Pyrovalve
Product Description
A Pyrovalve is lightweight and reliable. These valves are critical to the liquid and gaseous fluid systems of missiles, launch vehicles, spacecraft and undersea vehicles. Often initiated by a NASA Standard Initiator, such as our Space Standard Initiator, these explosively actuated valves perform the same function as valves by other means. The difference is that the operation of the explosively actuated valve is performed by a pressure cartridge, initiator or detonator. The advantages in the use of explosives as valve operators are twofold: First, the large energy conversion ratio, the long-term storage and the high reliability of the explosive device. Second, the rapid functioning times in milliseconds which are available in no other type of valve. They can be designed in a wide range of sizes, configurations and fluid mediums, including normally-open, normally-closed and multiple valve combinations to successfully support your mission-critical fluid systems from deep sea to deep space. One such example is our Combination Valve.
Download Pyrovalve Datasheet
Key Features
How Pyrovalves Work
Pyrotechnic valves (also known as explosive or one cycle valves) are used to open or close the flow through to a liquid or gas stream.
The input stimulus required to operate the Pyrovalve can be electrical, laser, explosive transfer line, or mechanically fired percussion primer to initiate the gas pressure pulse,
When the normally open or normally closed valve is activated it creates gas that expands rapidly in a confined space resulting in a volume change driving a piston into the flow stream to close or open flow.
The valve with welded connections offers long term zero leakage, and in any configuration can have high burst pressure (factor of safety) to specified operation pressures.
Applications
- Surveyor Moon Lander vehicle 1966 to 1968, fuel pressurizing and venting valve
- Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle fuel tank pressurizing
- Delta missile launch program bi-level pressurization valve
- F111 aircraft escape and flotation system
- Emergency dam gate actuator pressurizing system,
- OCO-2 satellite on Delta II
- Fuel Valve SAAB RBS15 Mk3 Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM),
- Space vehicle (satellite) original for PIONEER SPACECRAFT
- Space valve launched in 2009 on NASA’s WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) astronomical space telescope.
Specifications
- Operating Temperature
Cryogenic to +250°F - Input Stimulus
Within 10 milliseconds @ 5 amps (when electrically initiated)
Within 3 milliseconds from ETL input stimulus - Outputs
Opens or Close off liquid or gas stream flow in transfer system within 12 milliseconds of input stimulus - Applicable Specifications
Qualified to- MIL-DTL-23659
MIL-HDBK-1512
MIL-HDBK-83578
Compliant with MIL-STD-1901A
- MIL-DTL-23659
- Pyrotechnic valve material can be changed to be compatible with mating pluming and corrosion resistance to the flow media
Interface
Pyrovalve designs and configurations can be sized and modified to meet the many requirements
FAQ's
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What are your pyrovalve sizes?
We design our sizes to meet your needs.
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What is the connection method of a pyrovalve?
Welded or threaded.
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What is the initiation method of a pyrovalve?
It is designed to meet your needs (typically 3.5 amps).
