Patent Application
20250003403
This application relates to a flapper check valve wherein the two flapper valve members rotate in a common direction between open and closed positions.
Check valves are used in any number of applications. One type of check valve is a so called flapper valve.
In a typical flapper valve there are two valve members each mounted to pivot about a pivot axis.
As one example system, in many aerospace applications there is a high pressure source delivered to a use and an alternative lower pressure source. The high pressure source passes through a valve which may be electronically commanded closed at higher power operation. When the high pressure source is being delivered to the use it maintains a check valve closed so the low pressure source does not reach the use.
However, at high power operation the low pressure source will be at a sufficiently high enough pressure that it may be delivered to the use. In such a case the valve on the high pressure source is electronically commanded closed and the low pressure source air can pass through the flapper valve to the use.
Known flapper valves have two pivoting flapper valve portions which pivot in opposed rotational directions. Such flapper valves may have challenges if turbulent airflow reaches the check valve. Moreover, there may be dithering, or challenges with returning to a closed position.
A flapper check valve includes a valve seat body. Two flapper valve portions are each mounted on their own shaft to the valve seat body, and move between open and closed positions. The flapper valve portions pivot in a common rotational direction to the open position and to the closed position.
These and other features will be best understood from the following drawings and specification, the following is a brief description.
Air from the higher pressure tap 26 passes through a selectively opened valve 30 downstream into a chamber 32, and then through a duct 38 to the use 27. A control 31 is schematically shown controlling the valve 30. Control 31 may be an electronic control such a full authority digital electric controller (“FADEC”) or could be a dedicated control.
The low pressure air 28 is delivered into a duct 34. A check valve 36 is placed on the duct 34 and blocks the low pressure air from reaching the chamber 32 when higher pressure air is delivered through valve 30 into the chamber 32.
However, at high power operation of the gas turbine engine 22 the lower pressure tap 28 may be at a sufficiently high pressure to meet the needs of the use 27. In such a case, the valve 30 is closed such that the lower pressure air from tap 28 can move through the check valve 36 into the chamber 32. This improves the efficiency of the gas turbine engine 22 operation.
As shown, the check valve 36 includes two pivoting flapper valve portions 40 and 44. Flapper valve portion 40 pivots on the shaft 42 and flapper valve portion 44 pivots on the shaft 46.
As shown in
Thus, it could be said in this arrangement in one direction there is a shaft, a flapper valve portion, a second shaft and then a second flapper valve portion.
As shown in
Returning to
As shown, the air initially entering the chamber 32 is within a duct portion 37 which extends generally along a first direction X. The duct section 39 extends along a direction Y. In the disclosed embodiment direction Y is generally perpendicular to direction X, thus defining an effective 90 degree turn. In embodiments direction Y will have at least a component in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction X. As shown by arrows here, the position of the flapper valve portions 40 and 44 serve to direct the airflow from the direction X to the direction Y.
This arrangement is more capable of handling turbulent flow than the prior art.
In the
Now, as shown in
A flapper check valve under this disclosure could be said to include a valve seat body. Two flapper valve portions are each mounted on their own shaft to the valve seat body, and pivotable between open and closed positions. The flapper valve portions pivot in a common rotational direction to the open position and to the closed position.
A fluid system under this disclosure could be said to include a compressor, a high pressure tap from the compressor section and a low pressure tap. The high pressure tap is connected to a selectively closed and opened valve and into a chamber. The low pressure tap passes into a low pressure duct, and then to a flapper check valve. A control for the control valve is programmed selectively opens and closes the control valve to provide the higher pressure air into the chamber. The check valve blocks the lower pressure tap from entering the chamber when the higher pressure air is delivered into the chamber, with the flapper check valve being allowed to open and deliver the lower pressure air into the chamber valve housing when the control valve is closed. The flapper check valve has a valve seat body, two flapper valve portions each mounted on their own shaft to the valve seat body, and pivotable between open and closed positions, with the flapper valve portions pivoting in a common rotational direction to the open position and to the closed position.
Although embodiment have been disclosed, a worker of skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.
