Aviation bypass valve including a shape memory alloy material
An aviation bypass valve for use in a heat exchanger apparatus, including a shape memory alloy material. The heat exchanger apparatus further including an air-cooled oil cooler disposed in a bypass fan duct of an aircraft engine. The heat exchanger apparatus including a bypass valve in fluid communication with the air cooled oil cooler. The bypass valve including a valve body, a piston disposed in the valve body and moveable therein and an actuation component. The actuation component including a shape memory alloy. The actuation component responsive to a change in at least one of a thermal condition and a pressure exerted thereon so as to move the piston, thereby opening and closing the bypass valve.
1. A bypass valve comprising:
a valve body;
a piston disposed in the valve body, and moveable therein to open and close the valve; and
an actuation component, wherein the actuation component is at least one of a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring or a linear SMA component, the actuation component responsive to a change in at least one of a thermal condition and a pressure exerted thereon so as to move the piston, thereby opening and closing the bypass valve, and wherein the actuation component is in direct fluid communication with a fluid having a flow velocity when the bypass valve is in a closed position.
2. The bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuation component is configured to move the piston to a closed position in response to a predetermined temperature exerted thereon.
3. The bypass valve of claim 2 , wherein the actuation component is configured to move the piston to an open position in response to a predetermined temperature exerted thereon.
4. The bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuation component is a linearly configured shape memory alloy component and a single shape memory alloy spring.
5. The bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the bypass valve is configured for use in an aerospace application.
6. The bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the bypass valve is configured for use in an oil cooling system of an aircraft engine.
7. The bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the bypass valve is configured to provide a bypass for at least a portion of a hot engine oil from an engine directed toward a surface cooler and direct it back to the engine prior to reaching the surface cooler.
8. A heat exchanger apparatus for use in an oil cooling system of an aircraft engine comprising:
an air-cooled oil cooler disposed in a bypass fan duct of the aircraft engine; and
a bypass valve, in fluid communication with the air-cooled oil cooler, the bypass valve comprising:
a valve body;
a piston disposed in the valve body, and moveable therein to open and close the valve; and
an actuation component, wherein the actuation component is at least one of a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring or a linear SMA component, the actuation component responsive to a change in at least one of a thermal condition and a pressure exerted thereon so as to move the piston, thereby opening and closing the bypass valve, and wherein the actuation component is in direct fluid communication with a fluid having a flow velocity when the bypass valve is in a closed position.
9. The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the actuation component is configured to move the piston to a closed position in response to a predetermined temperature exerted thereon and to an open position in response to a predetermined temperature exerted thereon.
10. The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the shape memory alloy is comprised of a nickel-titanium alloy.
11. The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger apparatus is configured for use in an oil cooling system of an aircraft engine.
12. The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the bypass valve is configured to provide a bypass for at least a portion of a hot engine oil directed toward the air-cooled oil cooler and direct it back to the engine prior to reaching the air-cooled oil cooler.
13. An engine comprising:
a core engine; and
a heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
an air-cooled oil cooler disposed in a bypass fan duct of an aircraft engine; and
a bypass valve, in fluid communication with the air-cooled oil cooler, the bypass valve comprising:
a valve body;
a piston disposed in the valve body, and moveable therein to open and close the valve; and
an actuation component, wherein the actuation component is at least one of a single shape memory alloy (SMA) spring or a linear SMA component, the actuation component responsive to a change in at least one of a thermal condition and a pressure exerted thereon so as to move the piston, thereby opening and closing the bypass valve, and wherein the actuation component is in direct fluid communication with a fluid having a flow velocity when the bypass valve is in a closed position.
14. The engine of claim 13 , wherein the bypass valve is configured for use in an oil cooling system of an aircraft engine.