Actuation Chamber Check Valve Reduces Chatter Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Check valves experience premature wear due to rapid opening and closing ('chatter') caused by fluctuating flow pressures, which can damage internal components like the poppet and spring.
Innovation Solution
A check valve assembly with an actuation chamber and a piston assembly that includes a poppet, flange, and shaft, where the actuation chamber receives pressure from an actuation fluid to bias the piston assembly, allowing it to open before sufficient pressure is reached at the inlet port, reducing the impact on internal components and minimizing chatter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional check valve design is used, then the valve structure is simple, but the valve experiences premature wear due to rapid opening and closing (chatter) caused by fluctuating flow pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into two distinct chambers: a flow chamber for main fluid passage and an actuation chamber for pressure control. This segmentation allows independent control of the poppet opening mechanism, enabling the valve to open at lower inlet pressures and reduce chatter-induced wear on internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
An actuation fluid is introduced as an intermediary substance in the actuation chamber to mediate the opening of the poppet. This actuation fluid responds to outlet pressure changes and facilitates controlled valve opening before inlet pressure reaches critical levels, preventing harmful chatter.
2Reliability
If the valve opens only when inlet pressure exceeds cracking pressure, then the valve structure remains simple, but the valve undergoes forceful impact on internal components causing wear
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation chamber enables preliminary action by allowing the poppet to open in response to outlet pressure changes before the inlet pressure reaches the cracking pressure threshold. This preliminary opening action prevents forceful impact on internal components when high-pressure flow conditions occur.
3Reliability
If a piloted valve design is used, then the valve can open before inlet pressure reaches cracking pressure, but the valve structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the check valve function with piloted valve control mechanisms by integrating the actuation chamber and piston assembly directly into the valve body. This combination achieves stable controlled opening before cracking pressure while maintaining a unified valve structure rather than separate components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the severity of internal component wear by preventing the piston assembly from forcefully impacting internal components and minimizing rapid opening and closing, thereby reducing wear and maintaining the valve in a stable open position even during high-pressure transients.
Implementation Method 1
A biasing member is operably coupled to the piston assembly. The biasing member is configured to bias the piston assembly to the closed position.
Implementation Method 2
The actuation chamber receives pressure from an actuation fluid to bias the piston assembly, allowing it to open before sufficient pressure is reached at the inlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A check valve assembly can include a housing including an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow chamber defined by the housing and fluidly coupling the inlet port to the outlet port, an actuation chamber, and a piston assembly movable between a closed position and an open position. The piston assembly can include a poppet positioned in the flow chamber and can be configured to sealingly engage the housing in the closed position to fluidly separate the inlet port from the outlet port, and a flange positioned in the actuation chamber. The flange can contain a sealing member positioned between the flange and the housing to fluidly separate a forward actuation chamber from a rearward actuation chamber. A shaft can extend between the poppet and the flange. A biasing member can be operably coupled to the piston assembly wherein the biasing member biases the poppet assembly closed.