Bidirectional Check Valve
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a high-speed, high-flow active bi-directional check valve for use in a digital pump or motor. These are fluid machines that accept or reject fluid much like conventional pumps and motors. However, bi-directional check valves are used to control fluid into and out of the pumping or motoring chambers instead of a valve plate or a passive check ball like in conventional machines. Elimination of the valve plate reduces pump/motor losses and increases efficiency. Also, pump or motor function can be controlled via electronic control of the bi-directional check valves. Any number of parameters could be controlled such as pressure, flow displacement, power, torque, speed, noise (fluid and structure bourn), pressure ripple, flow ripple, torque ripple, acceleration, and so on by simply changing the control algorithm.
Reduced pump/motor lossBehavior can be controlled electronicallyMany parameters can be manipulated for better performance
Bi-directional check valve
John LumkesPurdue Agricultural and Biological Engineering
United States
None
USA

