Variable fluid flow apparatus with integrated filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10598139-B2
Application number	US-201715850972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fluid flow trim apparatus includes an outer housing defining a cavity having an interior surface and an end wall having an orifice therethrough, a valve body comprising a first valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity, the first valve portion and the interior surface defining a first fluid flow path, a second valve portion in contact with the interior surface and defining a second fluid flow path. A third valve portion is disposed at least partly within the cavity between the first and second valve portions. The second fluid flow path fluidically connects the third valve portion to a trim cavity. A filter media extends from the first valve portion to the second valve portion and divides a third fluid flow path fluidically connecting the first and seconds fluid flow paths.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid flow trim apparatus comprising:
an outer housing having an elongate body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end and defining a cavity comprising an interior surface and a first end wall at the second end, the first end wall having an orifice therethrough;
a valve body having an elongate body, wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable, the valve body comprising:
a first valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and in contact with the interior surface;
a second valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and having a second end wall, wherein the first valve portion and the second valve portion have a first channel formed therethrough defining a first fluid flow path, the second valve portion and the interior surface define a second fluid flow path, and the second valve portion has a second channel formed therethrough proximal the second end wall and defines a third fluid flow path fluidically connecting the first fluid flow path to the second fluid flow path; and
a trim cavity defined by the first end wall, the second end wall, and the interior surface, and fluidically connected to the second fluid flow path; and

a filter media extending along a portion of the first channel to proximal the second end wall and dividing the third fluid flow path.

2. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable within the cavity to a selected position to modify a flowable area of the trim cavity when a fluid is not flowing through the fluid flow trim apparatus, and the valve body is not adjustably positionable within the cavity when the fluid is flowing through the fluid flow trim apparatus.

3. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable such that the trim cavity has a flowable area equal to or less than a flowable area of the orifice.

4. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable to block fluid flow to the orifice.

5. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the valve body is held in the selected position by frictional contact of the valve body with the interior surface.

6. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the valve body is held in the selected position by a collection of threads formed on an outer surface of the valve body in mating contact a collection of threads formed on the interior surface.

7. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter media provides a flowable area greater than a flowable area of the third fluid flow path.

8. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third fluid flow path is not parallel to the first fluid flow path.

9. The fluid flow trim apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cavity further comprises a first interior surface portion extending from the first end and partly into the cavity, and a second interior surface portion extending from the first interior surface portion to the second end, wherein the first valve portion is in contact with the first interior surface portion.

10. A method of trimming a fluid flow, comprising:
providing a fluid flow trim apparatus having an elongate body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end and having an interior wall defining a cavity comprising an interior surface and a first end wall at the second end, the first end wall having an orifice therethrough, and a valve body disposed at least partly within the cavity, wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable, the valve body comprising a first valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and in contact with the interior surface, a second valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and having a second end wall, wherein the first valve portion and the second valve portion have a first channel formed therethrough defining a first fluid flow path, the second valve portion and the interior surface define a second fluid flow path, and the second valve portion has a second channel formed therethrough proximal the second end wall and defines a third fluid flow path fluidically connecting the first fluid flow path to the second fluid flow path, and a trim cavity defined by the first end wall, the second end wall, and the interior surface, and fluidically connected to the second fluid flow path;
providing a fluid at the first end;
flowing the fluid along the first fluid flow path;
flowing the fluid along the third fluid path across a filter media extending along a portion of the first channel to proximal the second end wall and dividing the third fluid flow path;
flowing the fluid along the second fluid flow path; and
flowing the fluid through the trim cavity along a fourth fluid path to the orifice.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising adjustably positioning, while the fluid is not flowing, the valve body to a selected position within the cavity to modify a flowable area of the trim cavity, the valve body maintaining the selected position while the fluid is flowing through the fluid flow trim apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable such that the flowable area of the trim cavity is equal to or less than a flowable area of the orifice.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable to block the fourth fluid flow to the orifice.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the valve body is held in the selected position by frictional contact of the valve body with the interior surface.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein adjustably positioning the valve body to a selected position further comprises threadedly mating a collection of threads formed on an outer surface of the valve body with a collection of threads formed on the interior surface.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the filter media provides a flowable area greater than a flowable area of the third fluid flow path.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third fluid flow path is not parallel to the first fluid flow path.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cavity further comprises a first interior surface portion extending from the first end and partly into the cavity, and a second interior surface portion extending from the first interior surface portion to the second end, wherein the first valve portion is in contact with the first interior surface portion.

19. An internal combustion engine comprising:
an engine housing having a combustion chamber formed therein;
a fuel supply line; and
a fluid flow trim apparatus fluidically connecting the fuel supply line to the combustion chamber, the fluid flow trim apparatus comprising:
an outer housing having an elongate body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end and defining a cavity comprising an interior surface and a first end wall at the second end, the first end wall having an orifice therethrough;
a valve body having an elongate body wherein the valve body is adjustably positionable, the valve body comprising:
a first valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and in contact with the interior surface;
a second valve portion disposed at least partly within the cavity and having a second end wall, wherein the first valve portion and the second valve portion have a first channel formed therethrough defining a first fluid path, the second valve portion and the interior surface define a second fluid flow path, and the second valve portion has a second channel for

Assignees

• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Pyle Deke
• Niemeyer Sander
• Vandort Jason

Classifications

• F23R3/46

  Combustion chambers comprising an annular arrangement of {several essentially tubular} flame tubes within a common annular casing or within individual casings · CPC title

• F23R3/286

  having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23K2300/202

  Filtering · CPC title

• F17D3/16

  for eliminating particles in suspension (from liquids by sedimentation B01D21/00; separation by filtration or otherwise B01D24/00 - B01D51/00; centrifugal apparatus B04) · CPC title

• F23D11/26

  with provision for varying the rate at which the fuel is sprayed · CPC title