초록 ▼

Rotary sequencing valve comprising a rotor having a rotor face rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotor face, wherein the rotor face has a plurality of openings, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rotor includes at least one passa

Rotary sequencing valve comprising a rotor having a rotor face rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotor face, wherein the rotor face has a plurality of openings, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rotor includes at least one passage connecting at least one pair of the plurality of openings. The valve includes a flexible port plate having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side faces the rotor and engages the rotor such that the flexible port plate can be rotated coaxially by the rotor and can move axially with respect to the rotor, wherein the flexible port plate has a plurality of ports between the first and second sides, which ports are aligned with the openings in the rotor face. The valve also includes a stator having a stator face disposed coaxially with the rotor and the flexible port plate, wherein the second side of the flexible port plate is in sealable, slidable rotary contact with the stator face, wherein the stator face has a plurality of openings, some of which are disposed at the selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the plurality of openings extend as passages through the stator. The valve may be used in pressure or temperature swing adsorption systems.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A rotary sequencing valve comprising:(a) a rotor having a rotor face rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotor face, wherein the rotor face has a plurality of openings, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rotor includes at least

1. A rotary sequencing valve comprising:(a) a rotor having a rotor face rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotor face, wherein the rotor face has a plurality of openings, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rotor includes at least one passage connecting at least one pair of the plurality of openings; (b) a flexible port plate having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side faces the rotor and engages the rotor such that the flexible port plate can be rotated coaxially by the rotor and can move axially with respect to the rotor, wherein the flexible port plate has a plurality of ports between the first and second sides, which ports are aligned with the openings in the rotor face; and (c) a stator having a stator face disposed coaxially with the rotor and the flexible port plate, wherein the second side of the flexible port plate is in sealable, slidable rotary contact with the stator face, wherein the stator face has a plurality of openings, some of which are disposed at the selected radial distance from the axis, and wherein the plurality of openings extend as passages through the stator. 2. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 1 which further comprises flow restricting means disposed in the passage connecting the pair of openings for restricting the flow of fluid through the passage.3. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 1 wherein one rotary position of the rotor and the port plate about the axis places a pair of openings in the stator in flow communication with a pair of openings in the flexible port plate, the pair of openings in the rotor face, and the passage in the rotor that connects the pair of openings in the rotor face; and another rotary position of the rotor and the port plate about the axis places another pair of openings in the stator in flow communication with the pair of openings in the flexible port plate, the pair of openings in the rotor face, and the passage in the rotor that connects the pair of openings in the rotor face.4. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 1 wherein one or more of the ports extending through the port plate are arcuate slots, each of which forms a circumferential passageway for fluid flow between an opening in the rotor face and an opening in the stator face.5. A rotary sequencing valve comprising:(a) a rotor equipped to rotate about an axis, wherein the rotor includes a rotor face perpendicular to the axis, a plurality of openings in the rotor face, one or more of which are disposed at a selected radial distance from the axis, and a passage extending between a pair of the openings in the rotor face that places the pair of openings in flow communication; (b) a flexible port plate having a first surface, a second surface, a plurality of ports extending through the port plate from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the ports in the port plate are aligned with the openings in the rotor; (c) axially slidable connecting means extending between the rotor and the first surface of the flexible port plate such that the rotor and port plate can rotate together about the axis; (d) elastic sealing means in sealable contact with the rotor face and in sealable contact with the first surface of the flexible port plate, wherein the elastic sealing means provides a seal surrounding each opening in the rotor face and a seal surrounding each port on the first surface of the flexible port plate so that each opening in the rotor face is in flow communication with each port aligned with that opening; (e) a stator having a stator face disposed coaxially with the rotor and the flexible port plate, wherein the second side of the flexible port plate is in sealable, slidable rotary contact with the stator face, a plurality of openings in the stator face, some of which are disposed at the selected radial distance from the axis, and a plurality of passages extending through the stator, each passage extending through the stator from each of the openings in the stator face, respectively. 6. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 5 wherein one rotary position of the rotor and port plate about the axis aligns a pair of ports with a pair of openings in the stator face, another rotary position of the rotor and port plate about the axis aligns the pair of ports with another pair of openings in the stator face, and yet another rotary position of the rotor and port plate about the axis blocks one or more of the openings in the stator face.7. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 5 which further comprises rotary drive means for rotating the rotor and port plate.8. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 7 wherein the rotary drive means can be operated to drive the rotor and port plate continuously at a constant rotational speed or to position the rotor and port plate discontinuously in a repeatable rotational cycle.9. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 5 wherein the axially slidable connecting means extending between the rotor and the first surface of the flexible port plate comprises cylindrical drive pins on the rotor face which fit into cylindrical drive pin sockets in the first surface of the port plate.10. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 5 wherein the elastic sealing means is selected from the group consisting of(a) grooves surrounding each opening in the first surface of the port plate and elastic O-rings inserted in the grooves, wherein the O-rings protrude beyond the first surface and sealaby contact the rotor face surrounding each opposing opening in the rotor face; (b) grooves surrounding each opening in the rotor face and elastic O-rings inserted in the grooves, wherein the O-rings protrude beyond the rotor face and sealably contact the first surface of the port plate surrounding each opposing opening in the port plate; (c) a sheet of elastic material having a first side adjacent to the first surface of the port plate and a second side adjacent to the rotor face, wherein the sheet has openings which are similar in shape and size to the ports in the port plate, and the first and second sides of the sheet each have raised regions surrounding each opening therein that sealably contact the rotor face surrounding each opposing opening therein and sealably contact the first surface around opposing ports in the port plate; (d) raised regions of elastic material attached to the first surface of the port plate around each port in the port plate; and (e) raised regions of elastic material attached to the rotor face around each opening in the rotor face. 11. The rotary sequencing valve of claim 5 which further comprises means for pressing the rotor face against the elastic sealing means.12. A rotor and port plate assembly for use in a rotary sequencing valve comprising: (a) a rotor equipped to rotate about an axis, wherein the rotor includes a rotor face perpendicular to the axis, a plurality of openings in the rotor face including a first opening and a second opening, and a passage extending between the first opening and the second opening that places them in flow communication, wherein one or more of the openings in the rotor face are disposed at a selected radial distance around the axis;(b) a flexible port plate having a first surface, a second surface, a plurality of ports extending through the port plate including a first port and a second port, wherein the first opening in the rotor face is aligned with the first port in the port plate and the second opening in the rotor face is aligned with the second port in the port plate; (c) axially slidable connecting means extending axially between the rotor and the first surface of the flexible port plate such that the rotor and the port plate can rotate together about the axis; and (d) elastic sealing means in sealable contact with the first surface of the flexible port plate and with the rotor face.