CFD analysis of the characteristics of a proportional flow control valve with an innovative opening shape

• Published in: Energy conversion and management Vol. 123; pp. 15 - 28
• Main Authors: Lisowski, Edward, Filo, Grzegorz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2016
• Subjects: CFD analysis; Computer simulation; Flow characteristics; Flow control; Jet angle; Mathematical models; Matlab; Proportional flow control valve; Simulation; Spools; Throttles; Valves; Flow characteristics; Jet angle; Simulation; CFD analysis; Proportional flow control valve
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2016.06.025

•Research on characteristics of a proportional flow control valve.•Carrying out simulations in Matlab/Simulink and experiments on a test bench.•Concept of determining flow forces on the basis of the jet angle.•A proposal of using valve spool with the triangular openings instead of round.•Widening the proportional adjustment range of spool position by triangular openings. The main objective of this article is to analyse the flow characteristics of a proportional flow control valve and to improve its characteristics by means of geometrical modifications of the valve spool. As the first step, a geometrical model of the valve was built in a CAD system and flow analyses were carried out using CFD methods. Two types of openings in the spool were tested: a round and a triangular one. Simulations were conducted with various values of throttle gap width, flow rate and input pressure. Based on the obtained results, the jet angle was determined as a function of throttle gap width for both types of openings. Then, a mathematical model of the valve was formulated. Based on the mathematical model, a simulation model was built in Matlab/Simulink. The results of the simulation results showed that the use of triangular openings in a throttle valve spool instead of standard round openings increased the proportional operating range of the valve by approximately 40%. The obtained simulation results were verified experimentally on a test bench.