Fluid flow device and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016178077-A1
Application number	US-201514922677-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a fluid flow device including a flow passage structure including in the interior a micro-channel and an escape flow passage for allowing a fluid to escape from the micro-channel. The micro-channel includes a folded-back flow passage portion that allows the fluid to flow upward before allowing the same to flow downward. The folded-back flow passage portion includes a top portion disposed at the highest position of the folded-back flow passage portion and an upward flow passage portion and a downward flow passage portion with the top portion as a boundary therebetween that allow the fluid to flow upward and downward, respectively, and the escape flow passage is connected to the top portion of the folded-back flow passage portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fluid flow device for performing predetermined processing while allowing a fluid to flow, comprising:
a flow passage structure including in an interior at least one micro-channel for allowing a fluid that is a processing object and at least one escape flow passage for allowing the fluid to escape from the micro-channel; and a discharge switch part configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the escape flow passage and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the escape flow passage, wherein the micro-channel includes at least one folded-back flow passage portion that allows the fluid to flow upward before allowing the same to flow downward, the folded-back flow passage portion includes a top portion disposed at a highest position of the folded-back flow passage portion, an upward flow passage portion connected to the top portion and allowing the fluid to flow upward and flow into the top portion, and a downward flow passage portion connected to the top portion and allowing the fluid flowing in from the top portion to flow downward, and the escape flow passage is connected to the top portion or a portion adjacent thereto of the folded-back flow passage portion.

2 . The fluid flow device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the escape flow passage is connected to the top portion.

3 . The fluid flow device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the top portion extends horizontally, and the escape flow passage is connected to a part of the top portion to which an upper end of the downward flow passage portion is connected.

4 . The fluid flow device according to claim 1 , further comprising a reverse flow device for allowing a fluid to reversely flow in the micro-channel such that the fluid flows upward through the downward flow passage portion.

5 . The fluid flow device according to claim 2 , further comprising a reverse flow device for allowing a fluid to reversely flow in the micro-channel such that the fluid flows upward through the downward flow passage portion.

6 . The fluid flow device according to claim 3 , further comprising a reverse flow device for allowing a fluid to reversely flow in the micro-channel such that the fluid flows upward through the downward flow passage portion.

7 . The fluid flow device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

8 . The fluid flow device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

9 . The fluid flow device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

10 . The fluid flow device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

11 . The fluid flow device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

12 . The fluid flow device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one folded-back flow passage portion includes a plurality of folded-back flow passage portions, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages provided to correspond to the folded-back flow passage portions, and the discharge switch part includes a plurality of individual switch portions that are provided to correspond to the escape flow passages and each configured to be switchable between an allowance state in which the fluid is allowed to be discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages and a prevention state in which the fluid is prevented from being discharged from the corresponding escape flow passages.

13 . The fluid flow device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the flow passage structure includes a plurality of layers stacked one upon another, the at least one micro-channel includes a plurality of micro-channels that are formed in each of the layers and arranged in a direction of stacking the plurality of layers, the at least one escape flow passage includes a plurality of escape flow passages that are formed in each of the layers to correspond to the micro-channels and arranged in a direction of stacking the plurality of layers, and the discharge switch part is configured to allow the fluid to be discharged from the plurality of escape flow passages in the allowance state and prevent the fluid from being discharged from the plurality of escape flow passages in the prevention state.

14 . The fluid flow device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the flow passage structure includes a

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Matsuoka Akira
• Noishiki Koji
• Oozono Tomohiro

Classifications

• H10W40/47 Primary

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• F16K99/0059

  actuated by a pilot fluid · CPC title

• F16K24/04 Primary

  for venting only (F16K24/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K99/0034

  Operating means specially adapted for microvalves · CPC title