Patent — available for licensing
Magnetically Damped Check Valve
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
Passive valves are essential components in fluid systems, enabling flow control without external actuation. Among these, check valves are a widely used type of passive valve that allows fluid to flow in one direction while preventing reverse flow. They are commonly found in aerospace propulsion systems, industrial processing lines, and energy infrastructure. A major operational issue with check valves is chatter – a rapid, repeated opening and closing oscillation of the valve when the pressure differential across it is insufficient to fully open the valve. Traditional check valves are often underdamped, making them prone to chatter, or overdamped, which can hinder responsiveness and efficiency. Neither approach fully resolves the issue across varying flow conditions. To address this challenge, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center has developed the Magnetic Critically Damped Check Valve, a novel passive valve design that uses magnetic damping to eliminate chatter and improve reliability across a wide range of operating conditions.