# US 11,306,840 B2 · Switched nozzle valve

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- Number: US 11,306,840 B2
- Document ID: US11306840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/638,656
- Filed: 2018-08-24
- Published: 2021-05-06
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-24
- Assignees: The Penn State Research Foundation
- Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation
- Inventors: Christopher R. Martin; Todd D. Batzel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306840B2

## CPC

- F16K 21/00: Fluid-delivery valves, {e.g. self-closing valves}(for liquid handling B67D; for flushing devices for water-closets or the like E03D)
- F16K 31/0648: {the armature and the valve member forming one element (F16K31/0651 takes precedence)}
- F16K 31/0655: {Lift valves}
- F16K 31/0658: {Armature and valve member being one single element}
- F16K 31/0662: {with a ball-shaped valve member}
- G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)}
- G05D 11/13: characterised by the use of electric means
- F16K 31/0693: {Pressure equilibration of the armature}
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

A switched nozzle valve (SNV) for gas flow regulation includes a nozzle and a valve element. The nozzle includes an orifice with a fixed cross-section and a converging section converging towards the orifice for achieving sonic velocity of the gas in the orifice. The valve element is movable between a fully closed position seated on the nozzle at a valve seat and a fully open position spaced from the valve seat. The SNV further includes a control for controlling an operator for switching the valve element between the fully open and fully closed positions at a switching frequency by using a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal to regulate a time-averaged flow of the gas.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of regulating gas flow for an application requiring a regulated gas flow rate using a switched nozzle valve, the method comprising:
flowing the gas through the switched nozzle valve, the switched nozzle valve having a converging section, a nozzle throat, a valve element, a valve seat, and a diverging section having an exit to be in fluid communication with an application requiring gas flow control, the valve element being seatable on the valve seat;
switching the valve by an operator at a switching frequency using a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal generated by a microprocessor between a fully closed position where the valve element is seated on the valve seat and a fully open position where the valve element is spaced from the valve seat and the nozzle throat is unimpeded to achieve a velocity and a time-averaged flow rate of the gas without a feedback measurement;
accelerating the gas in the converging section such that the velocity of the gas reaches the speed of sound such that the flow in the orifice is in a choked condition, wherein the pressure in the orifice is at a critical pressure;
further accelerating the gas in a first part of the diverging section;
forming a shock wave at the diverging section;
abruptly decelerating the gas by the shock wave; and
further decelerating the gas by a remaining portion of the diverging section downstream of the shock wave for recovering pressure loss while maintaining the speed of sound of the gas in the orifice, thereby providing gas control to the application.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum switching frequency is at least 500 Hz.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the converging and diverging sections are conical.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the valve element is seated on the converging section.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is made from brass or stainless steel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the operator is a voice coil operator including a voice coil in a permanent magnetic field.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the operator is a solenoid operator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the valve element is a ball.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the ball is movable axially with respect to the orifice.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the ball is made from sapphire.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the valve element is harder than the nozzle so that the nozzle conforms to the valve's precise shape and size.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a volume between the valve seat and the orifice is about 0.1% of a volumetric flow rate at the orifice.