System and method of cooling valve with material in cavity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683467-B2
Application number	US-201414565827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A system includes a reciprocating engine, the reciprocating engine includes a poppet valve having a first valve end and a second valve end. The poppet valve includes a valve head having the first valve end. The valve head may open and close a fluid passageway within the reciprocating engine. The poppet valve also includes a stem extending from the valve head and having a first length. The stem has the second valve end and the second valve end is substantially opposite the first valve end. The poppet valve also includes a cavity aligned with a centerline axis of the poppet valve. The cavity includes a first region disposed within the valve head and a second region disposed within the stem, and the second region has a second length that is shorter than the first length. The poppet valve further includes a metal alloy disposed within the cavity. The metal alloy is in a liquid-phase during operation of the reciprocating engine and may transfer heat from the valve head to the stem.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
forming a valve base comprising a first thermally conductive material, a valve head having a first end, and a valve stem having a second end, wherein the second end is substantially opposite from the first end;
forming a cavity within the valve base, wherein the cavity is aligned with a centerline axis of the valve base, and wherein the cavity comprises a first region disposed within the valve head and a second region disposed within the valve stem, and wherein the first region and the second region are fluidly coupled; and
depositing a second thermally conductive material into at least a portion of the cavity, wherein the second thermally conductive material is different from the first thermally conductive material, and wherein the second thermally conductive material comprises a metal alloy, and wherein the metal alloy comprises a thermal conductivity greater than 25 watts per meter per degrees Celsius (W/m − ° C.) at 25 degrees Celsius ° C.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising sealing the cavity by disposing a seal over the first region of the cavity, wherein the seal is flush with the first end of the valve base.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a melting point between approximately 90 degrees Celsius (° C.) and approximately 250° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a lead solder material, a silver solder material, or a tin solder material.

5. A valve for a cylinder head of a reciprocating engine, comprising:
a first valve end and a second valve end;
a valve head having the first valve end;
a stem extending from the valve head and having a first length, wherein the stem has the second valve end and the second valve end is substantially opposite the first valve end, wherein the first valve end, the valve head, and the stem comprise a first thermally conductive material;
a cavity aligned with a centerline axis of the valve, wherein the cavity comprises a first region disposed within the valve head and a second region disposed within the stem, and the second region has a second length shorter than the first length along the centerline axis; and
a second thermally conductive material different from the first thermally conductive material disposed within the cavity, wherein the second thermally conductive material comprises a metal alloy that is configured to transfer heat from the valve head to the valve stem, and wherein the metal alloy comprises a thermal conductivity greater than 25 watts per meter per degrees Celsius (W/m − ° C.) at 25 degrees Celsius ° C.

6. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a melting point between approximately 90 degrees Celsius (° C.) and approximately 250° C.

7. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a lead-free solder material.

8. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a lead-tin solder material.

9. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the valve is an exhaust valve.

10. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the first region comprises a first diameter and a second diameter and the second region comprises a third diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter and the third diameter is substantially equal to the second diameter.

11. The valve of claim 10 , wherein the valve comprises a seal disposed over the first region of the cavity, wherein the seal is configured to plug the cavity such that the metal alloy is retained within the cavity.

12. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the cavity comprises a hollow passage between a top surface of the metal alloy and a terminus of the cavity, wherein the hollow passage enables a flow of the metal alloy between the first region and the second region.

13. A valve, comprising:
a valve head having a first valve end;
a stem extending from the valve head and having a second valve end and comprising a first length, wherein the second valve end is substantially opposite the first valve end, wherein the valve head and the stem comprise a first thermally conductive material;
a cavity aligned with a centerline axis of the valve, wherein the cavity comprises a first region disposed within the valve head and a second region disposed within the stem, wherein the first region and the second region form a continuous passage, and wherein the second region has a second length shorter than the first length along the centerline;
a plurality of protrusions disposed within the second region of the cavity; and
a second thermally conductive material different from the first thermally conductive material disposed within a portion of the first region, the second region, or a combination thereof, wherein the second thermally conductive material comprises a metal alloy comprising a melting temperature less than 250 degrees Celsius (° C.), and wherein the metal alloy comprises a thermal conductivity greater than 25 watts per meter per degrees Celsius (W/m − ° C.) at 25 degrees Celsius ° C.

14. The valve of claim 13 , comprising a seal disposed over the first region of the cavity, wherein the seal plugs the cavity such that the metal alloy is retained within the cavity.

15. The valve of claim 13 , wherein the cavity comprises a gap between a surface of the metal alloy and a terminus of the cavity, wherein the gap is configured to enable a flow of the metal alloy between the first region and the second region.

16. The valve of claim 13 , wherein the melting temperature is between approximately 90 degrees Celsius (° C.) and approximately 200° C.

17. The valve of claim 13 , wherein the metal alloy comprises a lead-free solder material.

18. The valve of claim 13 , wherein the valve comprises an exhaust valve for a reciprocating engine.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Knudsen Julian Richard

Classifications

• F01L2303/00

  Manufacturing of components used in valve arrangements · CPC title

• F01L3/14 Primary

  by means of a liquid or solid coolant, e.g. sodium, in a closed chamber in a valve · CPC title

• Y10T137/6065

  Assembling or disassembling reciprocating valve · CPC title

• F16K1/36

  Valve members (for double-seat valves F16K1/44 {; for butterfly valves F16K1/222, F16K1/223}) · CPC title

• Y10T137/598

  With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means · CPC title