Swirl valves
A valve system includes a spin chamber having an outlet drain configured to allow flow out of the spin chamber. A main spin surface of the spin chamber is defined around the outlet drain. A directional jet system is in fluid communication with the spin chamber. The directional jet system includes a member that is configured to move between a first position for directing a tangential flow around the drain, and a second position for directing a radial flow toward the drain.
1 . A valve system comprising:
a spin chamber having an outlet drain configured to allow flow out of the spin chamber, wherein a main spin surface of the spin chamber is defined around the outlet drain; and
a directional jet system for a fuel in fluid communication with the spin chamber, wherein the directional jet system includes a jet member that is configured to move between a first position for directing a tangential flow around the drain, and a second position for directing a radial flow toward the drain;
wherein the member is disposed at a periphery of the spin chamber and wherein a portion of the member directing the flow extends closer to the outlet drain with the member in the second position than with the member in the first position.
2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the directional jet system includes a jet orifice that feeds into the spin chamber, wherein the spin chamber includes only one inlet, namely the jet orifice, and wherein the spin chamber includes only one outlet, namely the outlet drain.
3 . A valve system comprising:
a spin chamber having an outlet drain configured to allow flow out of the spin chamber, wherein a main spin surface of the spin chamber is defined around the outlet drain; and
a directional jet system for a fuel in fluid communication with the spin chamber, wherein the directional jet system includes a jet member that is configured to move between a first position for directing a tangential flow around the drain, and a second position for directing a radial flow toward the drain;
wherein the jet member includes a jet tube, wherein a jet orifice is defined at an outlet end of the jet tube, wherein the directional jet system is configured to rotate the jet tube to direct the jet orifice more toward a periphery of the spin chamber in the first position relative to the second position, and wherein the directional jet system is configured to rotate the jet tube to direct the jet orifice more toward the drain outlet in the second position relative to the first position.
4 . The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the directional jet system includes one or more inlets configured to feed into the jet tube configured to supply fluid to the jet orifice.
5 . The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the directional jet system includes a rotational actuator operatively connected to rotate the jet tube between the first position and the second position.
6 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the directional jet system includes a housing with a main inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the housing, wherein the jet tube includes at least one inlet inside the housing in fluid communication to receive flow from the interior of the housing into the jet tube.
7 . The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the rotational actuator is inside the housing.
8 . The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the rotational actuator is operatively connected to rotate the jet tube between the first position and the second position around a rotation axis parallel to an axis defined by the drain outlet.
9 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the main spin surface is planar.
10 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the main spin surface is conical, converging towards the drain outlet.
11 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the directional jet system includes a housing with a main inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the housing, wherein the jet tube includes at least one inlet inside the housing in fluid communication to receive flow from the interior of the housing into the jet tube, wherein the rotation actuator is outside of the housing with a shaft extending into housing operatively connected to rotate jet tube inside housing.
12 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the main inlet extends along or parallel to an axis defined by the drain outlet, wherein the rotational actuator is operatively connected to rotate the jet tube between the first position and the second position around a rotation axis oblique to the axis defined by the drain outlet.
13 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the main inlet extends lateral to an axis defined by the drain outlet, wherein the rotational actuator is operatively connected to rotate the jet tube between the first position and the second position around a rotation axis oblique to the axis defined by the drain outlet.
14 . The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the directional jet system includes a seal operatively connected to the spin chamber to seal the jet orifice in a third position of the directional jet system to stop flow into the spin chamber from the directional jet system.
15 . The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the directional jet system includes a check valve operatively connected to the spin chamber to check the jet orifice in a third position of the directional jet system to stop flow into the spin chamber from the directional jet system below a predetermined pressure.
16 . The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the drain outlet feeds into a hydromechanical piston valve assembly.
17 . The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the drain outlet feeds into the hydromechanical piston valve assembly in series with a main flow passage through the hydromechanical piston valve assembly.
18 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a feed arm connected in fluid communication with the drain outlet; and
a spray nozzle connected in fluid communication with the feed arm downstream of the drain outlet for issuing a spray.
19 . A valve system comprising:
a spin chamber having an outlet drain configured to allow flow out of the spin chamber, wherein a main spin surface of the spin chamber is defined around the outlet drain, wherein the spin chamber is circular; and
a directional jet system for a fuel in fluid communication with the spin chamber, wherein the directional jet system includes a member that is configured to move between a first position for directing a tangential flow around the drain, and a second position for directing a radial flow toward the drain;
wherein the member is at least partially within and at a periphery of the spin chamber.