Plug Bypass Valves and Heat Exchangers

Abstract

A bypass valve for a heat exchanger including a plurality of parallel tubular members comprises a housing having a hollow plug portion adjacent to an actuator portion. The actuator comprises a reciprocating plunger extending into the plug portion and a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the plunger, wherein the actuator shaft extends upon energization of the solenoid so that the plunger prevents bypass flow through the valve. The valve also comprises a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger, the temperature sensor being electrically coupled to the solenoid through one or more conductors, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the first end of the actuator shaft and the conductors extend through the hollow interior of the actuator shaft to the second end thereof.

1 . A bypass valve for a heat exchanger including a plurality of parallel tubular members having adjacent wall portions defining flow openings in communication to form flow manifolds, the bypass valve comprising:
 a housing having a hollow plug portion with opposed plug walls defining inlet and outlet openings therein, the plug walls being adapted to be sealingly mounted between selected adjacent tubular member wall portions to allow fluid flow respectively between said flow manifolds and said inlet and outlet openings; the housing also having an actuator portion located adjacent to the plug portion;   an actuator releasably mounted in the actuator portion and comprising a reciprocating plunger extending into the plug portion and a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the plunger, wherein the actuator shaft extends upon energization of the solenoid, so that the plunger blocks flow between the inlet and outlet openings, wherein the actuator shaft has a first end to which the plunger is attached, a second end, and a hollow interior, and wherein the actuator further comprises bias means for urging the actuator shaft to retract upon de-energization of the solenoid so as to unblock flow between said inlet and outlet openings; and   a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger, the temperature sensor being electrically coupled to the solenoid through one or more conductors, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the first end of the actuator shaft and the one or more conductors extend through the hollow interior of the actuator shaft to the second end thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A bypass valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical control unit mounted in the housing and electrically connected between the temperature sensor and the solenoid for controlling the movement of the plunger in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         3 . A bypass valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor mounted on the plunger. 
     
     
         4 . A bypass valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the opposed plug walls of the housing plug portion are flat, parallel side walls defining said inlet and outlet openings. 
     
     
         5 . A bypass valve according to  claim 4 , wherein said side walls are spaced apart a predetermined distance so as to determine the spacing between adjacent heat exchanger tubular members. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of parallel, tubular members having adjacent wall portions defining flow openings in communication to form inlet and outlet manifolds for the flow of fluid through the tubular members; and   a bypass valve comprising
 a housing having a hollow plug portion with opposed plug walls defining inlet and outlet openings therein, the plug walls being adapted to be sealingly mounted between selected adjacent tubular member wall portions to allow fluid flow respectively between said flow manifolds and said inlet and outlet openings; the housing also having an actuator portion located adjacent to the plug portion; 
 an actuator releasably mounted in the actuator portion and comprising a reciprocating plunger extending into the plug portion and a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the plunger, wherein the actuator shaft extends upon energization of the solenoid, so that the plunger blocks flow between the inlet and outlet openings, wherein the actuator shaft has a first end to which the plunger is attached, a second end, and a hollow interior, and wherein the actuator further comprises bias means for urging the actuator shaft to retract upon de-energization of the solenoid so as to unblock flow between said inlet and outlet openings; and 
 a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger, the temperature sensor being electrically coupled to the solenoid through one or more conductors, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the first end of the actuator shaft and the one or more conductors extend through the hollow interior of the actuator shaft to the second end thereof. 
   
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the bypass valve further comprises an electrical control unit mounted in the housing and electrically connected between the temperature sensor and the solenoid for controlling the movement of the plunger in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor mounted on the plunger. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the tubular members are formed of plate pairs having enlarged distal end portions joined together to form said inlet and outlet manifolds, said plug walls being spaced-apart flat, parallel side walls defining said inlet and outlet openings and being joined to adjacent enlarged distal end portions of the adjacent plate pairs. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein said side walls are spaced apart a predetermined distance so as to determine the spacing between adjacent heat exchanger tubular members. 
     
     
         11 . A bypass valve for a heat exchanger, comprising:
 (a) a housing comprising:
 (i) a first opening and a second opening to permit fluid to flow through the valve; 
 (ii) a first valve chamber which is arranged between the first and second openings and is in flow communication with both the first and second openings; 
 (iii) a second valve chamber in flow communication with the first valve chamber; 
 (iv) a third opening in communication with the second valve chamber; and 
 (v) a valve port which is arranged between the first and second valve chambers, wherein the second valve chamber is arranged between the third opening and the valve port; and 
   (b) a temperature-responsive actuator mounted in the housing and comprising:
 (i) a reciprocating sealing member extending into the first valve chamber; 
 (ii) a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the sealing member, wherein the actuator shaft extends upon energization of the solenoid, so that the sealing member seals the valve port and blocks flow between the first and second valve chambers, wherein the actuator shaft has a first end to which the sealing member is attached, a second end, and a hollow interior; 
 (iii) bias means for urging the actuator shaft to retract upon de-energization of the solenoid so as to unblock flow between said inlet and outlet openings; and 
 (iv) a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fluid flowing through the valve, the temperature sensor being electrically coupled to the solenoid through one or more conductors, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the first end of the actuator shaft and the one or more conductors extend through the hollow interior of the actuator shaft to the second end thereof. 
   
     
     
         12 . A bypass valve according to  claim 11 , further comprising an electrical control unit mounted in the housing and electrically connected between the temperature sensor and the solenoid for controlling the movement of the sealing member in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . A bypass valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor mounted on the first end of the actuator shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The bypass valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the actuator shaft and the first and second valve chambers are aligned along a common axis, and wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring housed in the second valve chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The bypass valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing further comprises a fourth opening which is in flow communication with the second valve chamber, and wherein the second valve chamber is arranged between the third and fourth openings. 
     
     
         16 . The bypass valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a valve cover which closes the first valve chamber and which has a central opening through which the actuator shaft extends, wherein the solenoid is mounted to the valve cover. 
     
     
         17 . The bypass valve according to  claim 12 , wherein the second end of the actuator shaft extends through the solenoid and is provided with a plunger plate to which the electrical control unit is mounted. 
     
     
         18 . The bypass valve according to  claim 12 , wherein the housing further comprises a control unit compartment in which electrical control unit is housed.