Valve Design

Abstract

A valve includes a first pan defining a first array of apertures ( 20 ′) and a second part ( 50 ) defining a second array of apertures ( 60 ′), the first pan ( 10 ′) being moveable relative to the second part ( 50 ) between a first configuration in which passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and a second configuration in which passage of fluid is allowed. In one embodiment, the first pan ( 10 ′) includes a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part ( 50 ) when in the second configuration and lock in the second configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve. The plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve.

1 . A valve comprising a first part defining a first array of apertures and a second part defining a second array of apertures, the first part being moveable laterally relative to the second part between a closed configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are not registered and passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and an open configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are registered and passage of fluid is allowed;
 wherein the first part comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part when in the closed configuration and lock in the closed configuration against lateral movement in response to a pressure differential across the valve.   
     
     
         2 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second parts are configured to lock in the closed configuration against lateral movement in the presence of a pressure differential across the valve by means of limiting friction between the first and second parts. 
     
     
         3 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve. 
     
     
         4 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible plate-like member is constrained to move in the plane of the member by a retaining plate 
     
     
         5 . A valve according to  claim 4 , wherein the first part is constrained to move substantially parallel to a surface defined by the sealing face of the second part. 
     
     
         6 . A valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the first part is supported by the sealing face of the second part during movement between the closed and open configurations. 
     
     
         7 . A valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising an opening mechanism for moving the first part from the closed configuration to the open configuration and a closing mechanism for moving the first part from the open configuration to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the first part further comprises a strengthening member. 
     
     
         9 . A valve according to  claim 8 , wherein the strengthening member comprises an elongate part extending from substantially one lateral side of the first part to a second lateral side of the first part, opposed to the first part. 
     
     
         10 . A valve according to  claim 7 , wherein the first part further comprises a strengthening member and wherein at least one of the opening mechanism and the closing mechanism engage the strengthening member when moving the first part relative to the second part. 
     
     
         11 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises a pair of moveable plates, each plate of the pair comprising a sub-set of the first array of apertures. 
     
     
         12 . A valve according to  claim 11 , wherein each plate of the pair is configured to seal a different group of apertures in the second array of apertures. 
     
     
         13 . A valve according to  claim 11 , wherein each plate of the pair is configured to seal a different section of the same group of apertures in the second array of apertures. 
     
     
         14 . A valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the pair of moveable plates move in opposite directions to one another as the first part moves between the closed and open configurations. 
     
     
         15 . A valve comprising a first part defining a first array of apertures and a second part defining a second array of apertures, the first part being moveable laterally relative to the second part between a closed configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are not registered and passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and an open configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are registered and passage of fluid is allowed;
 wherein the first part comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part when in the closed configuration and lock in the closed configuration against lateral movement in response to a pressure differential across the valve; and   wherein the plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve.   
     
     
         16 . A valve according to  claim 15 , wherein the flexible plate-like member is constrained to move in the plane of the member by a retaining plate. 
     
     
         17 . An expander or compressor including a valve comprising a first part defining a first array of apertures and a second part defining a second array of apertures, the first part being moveable laterally relative to the second part between a closed configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are not registered and passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and an open configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are registered and passage of fluid is allowed;
 wherein the first part comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part when in the closed configuration and lock in the closed configuration against lateral movement due to a pressure differential across the valve.   
     
     
         18 . An expander according to  claim 17 , wherein the expander comprises an expansion chamber and the pressure differential across the valve is between a space inside the expansion chamber and a space outside the expansion chamber. 
     
     
         19 . A compressor according to  claim 17 , wherein the compressor comprises a compression chamber and the pressure differential across the valve is between a space inside the compression chamber and a space outside the compression chamber.