Butterfly Valve Float Control for Pool Water Level
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swimming pool systems face challenges in automatically regulating water levels in surge pits, particularly due to the slow and costly nature of gate valves, which can lead to delayed reactions in maintaining optimal water depth and filtration system performance.
Innovation Solution
A modulating butterfly valve system is introduced, where a buoyant float in the surge pit operates pivotal arms to control the opening and closing of butterfly valves in both the main drain and fresh water lines, ensuring automatic regulation of water levels by adjusting the flow of water into the surge pit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gate valve is used to control water level in the surge pit, then the water level can be regulated, but the system becomes slow and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional gate valve mechanical system with a butterfly valve system that uses a float mechanism for automatic control. The butterfly valve with its quarter-turn operation provides faster response time compared to the linear motion of gate valves, while the float mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention, achieving both speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using a float-controlled butterfly valve system that responds to water level changes through buoyancy forces. This allows the valve to open or close rapidly in response to level changes, improving reaction time while maintaining reliable water level regulation through the float's continuous monitoring.
2Reliability
If a gate valve is used to control water level in the surge pit, then the water level can be regulated, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a butterfly valve system that is inherently less expensive to manufacture than gate valves. The butterfly valve's simpler structure with a disc and stem, compared to the complex gate valve mechanism with movable gates and seals, reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining adequate service life for pool water level control applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The substitution of gate valves with butterfly valves in this application provides both cost and performance benefits. The butterfly valve system requires less material and simpler machining, reducing manufacturing costs, while the float-actuated design ensures reliable automatic operation without the complexity and expense of gate valve mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If a manual valve is used to control water level in the surge pit, then the system is simple, but the reaction to changing water levels is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-regulating system where the float automatically detects water level changes and actuates the butterfly valve without manual intervention. As the float rises or falls with water level changes, it directly opens or closes the valve, providing immediate automatic response while maintaining simple mechanical operation without complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The float mechanism provides continuous feedback on water level conditions to the butterfly valve. When the water level drops, the float descends and automatically opens the valve to allow water flow; when the level rises, the float ascends and closes the valve, creating a simple yet effective feedback control loop that responds immediately to level changes.
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
This solution provides a more efficient, economical, and consistent water level control in swimming pools, ensuring proper filtration and reducing the need for manual intervention, while being safer and more durable than traditional gate valves.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyant float in the surge pit operates pivotal arms to control opening and closing of butterfly valves
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly for regulating water level in a swimming pool includes a first butterfly valve in a pool drain line of the pool and a second butterfly valve in a fresh water line. The drain line and the fresh water line supply water to a pit remote from the pool. A return water line directs water from the pit to the pool. A float in the pit is operatively connected to both butterfly valves via first and second pivotal arms which are rotated by a sliding frame when the buoyant float rises and falls, so as to close and open the butterfly valves, and thereby maintain a desired water depth or level in the pit, and thereby a more consistent water level in the pool.