Bistable Inlet Valve Eliminates Trickle Flow for Accurate Water Metering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional water metering systems in households, particularly in southern countries, suffer from limited measuring accuracy, leading to significant apparent water losses due to inability to detect small water flows, resulting in financial losses as consumers are not billed for minimal usage such as toilet flushing and hand washing.
Innovation Solution
A bistable inlet valve with a lag-free opening and closing characteristic, assisted by the flow of liquid, eliminating intermediate positions and using a permanent magnet for operation without electricity, combined with a spherical or conical outlet valve mechanism for efficient flushing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional inlet valve with ball float and control rod is used to close water inlet into a container, then the valve can be operated mechanically without electricity, but the valve produces intermediate opening positions that cause trickle water flows which cannot be measured by water meters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the intermediate opening positions and trickle flow problem from the traditional valve mechanism by implementing a bistable design that eliminates all intermediate states, allowing the valve to exist only in fully open or fully closed positions, thereby preventing unmeasured water loss
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a control rod that pushes the valve body against water pressure (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using water pressure itself to assist the closing stroke, allowing the valve to close naturally with the flow rather than fighting against it
2Reliability
If the control rod and valve body move against inlet water pressure up to 7 bars to close the valve, then the valve can be closed reliably, but the valve requires high force operation and produces slow closure that induces flows below meter detection threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful water pressure that resists valve closing into a beneficial force that assists closing. The water pressure that traditionally worked against the control rod is now harnessed to drive the closing stroke, enabling rapid closure that prevents trickle flow while maintaining reliable sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a static, force-resistant closing mechanism to a dynamic, flow-assisted closing mechanism. The valve closing process becomes adaptive, utilizing the natural water flow dynamics to achieve rapid closure without requiring high operational force
3Measurement precision
If a bistable inlet valve with flow-assisted closing is used, then trickle water flows are prevented and meter measurement accuracy is improved, but the valve design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the water flow itself provides the closing force, eliminating the need for complex external actuation systems. The valve uses its own operating conditions (water pressure and flow) to achieve the closing action, simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining bistable functionality
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 solution prevents trickle water flows from going undetected, reducing apparent water losses, allowing for precise measurement and energy-efficient operation, while also simplifying the flushing system with fewer components and no need for electric power, thus minimizing financial losses and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
A permanent magnet is used to move the armature, no electric supply is required to energize the valve
Implementation Method 2
the closing stroke of the valve body being assisted by the flow of the liquid
Data Source
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AI summary
The system for opening and/or closing an inlet valve (10) and/or an outlet valve (30) of a liquid container (24), particularly for water toilets, water tanks or the like, comprises an inlet tube (16) with an inlet valve (10) in the upper portion of the container (24) and an outlet tube (20) with an outlet valve (30) in the bottom portion (25) of the container (24), both valves (10, 30) being provided with a valve body. It is characterized by the use of a bistabile inlet valve (10) having a lag-free opening and closing characteristic without any intermediate opening position of the valve body (14; 38, 46), the closing stroke of the valve body being assisted by the flow of the liquid.