DE102019208943A1 - Valve - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve (1) with a valve closing body (5) which, in order to close or open a medium passage (2), is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive (10) which comprises a valve drive shaft (8) which is used to actuate the valve ( 1) is rotatable about an axis of rotation (13). In order to simplify the actuation of a valve (1), the closing element (5) is arranged in the medium passage (2) and connected to the valve drive shaft (8) that the valve closing element (5 ) is rotatable in the medium passage (2) about the axis of rotation (13) of the valve drive shaft (8).

Description

The invention relates to a valve with a valve closing body which, in order to close or open a medium passage, is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive which comprises a valve drive shaft which is rotatable about an axis of rotation to actuate the valve.

State of the art

From the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2017 218 200 A1 an electrohydraulic system with an adjusting device for a valve is known, with a drive device, with an adjusting device and with a pretensioning device, wherein the energy stored in the pretensioning device can be transferred to the adjusting device in the event of a malfunction, so that a rotary movement of the adjusting device begins, which for Adjustment of the valve leads, the adjusting axis of the adjusting device and the adjusting axis of the valve being arranged coaxially to one another, the adjusting device comprising at least one mechanical threaded spindle and at least one spindle nut, the adjusting device comprising at least one rotatable hydraulic motor. From the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2017 204 253 A1 a valve with a valve bearing arranged in a valve housing and a valve body with a guide element is known, the guide element being arranged in an opening of the valve bearing, the valve body facing the outflow side of the valve and closing or releasing the valve and the valve bearing on the inflow side of the Valve is facing. From the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2011 087 912 A1 a fuel cell system is known, comprising: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, an electrolyte being arranged between the anode and the cathode; a cathode path having a cathode gas guide for supplying cathode gas to the cathode and a cathode exhaust gas guide for discharging cathode exhaust gas from the cathode; an anode path with an anode gas duct for supplying anode gas to the anode and an anode off-gas duct for discharging anode off-gas from the anode, at least one first compression device for compressing cathode gas being provided in the cathode gas duct; and wherein the at least one first compression device can be selectively bridged by the cathode gas through a bypass duct.

Disclosure of the invention

The object of the invention is to simplify the actuation of a valve with a valve closing body, which is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive for closing or opening a medium passage, which valve drive comprises a valve drive shaft which can be rotated about an axis of rotation to actuate the valve.

In the case of a valve with a valve closing body, which is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive for closing or opening a medium passage, which comprises a valve drive shaft which can be rotated about an axis of rotation to operate the valve, the fact that the closing body is in the Medium passage arranged and connected to the valve drive shaft, that the valve closing body is rotatable in the medium passage about the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft. The medium passage can be completely or partially closed or released by the valve closing body. In a closed position, the valve closing body completely closes the medium passage. In an open position, the valve closing body releases the medium passage. The closing body can be rotated in one and the same direction of rotation both from the closed position into the open position and from the open position into the closed position. The medium passage is preferably arranged on a cathode side in a fuel cell system, as is the case, for example, in the German patent application mentioned at the beginning DE 10 2011 087 912 A1 is revealed. Then the valve is also referred to as a cathode valve. The claimed valve has a simple structure and can be manufactured inexpensively. To control the electromotive valve drive, it is particularly advantageous not to need an H-bridge when the valve is operated. An H-bridge, which is also referred to as a full bridge, is an electronic bridge circuit in which five two-pole connections in the form of the capital letter H are interconnected in a basic form.

A preferred exemplary embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the valve can be opened and closed without reversing the direction of rotation of the valve drive. This can significantly reduce the manufacturing costs.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the valve closing body is designed as a valve disk. The valve disk preferably has essentially the shape of a circular disk, with which the medium passage, which is preferably also essentially circular, can be completely closed in a simple manner, possibly with the interposition of a corresponding seal. The seal can be attached to the valve disk or in the medium passage.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the medium passage has the shape of a straight circular cylinder jacket. This provides the advantage that the valve closing body, preferably designed as a valve disk, can be rotated unhindered in the medium passage around the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft, in particular by more than three hundred and sixty degrees. This in turn provides the advantage that the medium passage can be repeatedly opened and closed by rotating the valve drive shaft in only one direction about its axis of rotation. A reversal of the direction of rotation is particularly advantageously not necessary when rotating the valve drive shaft to open and close the valve.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft is arranged at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the medium passage. The longitudinal axis of the medium passage is also referred to as the cylinder axis if the medium passage, as described above, has the shape of a straight circular cylinder jacket. The axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft is particularly advantageously arranged at an angle of forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the medium passage.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that a valve body plane is arranged at an acute angle to the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft. The valve body plane is preferably the plane in which the valve body, which is designed in particular as a valve disk, spreads out flat. The angle between the valve body plane and the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft is advantageously just as large as the angle between the axis of rotation of the valve drive shaft and the longitudinal axis of the medium passage.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the valve closing body is attached to a first end of the valve drive shaft. The first end of the valve drive shaft preferably protrudes into the medium passage. The first end of the valve drive shaft is preferably firmly connected to the valve closing body. Depending on the design, the valve closing body can also be connected in one piece to the first end of the valve drive shaft.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that an actuating body is attached to a second end of the valve drive shaft. The actuating body is preferably firmly connected to the second end of the valve drive shaft. The second end of the valve drive shaft is preferably connected centrally to the actuating body. An actuating force, in particular a rotary movement, for actuating the valve can be transmitted to the valve drive shaft in a simple manner via the actuating body.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the actuating body is designed as a worm wheel which interacts with a worm spindle. An actuating movement for actuating the valve can be represented in a simple manner via the worm spindle, preferably with the aid of an electric motor.

Another preferred embodiment of the valve is characterized in that the actuating body is assigned a sensor device which detects an actuating angle or actuating path of the actuating body. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the valve closing body is assigned a sensor device which detects a closing angle or closing path of the valve closing body. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the valve drive shaft is assigned a sensor device which detects an actuation angle or actuation path of the valve drive shaft. According to a further exemplary embodiment, an electric motor of the electric motor valve drive is assigned a sensor device which detects an actuation angle or actuation travel of the electric motor, in particular a motor shaft of the electric motor. The sensor device can work according to common measuring principles. A potentiometer, for example, can be used to determine the path, in particular the angular position. Alternatively or additionally, the actuation path, in particular the angular position, can be detected inductively or optically.

The invention optionally also relates to a method for actuating a valve described above.

In addition to the previously described function as a cathode valve, in particular as a cathode blocking valve, the proposed valve can also be used for pressure regulation and / or as a bypass valve.

The invention optionally also relates to a fuel cell system with a valve described above. The fuel cell system is, for example, a fuel cell system like the one in the German patent application mentioned at the beginning DE 10 2011 087 912 A1 is revealed.

In the case of fuel cells, it is usual to close the cathode side with the aid of valves when the vehicle is stationary close. This is to prevent oxygen from the environment from diffusing from the cathode to the anode via the membrane. Depending on whether and, if so, how many valves are used, this process can take hours to days. As soon as there is air on the anode of the fuel cell, it is called an air / air start when restarting. This creates very high electrical potential differences in the fuel cell. These lead to great aging of the fuel cell catalysts. Therefore, the valves are used with the aim of keeping the number of air / air starts as low as possible over their service life. This is preferably achieved if one valve is located at the cathode inlet and another is located at the cathode outlet of the fuel cell. However, there are also special cases, which only occur very rarely, in which an air / air start is desired. In these cases, the high potential differences are used to reverse poisoning caused by, for example, carbon monoxide in the catalysts in the fuel cell. The state of the art documents an abundance of different valves to solve this problem.

Three different principles can be used to drive such valves, which are also called cathode valves.

Passive valves are operated via a pressure difference. The pressure difference required for this causes an additional pressure drop on the cathode side and must be overcome by the air module of the fuel cell. With so-called freezing starts, there is a risk that the pressure difference to be generated by the air module will not be sufficient to open a frozen valve. If, as an exception, an air / air start is required, there is no way to control the valves directly.

Valves that are electrically opened or closed usually have a position that occurs when the power is off. To prevent air / air starts, the valves should preferably be closed when de-energized. In the rare case that an air / air start is desired, the valves must then be actively kept open with electricity.

In the case of valves with a spindle or worm drive that is driven by a direct current electric motor, the direction of rotation of the motor must be changed to open and close. To enable a change in the direction of rotation, the control unit that controls the valve needs a so-called H-bridge. With the help of this H-bridge it is possible to reverse the direction of rotation of the electric motor by reversing the polarity of the current flow. An H-bridge increases the costs in the control unit. The claimed valve can be held in the de-energized state both in the open and in the closed position.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description, in which various exemplary embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawing.

Figure list

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Ventils mit einem Ventilschließkörper, der zum Verschließen oder Freigeben eines Mediumdurchlasses betätigungsmäßig mit einem elektromotorischen Ventilantrieb verbunden ist, im Längsschnitt;
• 2 das Ventil aus 1 in einer Seitenansicht; und die
• 3 bis 6 Darstellungen des Ventilschließkörpers mit einer Ventilantriebswelle des elektromotorischen Ventilantriebs in vier verschiedenen Stellungen.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a valve with a valve closing body, which is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive for closing or opening a medium passage, in longitudinal section;
• 2 the valve off 1 in a side view; and the
• 3 to 6th Representations of the valve closing body with a valve drive shaft of the electromotive valve drive in four different positions.

Description of the exemplary embodiments

In the 1 and 2 is a valve 1 shown in different views. With the valve 1 can be a medium passage 2 completely or partially closed or released. The medium passage 1 is made by a piece of pipe 3 limited that the shape of a straight circular cylinder jacket 4th having.

The valve 1 comprises a valve closing body 5 used as a valve disc 6th is trained. The valve disk is used for better sealing 6th on its outer periphery with a seal 7th fitted. The seal 7th is designed, for example, as an O-ring that fits into an annular groove on the outer circumference of the valve disk 6th is inserted.

On the valve disc 6th of the valve closing body 5 is a sublime area 9 educated. The raised area 9 of the valve closing body 5 has the shape of a truncated cone. On the raised area 9 of the valve closing body 5 is a valve drive shaft 8th attached.

The valve drive shaft 8th belongs to a valve drive 10 having an electric motor 18th includes. Hence the valve drive 10 also as an electromotive valve drive 10 designated.

The valve closing body 5 is at a first end 11 the valve drive shaft 8th attached. At a second end 12th the valve drive shaft 8th is an actuator 21st attached. On the Actuator body 21st can the valve drive shaft 8th around an axis of rotation 13 twisted to the valve 1 to operate.

The axis of rotation 13 the valve drive shaft 8th is at an acute angle 17th of preferably forty-five degrees to a valve body level 15th of the valve disc 6th of the valve closing body 5 arranged. In addition, the axis of rotation 13 the valve drive shaft 8th at an acute angle 16 preferably also forty-five degrees to a longitudinal axis 14th the medium passage 2 arranged.

The electric motor 18th of the valve drive 10 is via a motor shaft 19th drive with a worm spindle 20th connected. The worm spindle 20th acts with the actuating body 21st together that as a worm gear 22nd is executed. To operate the valve 1 becomes the electric motor 18th controlled. Via the worm spindle 20th and the worm wheel 22nd becomes the valve disc 6th with the help of the valve drive shaft 8th set in an oscillating motion.

In the 3 to 6th is illustrated that for opening and closing the valve 1 advantageously no change in the direction of rotation of the electric motor 18th necessary is. In 3 it is shown that the valve closing body 5 in the medium passage 2 at a twist angle of the valve drive shaft 8th from zero degrees and three hundred and sixty degrees completely closed.

In 4th you can see that the valve closing body 5 the medium passage 2 partially releases at a twist angle of ninety degrees.

In 5 you can see that the valve closing body 5 the medium passage 2 fully releases at a twist angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, apart from the fact that the valve closing body 5 with the associated end of the valve drive shaft 8th still in the medium passage 2 is arranged.

In 6th you can see that the valve closing body 5 the medium passage 2 partially closes at a twist angle of two hundred and seventy degrees.

For determining the angular position of the valve drive shaft 8th or the valve disk 6th on the valve drive shaft 8th is attached, a sensor device is used, for example 24 that the worm wheel 22nd assigned. Alternatively or additionally, the valve closing body 5 a sensor device 25th be assigned. In addition, the valve drive shaft 8th a sensor device 26th be assigned. Alternatively or additionally, the electric motor 18th a sensor device 27 be assigned. The sensor devices 24 to 27 are in 2 indicated only by rectangles.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102017218200 A1 [0002]
• DE 102017204253 A1 [0002]
• DE 102011087912 A1 [0002, 0004, 0016]

Claims (10)

Valve (1) with a valve closing body (5) which, in order to close or open a medium passage (2), is operatively connected to an electromotive valve drive (10) which comprises a valve drive shaft (8) which, for actuating the valve (1) by a The axis of rotation (13) is rotatable, characterized in that the closing body (5) is arranged in the medium passage (2) and connected to the valve drive shaft (8) in such a way that the valve closing body (5) is in the medium passage (2) around the axis of rotation ( 13) the valve drive shaft (8) is rotatable. Valve after Claim 1 , characterized in that the valve (1) can be opened and closed without reversing the direction of rotation of the valve drive (10). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve closing body (5) is designed as a valve disk (6). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the medium passage (2) has the shape of a straight circular cylinder jacket (4). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axis of rotation (13) of the valve drive shaft (8) is arranged at an acute angle (16) to a longitudinal axis (14) of the medium passage (2). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a valve body plane (15) is arranged at an acute angle (17) to the axis of rotation (13) of the valve drive shaft (8). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve closing body (5) is attached to a first end (11) of the valve drive shaft (8). Valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an actuating body (21) is attached to a second end (12) of the valve drive shaft (8). Valve after Claim 8 , characterized in that the actuating body (21) is designed as a worm wheel (22) which cooperates with a worm spindle (20). Valve after Claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that the actuation body (21) is assigned a sensor device (24) which detects an actuation angle or actuation path of the actuation body (21).

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