Composite Water Meter Housing for Strength Without Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water and heat meters face challenges with expensive brass housings and low-cost plastic housings that lack strength and durability for pipeline installations, leading to market acceptance issues and potential corrosion and wear.
Innovation Solution
A composite sensor housing made from a plastic part and a partially cast metal tube, where the metal tube is preferably made of steel for cost-effectiveness and robustness, with a measuring chamber formed in the plastic part to enclose the metal tube, preventing corrosion and wear, and incorporating a temperature sensor in the plastic part for precise temperature determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plastic housing is used, then production cost is reduced, but strength and durability for pipeline installations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The housing combines plastic and metal materials to create a composite structure that leverages the cost-effectiveness and corrosion resistance of plastic with the strength and durability of metal, resolving the contradiction between low production cost and high strength requirements for pipeline installations
2Strength
If a metal housing is used, then strength and durability are improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid housing structure uses metal only where strength is critical while combining it with plastic for cost-effective production, achieving both high strength and low production cost through material optimization
3Strength
If a metal tube is used, then robustness against forces and torques is improved, but corrosion and wear deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of metal and plastic creates a structure where the metal provides mechanical strength and robustness while the plastic protects against corrosion and wear, eliminating the harmful effects of metal exposure to water and environment
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic acts as an intermediary protective layer between the metal tube and the water environment, preventing direct contact that would cause corrosion and wear while allowing the metal to maintain its structural integrity
4Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is exposed to ambient temperatures, then temperature measurement is affected, but thermal insulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic housing serves as a thermal insulator between the ambient environment and the temperature sensor, blocking heat transfer from the housing to the sensor and ensuring accurate temperature measurements of the water or medium
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 solution provides a cost-effective, robust, and durable sensor housing for water and heat meters that can withstand pipeline forces and torques, while preventing corrosion and improving temperature measurement accuracy by thermally insulating the temperature sensor from ambient temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic of the plastic part completely covers an inner wall of the metal tube and end faces of the metal tube... the temperature sensor is thermally coupled much better to the water or medium flowing through, and temperature determination is unaffected by ambient temperatures of the transmitter housing
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a water/heat meter (2) with a sensor housing (6) and a measuring device (10), the measuring device (10) comprising a sensor. According to the invention, the transmitter housing (6) is a composite part made from a plastic part (7) and a metal tube (1) partially cast therein. The invention also relates to a method for producing a transmitter housing (6) for a water/heat meter (2). According to the invention, an opening (4) is made in a wall (3) of a metal tube (1), in particular a steel tube, and this metal tube (1) is placed in an injection mold in which it is partially overmoulded with plastic.