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US 8,272,401 B2Granted
Compact pressure balanced rotary valve
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorChristopher R. McLean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure balanced rotary valve can be made more compact if the ports on the stator within can be located on a port pitch circle of smaller diameter. In certain circumstances for rotary valves used in pressure swing adsorption devices, it is acceptable for the spacing between the ports to be made smaller than the ports themselves. In a rotary valve comprising variable loading means (e.g. pistons) and fixed loading means (e.g. springs), this can involve reducing the piston size and increasing the load provided by the springs.
Claims20
A rotary valve, comprising:
- a stator comprising at least two ports centred on a port pitch circle, and each port providing an opening over an open arc length around the port pitch circle and thereby defining port spacings between the ports over closed arc lengths around the port pitch circle, wherein the minimum closed arc length of a port spacing is less than the maximum open arc length of a port opening
- a rotor rotating about a rotor axis at the centre of the port pitch circle and comprising at least two ports centred on the port pitch circle;
- variable loading means to sealingly engage the rotor to the stator;
- fixed loading means to sealingly engage the rotor to the stator;
- and
- drive means to rotate the rotor about the rotor axis relative to the stator such that the ports in the rotor come into and out of alignment with the ports in the stator.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.