EP1902214B1 - Pressure relief device - Google Patents

Abstract

A pressure relief device usable in a high-pressure fluid circuit for limiting the pressure in the case of a failure of a circuit component is provided, the device includes a body with a pusher sliding therein and axially movable by a spring. A ball seals an orifice connecting a chamber receiving a high-pressure fluid and another chamber. The other chamber includes at least one fluid discharge opening and the ball being held by the spring in a position closing the orifice below a predetermined pressure. The pusher devoid of axial through channels for the fluid, slides in the body and closes at least partially each discharge opening. At least one of discharge openings is connected to an opening also embodied in the body and open at least partially to the opposite side of the pusher.

Description

The present invention applies to a pressure limiter that can be used in a high-pressure fluid circuit to limit the pressure in the event of failure of one of the components of the circuit. It is in fact a pressure relief valve used for example in common rail fuel injection systems.

The device has in this case a function of safety and protection of the system by reducing the pressure in case of malfunction of one of the control components (injector, pressure sensor, flow regulator). In this example, which will be the thread of this description, the pressure relief valve is subjected to the high pressure of the injection system, that which exists inside the common rails used for injection into the engines. This pressure can range from 200 to 2000 bars depending on the systems.

This type of discharge valve is conventionally constituted by a jacket, forming the outer casing, inside which slides a pusher axially biased by return means and actuating means for closing off an orifice communicating in certain conditions an upstream chamber for admission of the high-pressure fluid with an exhaust downstream chamber. The latter is delimited by the wall of the liner, one side of the pusher and the wall opposite in which is practiced the closable orifice. The downstream chamber then comprises at least one exhaust opening of the fluid, for example to the vehicle tank. To be able to play its role of unloading valve only in case of a problem, the sealing means are maintained in the closed position of the orifice by the return means within a predetermined pressure threshold in the upstream chamber. This threshold is determined by the use of biasing means of suitable caliber.

In the devices of the prior art, the sealing means generally consist of a ball which closes a conical seat formed in the pierced wall of the communication orifice between the chambers, the ball being then pressed against said seat by the action of the spring on the pusher. Devices like the one disclosed in the document U.S. 4,062,336 , with a ballless valve, are not suitable for the required operating pressures.

When the action due to the pressure existing in the high-pressure circuit (that is to say in the common rail) becomes greater than the initial spring load, the ball moves and in principle allows the limitation of the pressure by discharging the excess flow to the downstream chamber, then exhausting to a reservoir. In known limiting devices, the pusher has a protrusion allowing it to exert an action on the ball. In the closed position, this protrusion is moreover planned in length such that the or the exhaust openings of the fluid existing in the downstream chamber are not covered by the pusher, leaving these openings fully functional in all circumstances. The pusher further comprises axial flats allowing the passage of fluid to the opposite side of the pusher, the one on which the spring acts.

This configuration, however, actually leads to increase the discharge pressure when the flow increases, under the combined effect of the hydraulic stiffness, which is related to the dynamics of the fluid in the expansion phase, and the stiffness of the spring. In other words, and the calculation of the equation of this curve confirms it, the discharge pressure follows a characteristic curve which sees the pressure increase as the flow increases from the threshold value of opening of the orifice.

However, this device is a safety device, supposed to limit the increase in pressure to avoid damaging the system components. In order for it to perform its function correctly, it would therefore be necessary that, when the closure means open, the pressure decreases or, at worst, remains constant.

This is not the case for the devices used so far, which devote an opposite effect since the pressure continues to rise when the flow increases.

The present invention proposes to overcome this disadvantage, and to promote a solution to achieve a real decrease in the value of the pressure in the high pressure circuit when the discharge valve is open. The constructive arrangement which is the subject of the invention allows for this effect a compensation of the hydrodynamic effect which was not taken into account in the previous devices. This compensation is mainly aimed at reducing the pressure gradient when the flow rate to be discharged increases.

According to the invention, to achieve this objective, the pusher, conventionally devoid of axial passageways for the fluid and sliding with a small functional clearance in the liner, is further dimensioned to partially obstruct each exhaust opening, including at least one is connected to an opening also made in the liner and opening at least partially on the opposite side of the pusher, so as to provide a back pressure.

The covering of the exhaust openings creates a hydraulic restriction to the rights of said openings. And, under the effect of the discharge rate, this restriction and the absence of passageways in the pusher creates an overpressure in the downstream chamber, which acts on the pusher and decreases the action of the spring depending on the intensity flow.

The increase in pressure in the high-pressure circuit is thus controlled in the direction of a limitation when the flow rate increases.

The concomitant existence of an opening made in the jacket on the other side of the pusher and connected to the exhaust openings in fact allows the creation of a differential pressure on either side of the pusher.

In sum, the overpressure caused by the discharge rate on the side of the hydraulic restrictions on the one hand, and the return pressure on the other side of the pusher on the other hand, result in generating on the latter an opposing effort. to the action of the spring and decreases its load as a function of the discharge rate.

As was already the case in its predecessors, the pressure limiter of the invention comprises closure means consisting of a ball housed in a hemispherical seat whose bottom is pierced with the communication port between the upstream chambers and downstream.

The ball also cooperates with an extension protruding axially from the pusher and which exerts an axial direction action on it.

This protrusion, in addition to its function of transmitting the movement of the pusher to the ball, is particularly well suited to the configuration that is the subject of the invention. Preferably, the hemispherical seat is in fact disposed at the bottom of an axial well opening into the downstream chamber, which extends the orifice connecting the chambers and is adapted to accommodate the projection protruding from the pusher.

The existence of the well is made almost necessary by the performance of the device of the invention, which result in better compensating the action of the return means when the flow increases, which may involve a greater displacement of the pusher when s away from the seat of the ball.

Not to lose the ball, it is important that the axial protrusion beyond said pusher plunges into the mentioned well, to keep the ball even when it moves away from the seat.

According to one possible alternative, the axial protrusion protruding from the pusher and the ball are in one piece.

For manufacturing reasons, the upstream chamber, the orifice connecting the upstream and downstream chambers, and the seat of the closure means are arranged in a single piece closing one end of the jacket.

This part, manufactured separately, is simply attached to one end of the jacket, obstructing the bore in which the slide pushes.

Preferably, the return means consist of a compression spring. In this case, the ends of the spring are fixed on two axial studs respectively protruding from the pusher and a plug closing the end of the sleeve opposite the high pressure chamber.

In terms of manufacture, said cap obeys the same logic as the part in which the seat of the ball is made.

According to a preferred configuration, the downstream chamber has two exhaust openings, as already mentioned, which make it possible to return the fluid discharged from the high-pressure circuit to for example a fuel tank.

• la figure 1 représente le schéma général d'un système d'injection de carburant doté d'un limiteur de pression selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 montre un limiteur de l'art antérieur, avec un agrandissement de la bille d'obturation et de son siège ;
• la figure 3 représente la courbe de la pression dans le circuit à haute pression en fonction du débit obtenue avec une telle configuration ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe de la configuration qui fait l'objet de la présente invention ; et
• la figure 5 représente la courbe des pressions en fonction des débits obtenue avec cette nouvelle configuration.

The invention will now be described with reference to the appended figures, for which:

• the figure 1 represents the general diagram of a fuel injection system equipped with a pressure limiter according to the invention;
• the figure 2 shows a limiter of the prior art, with an enlargement of the ball shutter and its seat;
• the figure 3 represents the curve of the pressure in the high-pressure circuit as a function of the flow rate obtained with such a configuration;
• the figure 4 is a sectional view of the configuration which is the subject of the present invention; and
• the figure 5 represents the pressure versus flow curve obtained with this new configuration.

With reference to the figure 1 , the common rail (20) containing the injectors (21) is fed with fuel by a high pressure pump (22) extracting the gasoline from a tank (23) via a solenoid valve (24) for regulating the inlet flow rate . A pressure sensor (25), also arranged in the common rail (20), is connected to an electronic central unit (26) which controls in particular the solenoid valve (24).

The system pressure is limited, in the event of failure of one of the circuit control components, by discharging the flow to the return drain of the pump (22). This discharge is done in the pressure limiter (27) which constitutes the invention. The fuel thus evacuated is returned to a reservoir (28).

The pressure limiter (27) is in this case a purely mechanical component. Those used today, an example of which is shown in figure 2 , are based on a jacket (4) forming the outer casing of the limiter, and provided with a central bore in which can slide a pusher (3). It is closed at its ends on the one hand by a part (1) at which is made the connection to the high-pressure circuit, and secondly by a plug (6).

The action of the fluid at high pressure is symbolized by the arrow P. This fluid is first admitted into an upstream high pressure chamber (7) made in the piece (1), which communicates with the seat (8) of the ball (see enlargement) via an orifice (9).

The seat (8) of the ball (2) flares towards a chamber (10) downstream delimited by the inner wall of the part (1), one side of the pusher (3) and the inner wall of the sleeve (4). ).

The ball (2), which acts as a sealing means, is pressed against its seat (8) by an axial protrusion (11) protruding from the pusher (3). In the closed position of the orifice (9), as shown in FIG. figure 2 this protrusion (11) has a length such that the axial dimension of the downstream chamber (10) thus created is sufficient to prevent any covering of the exhaust openings (12, 12 ') by the pusher (3). The equilibrium state in the closed position results from the existence of a spring (5) which recalls the pusher (3), and consequently the ball (2), in the closed position.

This spring (5) is centered at its two ends respectively to the pusher (3) and the plug (6) by axial studs (13, 14) which protrude. The fluid discharged from the high pressure circuit to the downstream chamber (10) when the ball (2) stops closing the orifice (9) escapes to a reservoir, which symbolizes the arrow T.

• Avec : F_RO : effort initial du ressort sur la bille ;
• K_R : raideur du ressort ;
• X_b : levée de la bille ;
• P_rail : pression du système ;
• ΔP_{hydrodynamique} : diminution de pression au droit de la section de fermeture due à la mise en vitesse ;
• S_F : section de fermeture.

In this configuration, the balance of the ball during a discharge phase is governed by the following relation: $${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}{\mathrm{x\; X}}_{\mathrm{b}}\mathrm{=}\left({\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{rail}}\mathrm{-}\mathrm{\Delta }{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamic}}\right){\mathrm{x\; S}}_{\mathrm{F}}$$

• With: F _RO : initial force of the spring on the ball;
• K _R : spring stiffness;
• X _b : lifting of the ball;
• P _rail : system pressure;
• ΔP _hydrodynamic : pressure decrease at the closing section due to speeding up;
• S _F : closing section.

avec KP_{hydrodynamique} : raideur hydrodynamique du sous-ensemble bille/siège. En remplaçant dans (1), nous obtenons: $${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{rail}}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}{\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{F}}\left[{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{b}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right)\left({\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamique}}\right)\right]$$

ΔP _hydrodynamic depends directly on the flow and therefore the closing section as well as the lifting of the ball. $$\mathrm{\Delta }{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamic}}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamic}}\mathrm{/}{\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{F}}{\mathrm{xX}}_{\mathrm{b}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right)$$

with _hydrodynamic KP: _hydrodynamic stiffness of the ball / seat subassembly. Replacing in (1), we obtain: $${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{rail}}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}{\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{F}}\left[{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{b}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right)\left({\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamic}}\right)\right]$$

The characteristic curve that corresponds to this equation is the one that appears in figure 3 . As a result, from a threshold value opening of the ball (2), the discharge pressure follows a characteristic law as it grows as the flow increases. This results, as appears in equation (1), of the hydraulic stiffness and the stiffness of the spring.

Such an operation is not compatible with the security requirement that attaches to this type of device.

The modified configuration which is the subject of the invention, and appears in figure 4 , improves a number of constructive arrangements to remedy this disadvantage.

In this new configuration, the reference numbers have been retained when they apply to components or elements that were already in the configuration of the prior art.

With respect to the latter, the major changes concern the pusher (3), the positioning of the seat (8) and the existence of an additional opening (15) in the body of the jacket (4).

The pusher (3), now devoid of axial passages for the fluid, is further dimensioned so that, when it holds the ball (2) against its seat (8), it impinges on the surfaces of the openings (12). , 12 '), thus creating a hydraulic restriction to the rights of these openings. Under the effect of the discharge rate, an overpressure is created in the chamber (10). The opening (15), connected to at least one of the openings (12, 12 '), imposes on the side of the pusher (3) at which it opens a pressure identical to the pressure of the exhaust fluid as it is located at the openings (12, 12 ').

The two opposite cross sections of the pusher (3) therefore receive a different pressure. This differential creates on the pusher (3) a force that tends to oppose the action of the spring, and reduces, depending on the discharge rate, the load of the spring (5) on the ball (2).

• Avec : F_RO : effort initial du ressort sur la bille ;
• K_R : raideur du ressort ;
• X_b : levée de la bille ;
• P_A : pression différentielle dans la chambre (10) générée par le recouvrement poussoir/corps ;
• S_p : section du poussoir.

En considérant l'équation (1), nous obtenons : $${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{rail}}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}{\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{F}}\left[{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{b}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right)\left({\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{Phydrodynamique}}-{\mathrm{\beta }}_{\mathrm{A}}\right)\right]$$

In this case, the force received by the ball (2) of the pusher (3) is: $${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}{\mathrm{x\; X}}_{\mathrm{b}}-{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{AT}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right){\mathrm{x\; S}}_{\mathrm{p}}$$

• With: F _RO : initial force of the spring on the ball;
• K _R : spring stiffness;
• X _b : lifting of the ball;
• P _A : differential pressure in the chamber (10) generated by the pusher / body cover;
• S _p : section of the pusher.

Considering equation (1), we obtain: $${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{rail}}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}{\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{F}}\left[{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{RO}}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{b}}\left(\mathrm{Q}\right)\left({\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{R}}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{hydrodynamics}}-{\mathrm{\beta }}_{\mathrm{AT}}\right)\right]$$

With _βA = P _A (X _b) xS _P, depending on the pressure in the downstream chamber (10) generated by the discharge rate.

The new value of P _rail results in a characteristic rail pressure curve as a function of the flow rate as shown in FIG. figure 5 .

It is therefore clear that the new configuration reduces the pressure in the high pressure circuit even when the flow increases, which is true to the purpose of the product.

Given the differential pressure that exists between the downstream chamber (10) and the side of the pusher (3) cooperating with the spring (5), the displacement of said pusher (3) can be substantially greater than in the versions of the prior art. In order not to lose the ball (2), its seat (8) was then placed at the bottom of a well (16) which guides and centers surplus the protrusion (11) protruding from the pusher (3) at the time of the making. The protrusion (11) prevents in any case the output of the ball (2).

The configuration of the invention allows in particular a significant reduction in the dimensions of the limiter of the invention. However, it is only one possible example of implementation of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Pressure limiter (27) that can be used in a high-pressure fluid circuit in order to limit the pressure in the event of failure of one of the components of the circuit, consisting of a sleeve (4) inside which there slides a plunger (3) axially urged by return means (5) and actuating shut-off means (2) that shut off an orifice (9) causing an upstream high-pressure fluid intake chamber (7) to communicate with a downstream chamber (10) delimited by the sleeve (4), one side of the plunger (3) and the pierced wall of the said orifice (9), the said downstream chamber (10) comprising at least one fluid exhaust opening (12, 12') and the shut-off means (2) being kept by the return means (5) in a position in which they shut off the orifice (9) below a predetermined threshold pressure in the upstream chamber (7), the plunger (3) having no axial passageways for the fluid and sliding with a small functional clearance in the sleeve (4), characterized in that it is dimensioned to partially obstruct each exhaust opening (12, 12'), at least one of which is connected to an opening (15) likewise made in the sleeve (4) and at least partially opening onto the opposite side of the plunger (3), the shut-off means consisting of a ball (2) lodged in a hemispherical seat (8) the bottom of which is pierced with the orifice (9) that provides the communication between the upstream (7) and downstream (10) chambers, the said ball (2) interacting with a protrusion (11) extending axially beyond the plunger (3) and which applies an axially directed action to the ball (2).
2. Pressure limiter (27) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hemispherical seat (8) is positioned in the bottom of an axial well opening into the downstream chamber (10), which extends the orifice (9) that connects the chambers (7, 10) and is able to house the protrusion (11) extending beyond the plunger (3).
3. Pressure limiter (27) according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the axial protrusion (11) extending beyond the plunger (3) and the ball (2) are made as a single piece.
4. Pressure limiter (27) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upstream chamber (7), the orifice (9) that connects the upstream (7) and downstream (10) chambers and the seat (8) of the shut-off means (2) are arranged in a component (1) that closes off one of the ends of the sleeve (4).
5. Pressure limiter (27) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return means consist of a compression spring (5).
6. Pressure limiter (27) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the ends of the spring (5) are fixed to two axial blocks (13, 14) which respectively protrude from the plunger (3) and from an end cap (6) that closes the end of the sleeve (4) at the opposite end to the high-pressure chamber (7).
7. Pressure limiter (27) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the downstream chamber (10) comprises two exhaust openings (12, 12').

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