Additively-Manufactured Flow Restrictors with Integral Screens
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow restrictors are costly to manufacture, provide uneven flow resistance in bidirectional applications, and often waste flow area due to partially blocked screen perforations, leading to increased size and weight when trying to compensate for non-utilized areas.
Innovation Solution
Additively-manufactured flow restrictors with integral internal screens, where the flowbody and screens are formed as a single piece using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), optimizing screen geometry and placement to provide symmetrical resistance and reduce manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional flow restrictors use discrete screens affixed to the flowbody, then the screens can be separately fabricated and assembled, but the manufacturing cost increases and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flowbody and screens into a single monolithic component fabricated via additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate screen fabrication, assembly operations, and associated fixtures, directly reducing manufacturing cost and device complexity while maintaining the functional separation of flow restriction and contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process enables a single component to perform multiple functions: the flowbody provides flow restriction through integrated orifices, while the screens provide contamination prevention. This multi-functionality is achieved through geometric design rather than separate components, reducing overall device complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional flow restrictors provide asymmetrical flow resistance, then the design can be simpler for unidirectional flow, but the performance deteriorates in bidirectional flow applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetrical screen geometries and orientations within the monolithic flowbody to achieve symmetrical flow resistance characteristics. By strategically positioning screens with different geometries on opposite sides of the flow path, the design compensates for flow direction changes, providing consistent performance in bidirectional applications without requiring separate designs for each flow direction
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the flowbody contain screens with locally optimized geometries and orientations tailored to specific flow directions. This local quality variation enables the overall component to provide symmetrical resistance to bidirectional flow while maintaining a relatively simple global design structure
3Productivity
If screen perforations are enlarged to compensate for non-utilized flow area, then the flow area utilization improves, but the screen effectiveness in blocking contaminants deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the third dimension (axial direction) by positioning screens at different locations and orientations within the flowbody. This dimensional arrangement allows the system to achieve high flow area utilization through properly sized perforations while maintaining contaminant blocking effectiveness, as the screens are positioned to maximize their filtering surface area without requiring oversized perforations
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 results in flow restrictors with reduced manufacturing costs, lightweight, compact designs, and symmetrical resistance to bi-directional fluid flow, effectively utilizing the flow area while preventing contaminant passage.
Implementation Method 1
the flowbody and the first internal perforated screen integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece, such as a sintered metal piece produced utilizing a Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process
Data Source
AI summary
Additively-manufactured flow restrictors are provided, as are methods for producing additively-manufactured flow restrictors. In various embodiments, the additively-manufactured flow restrictor includes a flowbody through which a flow path extends, a restricted orifice located in the flowbody and providing a predetermined resistance to fluid flowing along the flow path in a first flow direction, and a first internal perforated screen positioned in the flow path upstream of the restricted orifice taken in the first flow direction. The flowbody and the first internal perforated screen integrally formed as a single additively-manufactured piece utilizing, for example, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) or another additive manufacturing process. In certain embodiments, the first internal perforated screen may include an endwall and a peripheral sidewall, which is integrally formed with the endwall and spaced from an inner circumferential surface of the flowbody by an annular clearance.