Fluid flow is a function of fluid dynamics and it applies to all fluids and gases. For instance, there is something called a “butterfly” valve that controls the flow of air into transportation engines that use gasoline or diesel fuel. This butterfly valve has been around since the very first engines; it is like a coin inserted into a tube that can be rotated on its axis to allow more air to pass. It, normally, has a small hole in it to allow enough air through to start the engine when it is in the closed position.
This improved valve idea is a better way to control the flow of air into an engine. It also applies to the flow of air from a jet engine and the flow of liquid in a pipeline.
Ok. What is this new improved valve idea? Simple. The simple ideas are always the best. Visualize two cone drinking cups (like they have at the water bottle). Fold one of them flat, and take a scissor and cut the bottom third away from it. Now, expand that cup back into 3-d and insert the second, uncut cup into and out-of the cup with the bottom third cut-off. By pulling the whole cup into and out-of the cut cup, a new, much improved valve is created.
This new valve is much better because it allows the air to flow like a vortex and without the turbulence of the butterfly valve. There is much, more, fine, control of the air (or liquid) flow which can be critically important to the process down-stream from the valve.
I mentioned jet engines above. Our fighters, like the F-15, F-22 and F-35 all use something called vector-thrust which uses a cone to force the thrust through a smaller hole. This approach also allows the restricted flow cone to point the thrust up, down and sideways allowing the plane to maneuver in many new ways. Definitely, an improvement, but it does not apply to “normal” , commercial jet engines. The new Cone-2-Cone (C2C) valve would allow jet engine to efficiently adjust the thrust of their engines during take-off and cruising at different altitudes.
I also mentioned pipe lines. Now, when pipelines have to push liquids up-hill, they must inset a pump into the pipeline to increase pressure to get the liquid up the hill. But when ever they do this, there is always pressure management issues downstream. A better way to do this is to insert a Cone-2-Cone valve and use the restricted flow size to locally increase pressure for the uphill portion and another C2C valve on the downhill portion to reduce it, if necessary. Using C2C valve technology, pipeline pressure management can be much more dynamic and less expensive.
I retain all rights to these ideas.