SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATED PILOT CONTROLLED LATCHING VALVE

摘要

A latching valve (100) is provided. The latching valve (100) comprises a valve seal (102) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively open a fluid communication path between a fluid inlet port (330) and a fluid outlet port (331). The latching valve (100) also includes a first pilot valve seal (104a) movable between a first position and a second position. The first pilot valve seal (104a) selectively provides a pressurized fluid to a pilot control chamber (332), wherein pressurized fluid within the pilot control chamber (332) biases the valve seal (102) towards the first position. The latching valve (100) also includes a second pilot valve seal (104b) movable between a first position and a second position. The second pilot valve seal (104b) selectively exhausts the pressurized fluid in the pilot control chamber (332). The latching valve (100) also includes one or more shape memory alloy elements (106a, 106b) to actuate one or more of the first and second pilot valve seals (104a, 104b) between the first and second positions upon heating above a transformation temperature.