Back Pressure Regulator With Annular Flow Deflection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing back pressure regulators in spray systems cause turbulent flow and collisions within fluids, leading to degradation of metallic flakes and undesired color changes in paints, particularly due to pressure spikes and uneven flow distribution.

Innovation Solution

A back pressure regulator with a pressure housing and a pressure control member featuring a flow deflector that redirects fluid flows to prevent collisions, maintaining a consistent pressure across varying flow rates by adjusting the annular restriction based on volumetric flow rate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If a back pressure regulator is used to maintain pressure at the applicator, then pressure control is improved, but turbulent flow and collisions occur causing fluid degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure controlVSAvoidfluid degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flow chamber is designed with a curved, circumferential flow path that guides fluid in a smooth arc around the chamber outlet rather than through a straight or angular path. This curvature eliminates sudden direction changes and reduces turbulence, allowing fluid to flow smoothly while maintaining pressure control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow chamber outlet is segmented into multiple circumferential zones with the flow path distributed around the chamber outlet rather than concentrated through a single aperture. This segmentation prevents flow concentration that would cause collisions and degradation of metallic flakes in the fluid.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stress or pressure

If fluid flows through a restriction to maintain pressure, then pressure regulation is achieved, but turbulent flow causes collisions and damage to metallic flakes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure regulationVSAvoidpaint composition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The restriction is designed as a circumferential annular gap rather than a sharp aperture, creating a curved flow path that maintains laminar flow conditions. The fluid flows smoothly around the chamber outlet in a circumferential pattern, preventing the sudden direction changes and collisions that would damage metallic flakes while still providing pressure regulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The restriction geometry is changed from a traditional sharp-edged aperture to a curved annular gap with specific dimensional parameters (gap width, circumferential length, radius of curvature). These parameter changes transform the flow regime from turbulent to laminar, preventing fluid degradation while maintaining pressure control functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a traditional aperture-based regulator is used, then pressure control is simple, but flow enters primarily through the front half causing shear and degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregulator structureVSAvoidfluid shear

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flow path is designed to curve circumferentially around the chamber outlet rather than entering through a front-facing aperture. This curved geometry distributes flow uniformly around the entire chamber outlet circumference, eliminating the concentration of flow through the front half that causes shear and degradation of metallic flakes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow distribution is extended from a two-dimensional aperture plane to a three-dimensional circumferential path around the chamber outlet. By utilizing the circumferential dimension, the flow is distributed around the entire outlet perimeter rather than concentrated through a single plane, reducing shear forces and preventing fluid degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 regulator ensures laminar flow and prevents internal collisions, maintaining consistent spray quality and extending the useful life of the fluid by reducing degradation, especially in paints with metallic flakes.

Implementation Method 1

The regulator ensures laminar flow and prevents internal collisions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaminar flow: Laminar Flow

Implementation Method 2

flowing the liquid through an annular restriction to the chamber outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure drop: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentUS12558701B2Back pressure regulator

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 GRACO MINNESTOA INC

AI summary

A back pressure regulator (“BPR”) includes a pressure housing that at least partially defines a flow chamber that the liquid flows through and the BPR has an adjustable restriction that varies with the flow rate to maintain an upstream liquid pressure. The pressure housing is contoured to distribute the liquid flow to provide radial flow into the adjustable restriction from circumferentially about the adjustable restriction. The pressure housing includes ramped and curved side passages that guide the flow and ridges that divide the flow and prevent internal collisions between the flow. A flow deflector extends into the chamber outlet to prevent the radial flows through the annular restriction from colliding. The flow deflector redirects the flows to smoothly recombine in the chamber outlet.