Check Valve Response Time via Segmented Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Check valves, especially those in high capacity pumps handling fluids near boiling points, face challenges with slow response times due to heavy valve members, leading to increased pressure drop and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A check valve design featuring a disc-shaped valve member with a central, convex central portion and a lighter guide portion, including kidney-shaped orifices to reduce pressure drop and a guiding mechanism with pins or channels to facilitate movement, and potentially incorporating elastic elements or a permanent magnet to assist in opening, allowing for faster response times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve member is made heavier to ensure appropriate sealing between the valve member and its seat, then the sealing performance is improved, but the response time of the valve deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is segmented into two distinct portions: a central portion made of heavy material (such as stainless steel or Inconel) to ensure sealing performance, and a guide portion made of lighter material (such as aluminum or polymer) to reduce overall weight and improve response time. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the valve member have different material properties tailored to their specific functions. The central portion has high density and strength for sealing, while the guide portion has low density for rapid movement. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between sealing reliability and response speed.
2Loss of energy
If the dimensions of the intake check valve member are increased to maintain acceptable low pressure drop through the check valve in high capacity pumps, then the pressure drop is reduced, but the response time of the valve deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is divided into a central portion and a guide portion with different materials. The guide portion uses lighter materials to reduce overall weight and improve response time, while the central portion maintains adequate size for low pressure drop performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve member is constructed as a composite structure combining heavy materials (stainless steel, Inconel) in the central portion for sealing and low-pressure drop characteristics, with light materials (aluminum, polymer) in the guide portion for rapid response. This composite construction resolves the contradiction between pressure drop and response time.
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 design enhances the response time of check valves by reducing the overall weight of the valve member while maintaining sealing integrity and reducing pressure drop, improving the performance of high capacity pumps handling fluids near boiling points.
Implementation Method 1
a guide portion that surrounds the central portion and has a weight to area ratio that is smaller than the weight to area ratio of the central portion
Implementation Method 2
a valve member which is movable between a seated and an open position to allow fluid flow in one direction from the inlet port to the outlet port
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A check valve with improved response time comprises a valve member which has a central portion of a substantially convex shape and a guide portion that surrounds the central portion. The central portion has a central convex curvature extending towards the outlet port of the check valve, in the direction of the fluid flow. The guide portion has a weight to area ratio that is smaller than the weight to area ratio of the central portion. Such a check valve has an overall reduced weight of the valve member allowing a faster response time when the valve switches between its closed and open positions.