Balanced Restriction Orifice Plate for Pressure Loss and Eddy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orifice plates experience significant pressure losses and measurement inaccuracies due to random eddy formations, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies, and lack designs that effectively limit noise, erosion, and cavitation while optimizing pressure loss and flow control.
Innovation Solution
A balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate design that uses the Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation and Reynolds matching (RM) equation to optimize hole patterns, shapes, and configurations, including multiple openings and specific inlet/outlet shapes, to minimize pressure drop, reduce noise, and extend service life, while accommodating bi-directional flow and multiphase fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a standard orifice plate is used for flow control and measurement, then flow restriction and measurement capability are provided, but significant pressure losses and measurement inaccuracies occur due to random eddy formations
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice plate is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first plurality of openings in a first region for flow control, and a second plurality of openings in a second region for pressure equalization. This segmentation allows the plate to simultaneously achieve flow restriction and pressure balancing, reducing eddy formations and improving measurement accuracy while minimizing energy loss
Solution Approach 2:
The second plurality of openings acts as an intermediary mechanism between the upstream and downstream sides of the orifice plate. These openings provide a controlled pathway for pressure equalization, mediating the pressure differential and reducing chaotic eddy formations that would otherwise occur at the single orifice opening
2Productivity
If pressure loss is increased to improve flow control, then flow limitation is achieved, but noise, erosion, and cavitation increase reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the orifice plate are given different qualities and functions: the first region contains openings optimized for flow control with specific velocity profiles, while the second region contains openings designed for pressure equalization. This local differentiation allows the plate to achieve effective flow limitation while minimizing harmful effects like noise, erosion, and cavitation through proper pressure management
3Device complexity
If a single opening is used for flow control, then结构简单性 is maintained, but pressure equalization and measurement accuracy are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The plate structure is segmented into two functional regions with different opening configurations. The first region handles flow control while the second region handles pressure equalization. This segmentation improves measurement accuracy and reduces eddy formations without requiring a completely complex design, as both regions use simple circular openings arranged in structured patterns
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 BRO plate design significantly reduces pressure losses, enhances measurement accuracy, extends service life by minimizing noise and erosion, and optimizes flow control, achieving uniform velocity and pressure profiles, and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the variation of a process variable across an orifice plate's surface introduces inefficiencies in a fluid flow. For example, prior art orifice plates generally experience fairly large pressure losses as a fluid flows from one side of the plate to the other
Implementation Method 2
pressure potential in prior art orifice plates is generally consumed by eddy turbulence that is random and chaotic. These eddy formations about the orifice plate reduce linearity and repeatability of any process variable measurements
Implementation Method 3
If pressure can be equalized or balanced across the surface area of an orifice plate, the random and chaotic eddy formations may be greatly reduced
Data Source
Figure 1A~2A
Figure 2B~2C
Figure 2D~2E
AI summary
Implementations of an orifice plate used to regulate flow through a conduit are provided. In some implementations, a balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate configured to maximize pressure loss is provided. In some implementations, the BRO plate may be configured to limit pipe and plate noise, erosion, cavitation, shear stress, etc. while maximizing pressure loss, and limiting flow to required values. In some implementations, openings through a BRO plate may be configured to satisfy a Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation. Alternatively, in some implementations, the hole pattern of an orifice plate may be optimized through the use of a provided Reynolds matching (RM) equation. In some implementations, an orifice plate may be optimized to improve process variable measurements, minimize system pressure drop, recover pressure, and reduce noise and other inefficiencies within the system using equations provided herein.