초록 ▼

A fail-safe control system for controlling valves in power generation systems is presented. The AC-coupled, rectified signal supplied to one valve is disabled in the event that the other valve fails. This failure is sensed, for example, through the use of power sensing circuitry configured to sense

A fail-safe control system for controlling valves in power generation systems is presented. The AC-coupled, rectified signal supplied to one valve is disabled in the event that the other valve fails. This failure is sensed, for example, through the use of power sensing circuitry configured to sense and multiply the voltage and current applied to the valve. Components such as capacitors and transformers are used exclusively such that only AC power (and not DC power) is transferred, ensuring that, in the worst case, the valves are disabled in the event of a failure.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A valve control system comprising: a first valve and a second valve; a power sensor circuit coupled to the second valve, the power sensor circuit configured to produce a feedback signal responsive to a measurement of power associated with the second valve; a logical component

What is claimed is: 1. A valve control system comprising: a first valve and a second valve; a power sensor circuit coupled to the second valve, the power sensor circuit configured to produce a feedback signal responsive to a measurement of power associated with the second valve; a logical component having a first input, a second input, and an output, wherein the output is a logical AND of the first and second inputs, the first input being coupled to a first valve signal, and the second input being coupled to the feedback signal; a first transformer driver coupled to the output of the logical component; a second transformer driver coupled to a second valve signal; a first transformer coupled to an output of the first transformer driver; a second transformer coupled to an output of the second transformer driver; a first rectifier circuit coupled to the first transformer and the first valve; and a second rectifier circuit coupled to the second transformer and the second valve. 2. The valve control system of claim 1, wherein the power sensor circuit includes an isolation component. 3. The valve control system of claim 1, further including a capacitive component between the logical component and the first transformer driver. 4. The valve control system of claim 1, wherein the first and second valves are two-state, "normally off" valves. 5. The valve control system of claim 1, wherein the transformer driver comprises a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). 6. The valve control system of claim 1, wherein the first valve comprises an oxygen valve and the second valve comprises a hydrogen valve configured to be used in a bi-propellant system. 7. A method of providing fail-safe control of a power generation system having a first bi-state, normally-off valve and a second bi-state, normally-off valve, the method comprising: receiving a first drive signal and a second drive signal, wherein the first and second drive signals comprise pulse trains; providing a rectified, AC-coupled signal to the first valve in response to the first drive signal; providing a rectified, AC-coupled signal to the second valve in response to the second drive signal; sensing a power measurement associated with the second valve; and removing the rectified, AC-coupled signal from the first valve when the power measurement is substantially zero. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring, via a digital signal processor, the power measurement associated with the second valve. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first valve comprises an oxygen valve and the second valve comprises a hydrogen valve configured to be used in a bi-propellant system. 10. A fail-safe control system for controlling a first bi-state valve and a second bi-state valve in response to a first valve signal and a second valve signal, wherein said first and second valve signals are pulse width modulation signals, said control system comprising: a first valve drive circuit configured to provide AC coupling of the first valve signal to a primary part of a first transformer, wherein a secondary part of the first transformer is coupled to a rectifier configured to drive the first valve; a second valve drive circuit configured to provide AC coupling of the second valve signal to a primary part of a second transformer, wherein a secondary part of the second transformer is coupled a rectifier circuit configured to drive the second valve; a power sensor circuit configured to produce a feedback signal responsive to a measurement of power associated with the second valve; and a fault monitoring circuit coupled to the power sensor circuit, the first valve, and the second valve, said fault monitoring circuit configured to disable the first valve in the event that the feedback signal reflects substantially zero power. 11. The fail-safe control system of claim 9, wherein the first valve comprises an oxygen valve and the second valve comprises a hydrogen valve configured to be used in a bi-propellant system. 12. The fail-safe control system of claim 9, wherein the transformer driver comprises a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). 13. The fail-safe control system of claim 9, wherein the power sensor circuit includes an isolation component.