Conical Centering Rotary Valve to Reduce Lateral Stress Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Electronic Rotary Valves (ERV) designs face inefficiencies due to lateral stresses during mating with manifolds, leading to performance issues, complexity, and higher operational and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A Centering Electronic Rotary Valve (CERV) with a conical adapter and stator design, featuring a rotor structure that aligns fluid channels precisely, reducing material wear and fluid carryover, and incorporating a drive system for controlled rotation and alignment, along with sensors for load force monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current ERV designs are used for mating with manifolds, then fluid handling capability is achieved, but lateral stresses cause performance degradation and increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies conical geometry to the adapter and stator components, replacing traditional flat or cylindrical mating surfaces. The conical interface portions and cavities create a self-centering effect that distributes lateral stresses uniformly, eliminating the stress concentration problems of conventional designs while maintaining fluid handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical geometry introduces asymmetric positioning of the rotor relative to the stator, with the cone angle and offset distance precisely controlled. This asymmetric arrangement creates a mechanical centering force that automatically aligns the rotor-stator assembly during mating, reducing lateral stresses without requiring additional centering mechanisms.
2Strength
If conventional ERV mating interfaces are used, then connection is achieved, but lateral stresses increase material wear and fluid carryover
Solution Approach 1:
The conical mating surfaces replace traditional flat interfaces, distributing contact stresses over a larger area and eliminating stress concentration points. This curved geometry reduces friction and wear during the mating and rotation operations, extending component life while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
3Productivity
If current ERV designs are used, then fluid flow control is achieved, but operational and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conical adapter-stator assembly provides self-centering functionality, automatically aligning components during mating without requiring external alignment tools or procedures. This self-aligning feature reduces installation time, minimizes misalignment-related failures, and simplifies maintenance operations, thereby reducing operational and maintenance costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A Centering Electronic Rotary Valve (CERV) includes a drive system and a rotor structure comprising a rotor fluid channel input opening communicated with a rotor fluid channel output opening via a rotor fluid directional channel that is moveable via a rotor shaft. The rotor fluid channel input opening is adjacent to and aligned with one of a plurality of stator input channel bottom opening. The rotor fluid channel output opening is adjacent to and aligned with at least one of the plurality of stator output channel bottom openings. The drive system includes a motor and a microprocessor for (i) controlling the rotor shaft to rotate about an axis M and (ii) for positioning the rotor shaft at a defined circumferential position.