the first sublimator system parameter and the second sublimator system parameter comprise measured characteristics of a spacecraft cooling system having a sublimator control valve system comprising a sublimator having an injection port, a feedwater supply, a solenoid valve in fluid communication with the feedwater supply and the injection port of the sublimator;
controlling, by the processor, the solenoid valve in response to at least one of the command signal or the first sublimator system parameter;
determining, by the processor, a steady state condition of the sublimator in response to at least one of the first sublimator system parameter, a pressure threshold, the second sublimator system parameter, a temperature threshold, or a steady state time f

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Fearn Benjamin

Classifications

• F25B49/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F16K37/005

  for measuring fluid parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D19/0409

  compounds containing Si-atoms · CPC title

• F25B2600/01

  Timing · CPC title

• F16K31/046

  with electric means, e.g. electric switches, to control the motor or to control a clutch between the valve and the motor (F16K31/041 takes precedence) · CPC title