Patent Application
20180010694
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to air valves, and more particularly, to starter air valves for aircraft engines.
After engine operation and shut down, the aircraft engine may experience a bowed rotor condition which requires the aircraft engine to be cooled by drawing fan air through the aircraft engine by motoring the aircraft engine at a sub-idle speed. Starter air valves are used within aircraft to selectively provide airflow to the air turbine starter of aircraft engine to rotate the aircraft engine at a desired speed. However, if the starter air valve fails to open, the manual override cannot provide a controlled amount of airflow to maintain the desired sub-idle speed to adequately cool the aircraft engine while avoiding damage from higher speed operation.
According to an embodiment, a disc assembly for use in an air valve with a valve body includes an outer disc with a concentric opening therethrough and an outer seal area, the outer seal area to selectively seal against the valve body, and an inner disc disposed in the concentric opening of the outer disc, the inner disc to selectively seal against the outer disc.
According to an embodiment, an air valve includes a valve body, and a disc assembly, including an outer disc with a concentric opening therethrough and an outer seal area, the outer seal area to selectively seal against the valve body, and an inner disc disposed in the concentric opening of the outer disc, the inner disc to selectively seal against the outer disc.
Technical function of the embodiments described above includes an inner disc disposed in the concentric opening of the outer disc, the inner disc to selectively seal against the outer disc.
Other aspects, features, and techniques of the embodiments will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the embodiments are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like elements are numbered alike in the FIGURES:
Referring to the drawings,
In the illustrated embodiment, the airflow 101 flows through the valve body 104. Airflow 101 through the valve body 101 is controlled by the butterfly valve assembly 110 disposed therein.
Referring to
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, the outer valve disc 120 is rotated by an outer disc shaft 126. In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft hole 122 can receive the outer disc shaft 126. Torque can be transferred to the outer valve disc 120 through the pin 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the pin 124 is received in the pin hole 123. In certain embodiments, the outer disc shaft 126 can be affixed in any suitable manner. In certain embodiments, the outer disc shaft 126 is a spring loaded shaft to bias the outer valve disc 120 to a closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer disc shaft 126 is coupled to the valve actuator 102, shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the valve actuator 102 can rotate the outer valve disc 120. The valve actuator 102 can be any suitable actuator. During starting operations, the valve actuator 102 can rotate the outer valve disc 120 to provide an airflow sufficient to provide a full start condition for an aircraft engine. During a bowed rotor condition of the aircraft engine, the valve actuator 102 to selectively rotate the outer valve disc 120 to a known position to provide a desired airflow to the air turbine starter of the aircraft engine to motor the aircraft engine at sub-idle speed to cool the aircraft engine.
In the illustrated embodiment, the outer valve disc 120 includes a concentric hole 125 to allow the inner valve disc 130 therethrough. As shown in
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, the inner valve disc 130 is rotated by an inner disc shaft 136. In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft hole 132 can receive the inner disc shaft 136. Torque can be transferred to the inner valve disc 130 through the pin 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the pin 134 is received in the pin hole 133. In certain embodiments, the inner disc shaft 136 can be affixed in any suitable manner. In certain embodiments, the inner disc shaft 136 is a spring loaded shaft to bias the inner valve disc 130 to a closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner disc shaft 136 passes through the through hole 128 of the outer disc 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner disc shaft 136 is coupled to the manual override interface 106, shown in
During operation, the valve actuator 102 may fail to actuate the outer valve disc 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the manual override interface 106 allows a technician to manually rotate the inner valve disc 130 and the outer valve disc 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the manual override interface 106 is a manual wrenching feature, allowing a technician to use a tool to manually rotate the inner disc shaft 136, and therefore the inner valve disc 130 and the outer valve disc 120.
Referring to
Referring to
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the embodiments. While the description of the present embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments in the form disclosed. Many modifications, variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangement not hereto described will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments. Additionally, while various embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that aspects may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but are only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
