Additively-manufactured flow restrictors and methods for the fabrication thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758981-B2
Application number	US-201816037382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2018
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

Additively-manufactured flow restrictors are provided, as are methods for producing additively-manufactured flow restrictors. In various embodiments, the additively-manufactured flow restrictor includes a flowbody through which a flow path extends, a restricted orifice located in the flowbody and providing a predetermined resistance to fluid flowing along the flow path in a first flow direction, and a first internal perforated screen positioned in the flow path upstream of the restricted orifice taken in the first flow direction. The flowbody and the first internal perforated screen integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece utilizing, for example, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) or another additive manufacturing process. In certain embodiments, the first internal perforated screen may include an endwall and a peripheral sidewall, which is integrally formed with the endwall and spaced from an inner circumferential surface of the flowbody by an annular clearance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additively-manufactured flow restrictor, comprising:
a flowbody through which a flow path extends;
a restricted orifice located in the flowbody and providing a predetermined resistance to fluid flow along the flow path in a first flow direction; and
a first internal perforated screen positioned in the flow path upstream of the restricted orifice taken in the first flow direction, the flowbody and the first internal perforated screen integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece, and the first internal perforated screen comprises an endwall and a peripheral sidewall integrally formed with the endwall and spaced from an inner circumferential surface of the flowbody by an annular clearance.

2. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 wherein the first internal perforated screen further comprises perforations formed through the endwall and through the annular sidewall.

3. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 wherein the endwall is recessed within the peripheral sidewall.

4. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 wherein the endwall has a substantially conical shape, which converges toward a centerline of the flowbody.

5. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 wherein at least a volumetric majority of the endwall is circumscribed by the peripheral sidewall.

6. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 wherein the endwall comprises a vertex, which is angled toward a build direction of the additively-manufactured flow restrictor.

7. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 6 wherein the first internal perforated screen further comprises a support arm joined to the vertex and extending away therefrom in a direction opposite the build direction.

8. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 1 further comprising a second perforated screen further contained in the flowbody and positioned in the flow path downstream of the restricted orifice, as taken in the first flow direction;
wherein the flowbody, the first internal perforated screen, and the second perforated screen are integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece.

9. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 8 wherein the first internal perforated screen comprises a first conical endwall converging toward a centerline of the flowbody in a first direction; and
wherein the internal perforated screen comprises a second conical endwall converging toward a centerline of the flowbody in a second direction opposite the first direction.

10. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 8 wherein the first internal perforated screen and the second perforated screen are opposed about a plane orthogonal to a centerline of the flowbody and transecting the restricted orifice.

11. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 8 wherein the single additively-manufactured piece is composed of metal particles sintered on a layer-by-layer basis in a build direction substantially coaxial with a centerline of the flowbody.

12. An additively-manufactured flow restrictor, comprising:
a flowbody, comprising:
a first end portion;
a second end portion opposite the first end portion;
a restricted orifice between the first and second end portions; and
a flow path extending from first end portion of the flowbody, through the restricted orifice, and to the second end portion of the flowbody;

a first perforated screen located in the flow path on a first side of the restricted orifice, the first perforated screen comprises a tubular sidewall separated from an inner peripheral surface of the flowbody by an annular clearance, and an annular array of perforations formed through the tubular sidewall and circumscribed by the annular clearance; and
a second perforated screen located in the flow path on a second opposing side of the restricted orifice,
wherein the flowbody, the first perforated screen, and the second perforated screen are integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece.

13. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 12 wherein the first perforated screen comprises a first conical endwall angled toward an additive build direction of the additively-manufactured flow restrictor, and wherein the first perforated screen comprises a first conical endwall angled away from the additive build direction.

14. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 12 wherein the flowbody comprises a constricted inner region defining the restricted orifice, and wherein the first and second perforated screens extend from the constricted inner region in opposing directions.

15. The additively-manufactured flow restrictor of claim 12 wherein the flowbody comprises a tubular sidewall and a centerline, which is substantially coaxial with the tubular sidewall; and
wherein, as taken along the centerline, at least a majority of the first perforated screen is circumscribed by the tubular sidewall, while being spatially offset therefrom by a circumferential clearance.

16. A method for fabricating an additively-manufactured flow restrictor, comprising:
utilizing an additive manufacturing process to form, on a layer-by-layer basis, a flowbody through which a flow path extends and a restricted orifice located in the flowbody and providing a predetermined resistance to fluid flow along the flow path in a first flow direction; and
further utilizing the additive manufacturing process to form a first internal perforated screen positioned in the flow path upstream of the restricted orifice taken in the first flow direction, the first internal perforated screen and the flowbody are integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece and the first internal perforated screen comprises an endwall and a peripheral sidewall integrally formed with the endwall and spaced from an inner circumferential surface of the flowbody by an annular clearance.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising forming the first internal perforated screen to comprise:
perforations formed through the endwall and through the tubular sidewall.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising forming the first internal perforated screen such that the endwall is at least partially recessed within the tubular sidewall.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Lewis Steven Alan
• Valencourt Gary A
• Kasal Yathiraj
• Tillich Sammuel
• Conrad Elliot
• Spier Michael J

Classifications

• F16L55/02709 Primary

  in the form of perforated plates · CPC title

• B22F10/60

  Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title