Biased Valve Safety Actuator for Combustible Gas Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
During gas cutting in confined spaces, combustible gases can escape, posing a risk of creating a combustible situation due to the lack of effective safety features in existing fluid control systems.
Innovation Solution
A fluid control system with a safety actuator that connects to a control box, featuring biased solenoid or pneumatic valves, a power switch, transformer, gauges, and a kill switch, along with wireless communication options, to prevent unwanted flow of combustible materials by ensuring valves are closed unless actively actuated, thereby minimizing the risk of arcs and ensuring safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fluid control systems are used without safety features, then the system is simpler and easier to operate, but combustible gases can escape creating a combustible situation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary safety actions by automatically closing valves before gas flow begins and maintaining them in a closed state unless actively actuated. The safety actuator and control box are pre-configured to prevent gas release, ensuring safety is established before operation commences.
Solution Approach 2:
A control box acts as an intermediary between the user and the gas valves, mediating all gas flow control through a safety actuator. This intermediary layer ensures that no gas can be released without passing through the safety control mechanism, thereby preventing unauthorized or accidental gas release.
2Reliability
If valves are kept closed by default to prevent gas escape, then safety is improved, but the system requires more complex actuation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The safety actuator is designed to be self-contained and self-actuating, requiring no external power source or complex control systems. The user simply activates the safety actuator directly, which then controls the valves through the bias mechanism, making the system easy to operate while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring active action to close valves for safety, the system inverts the approach by using spring-biased valves that remain closed by default and only open when actively actuated. This reversal of the traditional open-by-default valve mechanism simplifies operation while ensuring safety.
3Reliability
If spring-biased valves are used to ensure closed position, then gas flow control safety is improved, but the valve mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control box extracts and centralizes the safety control logic from the individual valve mechanisms. By housing the safety actuator and control electronics in a separate unit, the valve mechanisms themselves remain relatively simple while the overall system achieves high safety through centralized control.
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 system effectively prevents the unwanted flow of combustible gases, reducing the risk of combustible situations and ensuring user safety by ensuring valves are closed unless actively opened, thus enhancing safety in gas cutting operations.
Implementation Method 1
biased solenoid or pneumatic valves
Implementation Method 2
biased solenoid or pneumatic valves
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide components and a system for providing a safer environment for using a cutting torch. The system includes a cutting torch and a control box. There is communication from the user to the control box to allow fluids to flow to the torch. The control box includes closed biased valve(s) such that if there is a condition where there is no instruction from the torch to the control box and/or power is lost, the valves will shut, preventing fluid from flowing into the torch.