Compact High-Pressure Valve Throttling With Lever Force Multiplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
High pressure applications require compact valves that can efficiently stop, start, and control fluid flow at high pressures, but existing solutions are either too large due to mechanical constraints or impractical for benchtop and small-scale applications, and lack precise control over flow rates and pressures.
Innovation Solution
A compact high pressure valve design utilizing a lever with a force multiplier effect, combined with a variable force generator such as an air piston or electromechanical device, allowing for precise control of fluid flow at pressures up to 20,000 psi with reduced actuation force and enabling modular construction for various functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a simple valve with a pin and seat is used for high pressure applications, then the valve can stop flow effectively, but the valve becomes physically large due to the required air piston size
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into separate functional modules: a high-pressure valve body containing the pin and seat, a separate actuator assembly with lever, and interchangeable components. This segmentation allows the high-pressure sealing function to be isolated from the actuation mechanism, enabling compact integration while maintaining effective flow stopping capability through the pin-seat interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator components are nested within or integrated into the valve body structure. The lever is positioned to pivot within the valve housing, and the air piston is integrated into the actuator assembly, creating a compact nested arrangement that reduces overall valve size while maintaining the force multiplication needed for high-pressure operation.
2Reliability
If a large air piston is used to generate sufficient closing force at high pressure, then the valve can operate reliably, but the valve becomes impractical for benchtop and small-scale applications
Solution Approach 1:
The lever acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the air piston and the pin. It transmits and amplifies the force from the air piston to the pin, enabling a small air piston to generate sufficient closing force for high-pressure applications. This intermediary mechanism bridges the gap between low-force actuation and high-force sealing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter of the actuating fluid from low pressure (air at typical supply pressures) to high pressure (hydraulic fluid at 13.8 MPa or higher). This parameter change enables the use of a much smaller actuator while maintaining sufficient closing force, making the valve suitable for benchtop applications where space is constrained.
3Volume of moving object
If hydraulic fluid is used to overcome size problems with air pistons, then smaller actuators can be used, but the equipment complexity increases and hydraulic fluid becomes messy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs hydraulic principles by using incompressible fluid (hydraulic fluid or water) instead of compressible air. This allows the actuator to maintain force under high pressure without the volume changes associated with gas compression, enabling compact actuator design. The hydraulic fluid is contained within sealed chambers, minimizing mess and complexity while achieving the desired size reduction.
4Productivity
If a fixed displacement pump is used for constant flow rate applications, then the pump delivers constant flow, but the system lacks precise control over pressure and flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The valve transitions from a static on-off configuration to a dynamic throttling configuration where the pin position can be continuously adjusted. This dynamic adjustment of the flow passage area allows precise control of both flow rate and pressure, enabling the system to adapt to varying operational requirements while maintaining constant flow delivery when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates pressure sensors and flow meters that provide feedback to the control system. This feedback enables closed-loop control where the valve position is automatically adjusted to maintain desired flow rate or pressure setpoints, achieving precise control while maintaining constant flow delivery capability.
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 enables operation at high pressures with lower actuation force, reducing valve size and allowing for precise control of fluid flow, suitable for both constant flow rate and constant pressure applications, while minimizing equipment complexity and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
A compact high pressure valve design utilizing a lever with a force multiplier effect
Data Source
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AI summary
A high pressure valve includes a lever and a variable force generator for facilitating control of opening and closing the valve at high pressures. The high pressure valve includes a housing having a chamber providing fluid communication between a first port and a second port, a pin movable within the chamber between an open position and a closed position. A first end of a lever is coupled to the pin and a second end of the lever is coupled to a variable force generator. The lever pivots about a pivot point. A controller coupled to the variable force generator is configured to adjust a force applied to the second end of the lever by the variable force generator to control the movement of the pin between the open position and the closed position.