Rotary Ball Valve Noise Attenuator With Curved Flow Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary ball valves generate significant audible noise due to fluid flow, exceeding acceptable levels, which is not effectively mitigated by existing designs.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a noise attenuator with elliptically curved walls that align with a ring-shaped seal at various rotational positions, allowing specific channels to be fully open or closed, reducing noise and turbulence by breaking down fluid flow into controlled streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotary ball valve is used to control fluid flow, then flow rate regulation is achieved, but significant audible noise is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The noise attenuator is divided into multiple channels formed by spaced-apart walls, allowing the fluid flow to be segmented into separate streams. This segmentation reduces turbulence and noise by distributing the flow through multiple controlled pathways rather than a single open path.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise attenuator acts as an intermediary component between the closure member and the fluid flow path. It mediates the fluid flow by directing it through controlled channels, reducing the direct impact and turbulence that generate noise while still allowing effective flow regulation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the noise attenuator walls are spaced apart to form channels, then noise is reduced by breaking up fluid flow, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The noise attenuator is coupled to the closure member, allowing both components to rotate together as a single assembly. This multi-functional design enables the closure member to perform both flow control and noise attenuation functions simultaneously, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The walls of the noise attenuator include curved surfaces designed to match the curvature of the seal at specific rotational positions. This curvature optimization ensures proper alignment and sealing while maintaining a compact, integrated structure that reduces complexity compared to straight-walled designs.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the walls of the noise attenuator are curved to align with the seal at intermediate positions, then noise damping is optimized, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved walls of the noise attenuator are designed to match the seal curvature only at specific local regions corresponding to intermediate rotational positions. This localized curvature optimization provides noise damping benefits at critical positions while maintaining simpler geometries in other areas, reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise attenuator is pre-configured with curved walls that are designed to align with the seal at predetermined rotational positions. This preliminary design ensures that when the closure member rotates to intermediate positions, the alignment is automatically achieved without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or high-precision assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Rotary ball valves with noise attenuators are disclosed herein. An example rotary ball valve includes a valve body defining a passageway between an inlet and an outlet, a ring-shaped seal in the passageway, a closure member in the passageway, the closure member rotatable in the passageway relative to the seal, and a noise attenuator coupled to the closure member in the passageway. The closure member and the noise attenuator are rotatable between a closed position, a fully open position, and a plurality of intermediate positions between the closed position and the fully open position. The noise attenuator includes walls that are spaced apart from each other. The walls at least partially form a plurality of channels. The channels are aligned with the passageway when the noise attenuator is in the fully open position. The walls include a first wall that is curved such that such that when the noise attenuator is in a first intermediate position, an edge of the first wall is aligned with the seal.