Patent Application
20150075633
The field of the present disclosure relates generally to fluid supply systems and, more specifically, to a system and method for use in relieving overpressure in a fluid supply system.
At least some known internal combustion engines generate heat during operation. More specifically, some known engines generate heat by compressing a flow of air, mixing the compressed air with fuel, and igniting the mixture to form a high energy gas stream. During engine shutdown, the generated heat flows to cooler sections of the engine, which is commonly referred to as heat soak-back. Heat soak-back can increase the temperature in the fuel manifold of the engine, which may result in the pressure within the manifold increasing. More specifically, the heat may be transferred to fluid in pressurized fluid supply lines leading to and/or from the manifold. The increase in temperature may cause the fluid to undesirably expand, flow into undesirable areas, and/or vaporize within the fluid lines.
At least some known engines use an accumulator to relieve the increased pressure in fluid lines caused by heat soak-back. Known accumulators relieve pressure caused by fluid expansion in the fluid lines by providing drainage for the fluid when the pressure reaches potentially harmful levels. Moreover, some known engines use a thermal relief valve that actuates above an operating pressure of a fluid supply system to relieve increased pressure in fluid lines. However, the actuating pressure of the thermal relief valve may be lower than the operating pressure of the system. It has also become increasingly important to reduce the weight of known vehicles that may be susceptible to heat soak-back. As such, it may be desirable to provide vehicles with integrated pressure relief systems that have a reduced weight and/or that are less costly than known alternatives.
In one aspect, a valve is provided. The valve includes a housing including an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior, a valve element within the interior of the housing and configured to be selectively operable between an open position and a closed position. The valve element includes an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior of the valve element. The valve also includes a series of pressure relief devices within the side walls of the housing and the valve element. The series of pressure relief devices include at least one check valve and are configured to provide flow communication from the interior of the housing to exterior of the housing upon actuation of the at least one check valve.
In another aspect, a fluid supply system is provided. The fluid supply system includes a fluid line configured to channel fluid in a first direction and a first valve coupled to the fluid line. The first valve includes a housing including an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior, a valve element within the interior of the housing and configured to be selectively operable between an open position and a closed position. The valve element includes an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior of the valve element. The valve also includes a series of pressure relief devices within the side walls of the housing and the valve element. The series of pressure relief devices include at least one check valve and are configured to provide flow communication from the interior of the housing to exterior of the housing upon actuation of the at least one check valve.
In yet another aspect, a method of relieving overpressure in a fluid supply system is provided. The method includes providing a fluid line configured to channel fluid therethrough and coupling a first valve to the fluid line. The first valve includes a housing including an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior, a valve element within the interior of the housing and configured to be selectively operable between an open position and a closed position. The valve element includes an interior and a side wall at least partially delimiting the interior of the valve element. The valve also includes a series of pressure relief devices within the side walls of the housing and the valve element. The series of pressure relief devices include at least one check valve and are configured to provide flow communication from the interior of the housing to exterior of the housing upon actuation of the at least one check valve. The method also includes allowing fluid to flow through the series of pressure relief devices when a pressure in the fluid line is greater than a cracking pressure of the at least one check valve.
Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings provided herein are meant to illustrate features of implementations of the disclosure. These features are believed to be applicable in a wide variety of systems comprising one or more implementations of the disclosure. As such, the drawings are not meant to include all conventional features known by those of ordinary skill in the art to be required for the practice of the implementations disclosed herein.
The implementations described herein relate to systems and methods that may be used to relieve overpressure in a pressurized fluid line. More specifically, the systems and methods use a valve that includes an isolatable thermal relief device such as a series of pressure relief devices that relieve overpressure in the fluid line caused by heat soak-back. At least one of the pressure relief devices is a check valve that actuates at a predetermined cracking pressure. Further, the series of pressure relief devices form a flow path for fluid to be drained from the fluid line and back into a fluid supply source. As such, the implementations described herein provide a simplified, less costly, and that weighs less than known systems used to relieve overpressure in a fluid line.
Referring to the drawings, implementations of the disclosure may be described in the context of an aircraft manufacturing and service method 100 (shown in
Each portion and process associated with aircraft manufacturing and/or service 100 may be performed or completed by a system integrator, a third party, and/or an operator (e.g., a customer). For the purposes of this description, a system integrator may include without limitation any number of aircraft manufacturers and major-system subcontractors; a third party may include without limitation any number of venders, subcontractors, and suppliers; and an operator may be an airline, leasing company, military entity, service organization, and so on.
As shown in
Apparatus and methods embodied herein may be employed during any one or more of the stages of method 100. For example, components or subassemblies corresponding to component production process 108 may be fabricated or manufactured in a manner similar to components or subassemblies produced while aircraft 102 is in service. Also, one or more apparatus implementations, method implementations, or a combination thereof may be utilized during the production stages 108 and 110, for example, by substantially expediting assembly of, and/or reducing the cost of assembly of aircraft 102. Similarly, one or more of apparatus implementations, method implementations, or a combination thereof may be utilized while aircraft 102 is being serviced or maintained, for example, during scheduled maintenance and service 116.
As used herein, the term “aircraft” may include, but is not limited to, airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), gliders, helicopters, and/or any other object that travels through airspace.
Valve element 250 is selectively operable between the open position and the closed position. More specifically, valve element 250 moves in a first rotational direction 260 to reach the closed position, and moves in a second rotational direction 262 to reach the open position. As such, fluid flow is allowed to be channeled through valve 220 in a direction 264 when valve element 250 is in the open position, and fluid flow is restricted from being channeled through valve 220 when valve element 250 is in the closed position.
Valve 220 also includes a series of pressure relief devices to facilitate relieving pressure in fuel lines 214 and 216 (shown in
Referring to
Referring to
As described above, a closed system is formed in fuel line 214 when first and second valves 220 and 222 are closed. To ensure that overpressure in fuel line 214 does not result in failure of fuel line 214 and/or result in fluid being channeled through second valve 222 towards propulsion system 124, first valve 220 has a lower predetermined cracking pressure than second valve 222. More specifically, the predetermined cracking pressure of the check valve of first pressure relief device 270 is lower than the cracking pressure of second valve 222. For example, the predetermined cracking pressure of first pressure relief device 272 is less than about 25 psi, and the cracking pressure of second valve 222 is about 50 psi. In alternative implementations, the predetermined cracking pressure and cracking pressure of first and second valves 220 and 222, respectively, may be any cracking pressure that enables fluid supply system 200 to function as described herein.
In operation, fluid expansion in fuel line 214 (shown in
The systems and methods described herein facilitate relieving overpressure in a pressurized fluid line caused by heat soak-back. More specifically, the systems described herein use a series of pressure relief devices to relieve overpressure in the fluid line. The series of pressure relief devices provide flow communication between the fluid line and a fluid supply source such that excess fluid may be drained directly back into an associated fluid supply source. As such, the system described herein provides a simplified, a less-costly, and a weight-reducing alternative to known pressure relief systems for a pressurized fluid line by replacing known accumulators and associated components.
This written description uses examples to disclose various implementations, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various implementations, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
