Device and method for regulating a gas flow rate
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorFrancois Martin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Device and method for regulating a flow rate of gas intended to supply a propulsion apparatus for a spacecraft comprising xenon tank, a circuit comprising a withdrawing pipe having an upstream end connected to the tank and a downstream end connected to a propulsion member, the withdrawing pipe comprising an isolation first valve, a regulating second valve and a member for measuring the pressure downstream of the regulating second valve. The regulating second valve regulates the flow rate and/or the determined pressure according to the pressure measured. The regulating second valve is a proportional valve of electrically operated variable throughout PCV type.
Claims12
A gas flow rate regulating device for regulating a flow rate of gas intended to supply a propulsion apparatus for a spacecraft, comprising a tank of pressurized gas, a fluidic circuit connected to the tank, and an electronic data acquisition, storage and processing member configured to control one or both of a second valve and a first valve on the basis of the value measured by a first pressure transducer, said fluid circuit comprising a withdrawing pipe, wherein:
- said withdrawing pipe has an upstream end connected to the tank and at least one downstream end intended to be connected to a propulsion apparatus for a spacecraft;
- arranged in series from upstream to downstream, the withdrawing pipe comprises an isolating first valve, a regulating second valve, and a first pressure transducer, the first valve being an isolating valve, the second valve being a regulating valve;
- the first pressure transducer is configured for measuring a pressure downstream of the second valve;
- the second valve provides defined regulation of flow rate and/or pressure in dependence on a pressure measured by the first pressure transducer;
- at least the second valve is a proportional valve of the electrically controlled variable throughput “PCV” type;
- the first valve is a proportional valve of the electrically controlled variable throughput “PCV” type
- in the absence of any fault with the second valve, the electronic data acquisition, storage and processing member is configured to control the first valve in all-or-nothing operation such that the first valve is switched only between two configurations:
- fully open and fully closed;
- the electronic data acquisition, storage and processing member is further configured to control the second valve in proportional operation with a plurality of possible degrees of opening of the second valve so as to regulate the flow rate of gas withdrawn from the gas flow rate regulating device to a defined flow rate and/or pressure, from among a plurality of possible values;
- and
- in the event of a fault with the second valve, the electronic data acquisition, storage and processing member is configured to control the first valve in proportional operation so as to regulate the flow rate of gas withdrawn from the gas flow rate regulating device to a defined flow rate and/or pressure, from among a plurality of possible values.
A gas flow rate regulating device for regulating a flow rate of gas intended to supply a propulsion apparatus for a spacecraft, comprising a tank of pressurized gas and a fluidic circuit connected to the tank, said fluid circuit comprising a withdrawing pipe, wherein:
- said withdrawing pipe has an upstream end connected to the tank and at least one downstream end intended to be connected to a propulsion apparatus for a spacecraft;
- arranged in series from upstream to downstream, the withdrawing pipe comprises an isolating first valve, a regulating second valve, and a first pressure transducer, the first valve being an isolating valve, the second valve being a regulating valve;
- the first pressure transducer for measuring a pressure downstream of the second valve;
- the second valve provides defined regulation of flow rate and/or pressure in dependence on a pressure measured by the first pressure transducer;
- at least the second valve is a proportional valve of the electrically controlled variable throughput “PCV” type;
- one or both of the second valve and the first valve is a thermally activated electrically controlled proportional regulating valve;
- and
- the thermally activated proportional regulating valve comprises a body defining an inlet and an outlet for the gas and housing, between the inlet and the outlet, at least one and preferably two pistons and an obturator that is configured to interrupt or permit a defined flow of gas between the inlet and the outlet depending on the relative position between the obturator and the piston or pistons secured to the body;
- the outer body is provided with a heating member;
- and
- the body has a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of the pistons so as to move the pistons relative to the obturator in defined positions depending on the degree of heating of the body so as to regulate the flow rate of gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.