Patent ID: 7832651

Claim:
A fluid mixing valve for producing a mixed fluid stream from first and second fluid streams having different, varying temperatures and pressures, said mixed fluid stream having a substantially stable, preselected temperature of a magnitude between the temperatures of said first and second fluid streams, said fluid mixing valve utilizing substantially the full flow of fluid in the relatively short and wide control channels, said mixing valve comprising: a) a housing comprising: i) a first fluid inlet for admitting said first fluid stream; ii) a second fluid inlet for admitting said second fluid stream; and iii) a first fluid outlet for a resulting said mixed fluid stream; and b) a mixing regulation assembly displaceably disposed within said housing, comprising: i) a mixing element having spaced apart third and fourth fluid inlets, and a second fluid outlet arranged in fluid flow communication with said third and fourth fluid inlets, said third and fourth fluid inlets being arranged so as to permit the flow therethrough of said first and second fluid streams so as to facilitate mixing thereof into said mixed fluid stream, said second fluid outlet being arranged so as to facilitate outflow therethrough of said mixed fluid stream, ii) a flow divider, arranged in fluid flow communication with said second fluid outlet, operative to divide said mixed stream into two component streams each having rates of flow and pressures which are substantially equal to those of the other; iii) at least one flow controlling mechanism for increasing the flow of one of said two component streams and decreasing the flow of the other of said two component streams in concert, so as to induce a pressure differential between said two component streams; iv) at least one thermally responsive element arranged to be in fluid flow and in heat transfer communication with at least one of said two component streams and operative, to control said at least one flow controlling mechanism in response to a difference between the temperature of said two component streams and said preselected temperature; and v) a recombination and discharge means for recombining said two component steams into said mixed fluid stream for output from said fluid mixing valve via said first fluid outlet; wherein, in response to a difference between the temperature of said two component streams and said preselected temperature resulting from a change in temperature or pressure of at least one of said first and second fluid streams, said mixing regulation assembly is operative in response to the induced pressure differential between said two component fluid streams, to adjust the relative flows of said first and second fluid streams so as to counterbalance the difference between the temperatures of said two component streams and said preselected temperature, thereby substantially restoring said mixed fluid stream to said preselected temperature.