Patent Publication Number: US-2021180710-A1

Title: Pressure regulator and method of using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of pressure regulation, and more particularly, to pressure regulators and methods of using the same. 
     Pressure regulators are devices that reduce the input pressure of a fluid or gas to a desired output pressure value. Pressure regulators can be found in various aircraft applications. For example, a pressure regulator can be used as a cabin pressure regulator, a canopy seal pressure regulator, a potable water system pressure regulator, or a waveguide pressure regulator. 
     However, the drop in temperature across the pressure regulator can result in the freezing of gases within the device. For example, carbon dioxide gas within the pressure regulator can freeze to form dry ice. Use of the pressure regulator in a cold environment will exaggerate ice formation. The presence of ice, for example, near an outlet orifice, can disrupt the pressure and fluid flow of gas within the device. 
     Therefore, there is a need to develop a pressure regulator, and method of using the same, which avoids excessive temperature drop, ice formation, pressure disruption, and fluid flow disruption. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed is a pressure regulator, comprising: a first cylindrical chamber; and a second cylindrical chamber located concentrically within the first cylindrical chamber, wherein the first cylindrical chamber is in thermal communication with the second cylindrical chamber; wherein the pressure regulator further comprises at least one of: an internal valve, wherein the internal valve is connected at a first end to the first cylindrical chamber and at a second end to the second cylindrical chamber, and wherein the internal valve is configured to allow the flow of gas from the second cylindrical chamber to the first cylindrical chamber; and an external gas chamber and an external valve, wherein the external gas chamber is located outside the first cylindrical chamber, and wherein the external valve is connected at a first end to the first cylindrical chamber and at a second end to the external gas chamber, wherein the external valve is configured to allow the flow of gas from the external gas chamber to the first cylindrical chamber. 
     Also disclosed is a method of using the pressure regulator, the method comprising: passing hydrogen gas through the first cylindrical chamber; passing carbon dioxide gas and nitrogen gas through the second cylindrical chamber; passing at least a portion of the nitrogen gas from the second cylindrical chamber to the first cylindrical chamber via the internal valve, passing at least a portion of a nitrogen gas from the external gas chamber to the first cylindrical chamber via the external valve, or any combination(s) thereof; and contacting the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas within the first cylindrical chamber, thereby creating an ammonia gas via an exothermic chemical reaction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified diagram of a cross-sectional side view of a pressure regulator according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified diagram of a cross-sectional top-down view of a pressure regulator according to an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 3  is a method flow chart for a method of using a pressure regulator according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed pressure regulator and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a pressure regulator  10 , according to one embodiment, can comprise a first cylindrical chamber  12  and a second cylindrical chamber  14 . The second cylindrical chamber  14  can be located concentrically within the first cylindrical chamber  12 . “Concentrically” can refer to circles, cylinders, or other shapes which share the same center point, or shapes which share approximately the same center point (i.e., the center points may be the same, or the center points may be slightly offset from each other). For example, see center point  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The first cylindrical chamber  12  can be in thermal communication with the second cylindrical chamber  14 . In other words, heat can be transferred between the first cylindrical chamber  12  and the second cylindrical chamber  14 , for example, via conduction and/or convection. In one embodiment, the pressure regulator  10  can comprise an intermediate layer  16  located concentrically between the first cylindrical chamber  12  and the second cylindrical chamber  14 . 
     According to an embodiment, the first cylindrical chamber  12  can be at least partially filled with hydrogen gas. The second cylindrical chamber  14  can be at least partially filled with a combination of carbon dioxide gas and nitrogen gas. For example, the second cylindrical chamber  14  can be at least partially filled with air, for example, ambient air, engine bleed air from an aircraft engine, or any combination(s) thereof. 
     According to an embodiment, the second cylindrical chamber  14  can comprise an outlet orifice  28 . The outlet orifice  28  can be configured to allow the flow of gas (e.g., as indicated by the flow arrow seen in  FIG. 1 ) out of the pressure regulator  10 . For example, the outlet orifice  28  can comprise an outlet valve, wherein the outlet valve is a globe valve, butterfly valve, poppet valve, or any combinations(s) thereof. 
     According to an embodiment, the pressure regulator  10  can comprise an internal valve  26 . The internal valve  26  can be connected at a first end to the first cylindrical chamber  12  and at a second end to the second cylindrical chamber  14 . The internal valve  26  can be configured to allow the flow of gas (e.g., as indicated by the flow arrow seen in  FIG. 1 ) from the second cylindrical chamber  14  to the first cylindrical chamber  12 . The internal valve  26  can be, for example, a one-way valve. A “one-way” valve can refer to a valve that allows flow in only one direction. 
     In addition to the internal valve  26 , or alternatively, the pressure regulator  10  can comprise an external gas chamber  22  and an external valve  24 . The external gas chamber  22  can be located outside the first cylindrical chamber  12 . The external valve  24  can be connected at a first end to the first cylindrical chamber  12  and at a second end to the external gas chamber  22 . The external valve  24  can be configured to allow the flow of gas (e.g., as indicated by the flow arrow seen in  FIG. 1 ) from the external gas chamber  22  to the first cylindrical chamber  12 . The external valve  22  can be, for example, a one-way valve. The external gas chamber  22  can be at least partially filled with nitrogen gas. 
     The first cylindrical chamber  12 , the second cylindrical chamber  14 , the intermediate layer  16 , the internal valve  26 , the external valve  24 , the external gas chamber  22 , or any combination(s) thereof can comprise metal. For example, the metal can be aluminum, stainless steel, or any combination(s) thereof. 
     According to an embodiment, the pressure regulator  10  can comprise one or more loading mechanisms  20 . The loading mechanisms  20  can be in mechanical communication with the second cylindrical chamber  14 . The loading mechanisms  20  can apply force as needed to regulate pressure and flow within the system. For example, a loading mechanism  20  can be a weight, a spring, a piston actuator, a diaphragm actuator, or any combination(s) thereof. The loading mechanisms  20  can also serve as measuring mechanisms. For example, loading mechanisms  20  can be in mechanical communication with the second cylindrical chamber  14  and be configured to measure a gas pressure, a gas flowrate, or any combination(s) thereof within the second cylindrical chamber  14 . The flow of gas is indicated by the flow arrows seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     An aircraft can comprise the pressure regulator  10 . For example, the pressure regulator  10  can be a cabin pressure regulator, a canopy seal pressure regulator, a potable water system pressure regulator, a waveguide pressure regulator, or any combination(s) thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a method  40  of using the pressure regulator  10 , according to one embodiment, comprises step  42 : passing hydrogen gas through the first cylindrical chamber  12 ; and passing carbon dioxide gas and nitrogen gas through the second cylindrical chamber  14 . The flow of gas is indicated by the flow arrows seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method  40  of using the pressure regulator  10  further comprises step  44 : passing at least a portion of the nitrogen gas from the second cylindrical chamber  14  to the first cylindrical chamber  12  via the internal valve  26 , passing at least a portion of a nitrogen gas from the external gas chamber  22  to the first cylindrical chamber  12  via the external valve  24 , or any combination(s) thereof. The flow of gas is indicated by the flow arrows seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method  40  of using the pressure regulator  10  further comprises step  46 : contacting the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas within the first cylindrical chamber  12 , thereby creating an ammonia gas via an exothermic chemical reaction. An “exothermic reaction” can refer to a chemical reaction that releases energy through light or heat. Not wishing to be bound by theory, the heat released by the ammonia reaction can be transferred via conduction and/or convection from the first cylindrical chamber  12  to the second cylindrical chamber  14 . In this way, via the transfer of this excess heat, the pressure regulator  10  disclosed herein, and method  40  of using the same, can avoid excessive temperature drop, ice formation, pressure disruption, and fluid flow disruption. Because the first cylindrical chamber  14  can be at least partially hollow, it can also maintain or even reduce a total weight of the pressure regulator  10 . 
     According to an embodiment, an amount of heat energy released by the exothermic chemical reaction can be greater than or equal to about 50 kilojoules, for example, greater than or equal to about 65 kilojoules, for example, greater than or equal to about 80 kilojoules, for example, greater than or equal to about 90 kilojoules, for example, greater than or equal to about 100 kilojoules. A temperature within the second cylindrical chamber  14  can be about 100 Kelvin to about 300 Kelvin, for example, about 150 Kelvin to about 250 Kelvin, for example, about 175 Kelvin to about 225 Kelvin. A gas flowrate within the second cylindrical chamber  14  can be about 0.01 kilograms per second to about 0.35 kilograms per second, for example, about 0.05 kilograms per second to about 0.3 kilograms per second, for example, about 0.1 kilograms per second to about 0.25 kilograms per second, for example, about 0.15 kilograms per second to about 0.2 kilograms per second. 
     The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof. 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.