Check Valve Opening Stop Geometry for Hygienic Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Check valves in fluid conveying devices, particularly in hygienic applications like the food industry and medical technology, have non-flow-facing regions that are difficult to clean due to insufficient wall shear stress, leading to incomplete cleaning during the cleaning process.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an element that reduces the flow cross-section at the opening stop, ensuring non-flow-facing regions of the valve closing body experience an average wall shear stress of at least 50% compared to flow-facing regions, by directing fluid flow tangentially around these areas, thereby enhancing cleaning efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the valve closing body is cleaned by impinging with a constant stream of cleaning agent in the conveying direction, then the cleaning process is simple and continuous, but the non-flow-facing regions of the valve closing body are insufficiently cleaned due to low wall shear stress
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a local structural modification (flow cross-section reducing element) that creates different flow conditions in different regions of the valve closing body. The element is positioned to specifically target non-flow-facing regions, generating locally enhanced wall shear stress in areas that would otherwise be poorly cleaned, while maintaining the overall simplicity of the continuous cleaning process
2Reliability
If the flow cross-section is reduced by adding an element at the opening stop, then wall shear stress on non-flow-facing regions increases to at least 50% of flow-facing regions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the flow field parameters by introducing a flow cross-section reducing element that changes the velocity distribution and wall shear stress characteristics. This element creates a localized acceleration of the cleaning agent flow, increasing the wall shear stress parameter in non-flow-facing regions to at least 50% of that in flow-facing regions, thereby achieving comprehensive cleaning without complex mechanical cleaning mechanisms
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 configuration ensures thorough cleaning of the valve closing body, meeting hygienic requirements by maintaining sufficient wall shear stress on non-flow-facing regions, reducing residue accumulation and contamination risks during operation and cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a non-flow-facing region of the surface of the valve closing body has at least an average wall shear stress of 50% compared to an average wall shear stress of a flow-facing region of the surface of the valve closing body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a check valve, and to a device having a check valve, and to a method of cleaning a check valve. In order to provide a check valve or a device having a check valve or a method of cleaning a check valve, in which sufficient cleaning of the non-flow-facing regions of the valve closing body is also ensured, it is proposed according to the invention that an element reducing the flow cross-section is provided in a region of the opening stop in addition to the opening stop so that, when the valve closing body is in the open position and the fluid flows through the check valve counter to the blocking direction, a non-flow-facing region of the surface of the valve closing body has at least an average wall shear stress of 50% compared to an average wall shear stress of a flow-facing region of the surface of the valve closing body.