Fluid system components with thermal conditioning passages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10648749-B2
Application number	US-201815910143-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A flow control device includes a body having an upper portion defining a flow passage extending axially along a primary axis between a first end port and a second end port, the flow passage defining a central cavity between the first and second end ports, and a lower portion defining an axially extending thermal conditioning inlet port and an axially extending thermal conditioning outlet port. A flow control element is disposed in the central cavity and movable to control fluid flow between the first end port and the second end port. The body further includes a thermal conditioning passage having a first vertical portion extending from the thermal conditioning inlet port into the upper portion of the body, a circumferential portion extending from the first vertical portion circumferentially around at least a portion of the flow passage, and a second vertical portion extending vertically from the circumferential portion to the thermal conditioning outlet port.

First claim

We claim:

1. A flow control device comprising:
a body including a flow passage extending axially along a primary axis between a first end port and a second end port, the flow passage defining a central cavity between the first and second end ports, with an interior surface of the flow passage being defined by an axially extending surrounding side wall of the body; and
a flow control element disposed in the central cavity and movable to control fluid flow between the first end port and the second end port;
wherein the body further includes a thermal conditioning passage disposed within the side wall, disconnected from the flow passage, and extending between a first conditioning port and second conditioning port, the thermal conditioning passage comprising:
a first offset portion extending radially from the first conditioning port towards the flow passage,
a first branch portion extending directly from the first offset portion circumferentially around a first portion of the interior surface of the flow passage in a first circumferential direction,
a second branch portion extending directly from the first offset portion circumferentially around a second portion of the interior surface of the flow passage in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction,
a second offset portion extending radially from the second conditioning port towards the flow passage,
a third branch portion extending directly from the second offset portion circumferentially around the first portion of the interior surface of the flow passage in the first circumferential direction,
a fourth branch portion extending directly from the second offset portion circumferentially around the second portion of the interior surface of the flow passage in the second circumferential direction,
a first connecting portion extending axially between end portions of the first and third branch portions, and
a second connecting portion extending axially between end portions of the second and fourth branch portions.

2. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conditioning ports are axially oriented.

3. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the body includes an upper portion defining the flow passage and the first and second process ports, and a lower portion defining the first and second conditioning ports.

4. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the flow control element is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the primary axis.

5. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conditioning passage has one of a rectangular cross-section and a diamond-shaped cross-section.

6. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the thermal conditioning passage extends around at least 180° of a circumference of the flow passage.

7. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a central body block fastened between first and second end flanges defining the first and second process ports, wherein the thermal conditioning passage is disposed entirely within the central body block.

8. The flow control device of claim 7 , wherein the central body block includes an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is aligned with the first and second end flanges and defines the central cavity and the first, second, and third portions of the thermal conditioning passage, and the lower portion extends below the first and second end flanges and defines the first and second conditioning ports.

9. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conditioning ports are laterally offset from each other.

10. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conditioning ports face in opposite directions.

11. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body defining the thermal conditioning passage is produced using additive manufacturing techniques.

12. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the first connecting portion forms a first U-shaped bend in the thermal conditioning passage, and the second connecting portion forms a second U-shaped bend in the thermal conditioning passage.

13. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conditioning ports are vertically oriented.

14. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conditioning passage includes a base surface that directly faces and extends parallel with the flow passage.

Assignees

• Swagelok Co

Inventors

• Dixon Matthew R
• Mahraz Karim
• Reiger Bryan S
• Bianco Robert
• Elek Jeremy
• Marshall Andrew P

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F16K49/005 Primary

  Circulation means for a separate heat transfer fluid · CPC title

• Y10T137/6579

  Circulating fluid in heat exchange relationship · CPC title

• F28F7/02

  Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F28D7/005

  the conduits for only one medium being tubes having bent portions or being assembled from bent tubes or being tubes having a toroidal configuration (F28D7/0008, F28D7/02, F28D7/04, F28D7/06, F28D7/14 take precedence) · CPC title