FLOW LIMITER VALVE

Abstract

A flow limiter valve assembly comprising a housing defined by an end cap and a guide base, a fluid inlet orifice provided in the base and a fluid outlet orifice in the circumferential wall of the housing, with a fluid flow path defined from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice. The valve assembly further comprises a spool mounted in the base of the housing and arranged to be axially moveable relative to the housing end cap and biasing means to bias the spool away from the end cap. When the biasing means biases the spool away from the end cap, the fluid flow path is defined by a gap between the end cap and the spool such that fluid can flow from the inlet orifice through this gap to the outlet orifice.

Claims

1. A flow limiter valve comprising a housing defined by an end cap and a guide base; an outlet orifice in a wall of the housing; a spool having an inlet orifice and being mounted in the guide base of the housing and arranged to be axially moveable relative to the housing end cap; biasing means configured to bias the spool away from the end cap; a fluid flow path being defined from the inlet orifice, through a gap between the end cap and the spool and out the outlet orifice, and wherein the biasing means and spool are arranged and configured such that when a pressure differential greater than a selected pressure differential is created across the inlet orifice, the spool is caused to move to decrease the gap and, thereby, decreasing fluid flow through the flow path.

2. The flow limiter valve of claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

3. The flow limiter valve of claim 1, wherein the end cap extends axially in a direction of the housing towards the base terminating in a tapered point.

4. The flow limiter valve of claim 3, wherein the gap is defined between the tapered point and a corner of the spool.

5. The flow limiter valve of claim 4, wherein the tapered point defines a conical surface of the end cap and the spool defines a surface at 90° to the tapered point such that the gap is defined by the conical surface and the spool surface.

6. The flow limiter valve of claims 1, wherein the spool abuts against the end cap when the pressure differential exceeds a second selected pressure differential valve, thus preventing fluid flow.

7. The flow limiter valve of claim 1, wherein the housing is cylindrical.

8. The flow limiter valve of claim 7, wherein the wall is a circumferential wall.

9. A method of limiting fluid flow comprising: moving a spool relative to a surface in response to fluid flow rate through the spool exceeding a selected value; and decreasing a gap defined between the spool and the surface to reduce fluid flow rate between the spool and the surface.

10. The method of claim 9 using the flow limiter valve of any of claim 1.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the spool is moved axially.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional flow limiter valve in the open (FIG. 1A) and closed (FIG. 1B) positions.

[0024] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a cross-sectional view of the flow limiter valve according to this disclosure in the open (FIG. 2A) and closed (FIG. 2B) positions.

[0025] FIGS. 3A and 3B show the lower part of FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, in magnified form.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a flow limiter valve according to the invention.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a flow limiter valve according to the invention.

[0028] FIG. 6 shows a perspective outside view of the flow limiter valve of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] With specific reference, in particular, to FIGS. 2 to 4, it can be seen that the valve 8 of the present disclosure comprises a preferably cylindrical housing 4″ comprising an axially extending end cap 10 and a guide base 11.

[0030] In the preferred embodiment, the open end 12 of the end cap 10 is tapered to form a conical shape. A sliding spool 13 is mounted in the guide base 11 and the spool 13 and the guide base 11 are arranged to be axially moveable relative to the end cap 10.

[0031] The guide base 11 and spool 13 are biased in an open (downward in the drawings) position by means of a biasing member which is preferably a spring 14.

[0032] The sliding spool 13 is provided with an inlet orifice or so-called control orifice 15 (see FIG. 4) in communication with a fluid supply (not shown) on one side and with a fluid flow path through the housing indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0033] The control orifice 15 is a typical orifice in a thin wall that generates a pressure differential. It is a typical hydraulic feature and is commonly used to sense a flow. Any change in flow generates a certain pressure differential. This is described by following equation:

[00001]$Q=A_O.Math.\mathrm{Cd}.Math.\sqrt{\Delta .Math..Math.p.Math.\frac{2}{\rho }}$ [0034] Q—flow rate [0035] A.sub.O—inlet orifice cross section area [0036] Cd—discharge coefficient [0037] Δp—pressure differential [0038] pηfluid density

[0039] The fluid flow path comprises the inlet orifice 15 and an outlet orifice 16 defined in the circumferential wall of the housing, the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice connected via a fluid flow path through a gap 17 defined between the end 12 of the end cap 10 and the guide base 11 in the open position as shown in FIG. 2A. When the rate of fluid flowing into the valve 8 increases, this creates a pressure differential at the inlet or control orifice 15. When the fluid rate increases beyond a predetermined threshold value, the pressure differential is such as to cause the spring 14 to contract. The spool 13 and base 11 slide axially towards the end 12 of the end cap 10 (i.e. upwards in the drawings) until the guide base abuts against the end 12 of the end cap shown in FIG. 2B. This then cuts off the flow path between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice, preventing fluid flow out of the valve.

[0040] As the pressure differential is removed due to a decrease in flow rate, the spring 14 is able to expand again, moving the sliding spool 13 and guide base 11 away from the end 12 of the end cap thus opening the fluid path between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice again.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows the above described components in an exploded view, also showing preferred seals 20 and a spring seat 22.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows the valve in perspective view.

[0043] During closing, the valve 8 of the present disclosure works, essentially, as a poppet valve. The inlet orifice 15 generates a pressure differential. This creates a force acting against the biasing member or spring 14, causing the spool 13 to slide to meet the end cap 10. The circumferential edge of the spool seats against the end cap, preferably against a tapered end of the end cap, therefore cutting off the fluid flow.

[0044] The flow limiter valve 8 operates according to the following force equilibrium equation:

AsΔp=P.sub.sp [0045] A.sub.S—cross section area of sliding spool [0046] Psp—spring force [0047] Δp—pressure differential across inlet orifice

[0048] Thus, in contrast to the existing systems wherein the excess pressure from the excessive fluid flow rate causes the slider to move the components of the fluid flow path out of alignment, in the present invention, the excess pressure causes the spool 13 to move to block off the fluid flow path or close the path.

[0049] With the valve of the present disclosure, the spool has to travel less distance to cut off fluid flow than in the prior art arrangement and this smaller travel together with the possible smaller spool mass results in the valve being more quickly responsive to pressure changes. The distance the spool has to travel can be less than the diameter of the outlet orifice 16.

[0050] The valve of the present disclosure also requires fewer and smaller parts which allows the assembly to be manufactured at lower cost. The assembly is also lighter and more compact.

[0051] As compared to the prior art arrangement, the present arrangement requires only two orifices, rather than three, to define the fluid flow path which means that there is less general pressure drop in the valve when the valve is fully open.

[0052] The poppet valve closing arrangement of the present disclosure also ensures that there is no leakage when the valve is closed, particularly when the end of the end cap is tapered or conical and the edge of the spool seats against this tapered form.