Electronic pressure regulation system with proportional control valve
An electronic pressure regulation system includes an electronic control unit and a fluid assembly, with the fluid assembly including a fluid control branch having a proportional control valve and a heater. The heater may be a strip heater applied to or a coil wrapped around an external surface of the proportional control valve. The system may further include a latching isolation valve. A secondary fluid control branch can be included, and the fluid control branches can be in parallel. The electronic pressure regulation system can be included in an all-electric satellite. Another electronic pressure regulation system includes an electronic control unit and a fluid assembly, with the fluid assembly including a fluid control branch having a proportional control valve, the proportional control valve including two independently-controlled coils for magnetostrictive actuation.
1. An electronic pressure regulation system comprising:
an electronic control unit; and
a fluid assembly including a fluid control branch having a proportional control valve and a heater, wherein the proportional control valve is magnetostrictively-actuated including an axial expansion element.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heater is a strip heater applied to an external surface of the proportional control valve.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the strip heater is a flexible, planar sheet in which a heating element is disposed.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the flexible, planar sheet is comprised of polyimide or the like.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the strip heater includes a thermometer.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heater is secured to the proportional control valve with tape or film.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heater is a coil wrapped around an external surface of the proportional control valve.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid assembly further includes a latching isolation valve.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid assembly further includes a secondary fluid control branch having a proportional control valve and a heater.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the fluid control branches are in parallel.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the secondary fluid control branch further includes a latching isolation valve.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure transducer interfacing with an upstream node to provide pressure telemetry of a high-pressure side of the system.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure transducer interfacing with a downstream node to provide pressure telemetry of a low-pressure side of the system.
14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor interfacing with a downstream node.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a quantity of xenon as a propellant.
16. An all-electric satellite comprising the electronic pressure regulation system of claim 1 .