Two-Part Backflow Preventer for Low-Pressure Fire Protection Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional backflow preventers for fire-fighting applications suffer from high differential pressure requirements, significant pressure loss, and bulky designs, making them heavy and difficult to handle, with the pot-like valve body covering a large part of the main flow conduit and requiring a large housing.
Innovation Solution
A backflow preventer design featuring a two-part valve body with primary and secondary valve disks that open the main flow conduit by overcoming pressure differences and spring force, allowing parallel flow through outer and inner conduits, reducing pressure loss and enabling a compact, lightweight structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pot-like valve body is used to close off the main flow conduit, then the backflow preventer can seal the inlet, but the valve body covers a large part of the main flow conduit causing large flow loss and high differential pressure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into a first valve body and a second valve body that can move relative to each other along the longitudinal axis. The first valve body has a first valve disk for sealing the inlet, while the second valve body has a second valve disk for controlling the discharge outlet. This segmentation allows each valve body to have a compact design that minimizes flow obstruction while maintaining effective sealing capabilities.
2Reliability
If a pot-like valve body with radial extension is used, then the valve can seal the inlet, but the housing requires large outer diameter and the backflow preventer becomes heavy and cannot be gripped with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into a first valve body and a second valve body that can move relative to each other along the longitudinal axis. The first valve body has a first valve disk for sealing the inlet, while the second valve body has a second valve disk for controlling the discharge outlet. This segmentation allows each valve body to have a compact design that minimizes flow obstruction while maintaining effective sealing capabilities.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a splash protection ring is provided to cover discharge openings, then water splashing can be prevented, but the axial extension increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second valve body serves multiple functions: it acts as a valve component for controlling the discharge outlet and simultaneously functions as a splash protection element. When the second valve disk is in its closed position, the second valve body covers the discharge openings radially outward, preventing water from splashing freely. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate splash protection ring, reducing axial extension and weight.
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 design allows the backflow preventer to open at lower pressure differences, minimizing pressure loss and weight, while maintaining high flow rates and enabling easy handling, with the two-part valve body ensuring efficient flow and reduced housing size.
Implementation Method 1
The spring element can be designed, for example, as a compression spring which presses the valve body elastically in the direction of the inlet
Implementation Method 2
to open the backflow preventer, i.e. to release the main flow conduit, the pressure difference between the outlet and inlet of the main flow conduit must be overcome on the one hand and the force of the spring element on the other
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system separator having a backflow preventer including a housing enclosing a main flow conduit, a valve seat inside the housing on the main flow conduit, and a valve body movable relative to the valve seat to close off the main flow conduit together with the valve seat in a closed position and to release the main flow conduit in an open position. The valve body is alternately movable between the closed position and the open position by at least one of a pressure difference in the main flow conduit or a force of a spring element, and the main flow conduit is divided in the area of the valve body into at least one outer flow conduit and one inner flow conduit, and the valve body encloses the inner flow conduit and forms at least one valve-body valve seat on the inner flow conduit.