Axial Piston Compressor Valve Plate Cooling Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Piston compressors in motor vehicles, particularly commercial vehicles, face challenges in achieving effective cooling of the pressure valve while maintaining a simple and compact design, which is not adequately addressed in existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

A three-part valve plate design with a core plate made of high thermal conductivity material, such as aluminum alloy, and base and cover plates made of high heat resistance material like steel, incorporating a cooling channel that wraps around the outlet channel, along with lamellar valves and a sliding lamellar relief valve, to facilitate efficient cooling and compact construction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a one-piece valve plate design is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the cooling effectiveness of the pressure valve is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve plate manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidpressure valve cooling effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The valve plate is divided into a first valve plate and a second valve plate, which are arranged adjacent to each other and connected through a connecting piece. This segmentation allows the first valve plate to incorporate a cooling channel that effectively cools the pressure valve, while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting piece is received within a recess of the second valve plate, creating a nested structure. This nesting approach allows the cooling channel to be effectively positioned while maintaining a compact overall structure and simplifying assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Temperature

If a cooling channel is added to the valve plate, then the pressure valve cooling is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure valve cooling effectivenessVSAvoidvalve plate structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the valve plate into two separate plates with a connecting piece, the cooling channel can be effectively integrated into the first valve plate without complicating the overall structure. Each component can be manufactured separately and then assembled, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving effective cooling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting piece acts as an intermediary element that joins the first and second valve plates. It includes a receiving portion that receives the second valve plate and a protruding portion that extends into a recess, facilitating thermal management while maintaining structural integrity and simplifying assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If the valve plate is made from a single material, then manufacturing is simpler, but it cannot simultaneously provide high thermal conductivity for cooling and high heat resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial selection simplicityVSAvoidthermal performance optimization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The valve plate system utilizes different materials for the first valve plate, second valve plate, and connecting piece. The first valve plate is specifically designed with high thermal conductivity to effectively cool the pressure valve, while other components can be made from materials optimized for their specific functions, achieving overall thermal performance optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The first valve plate is specifically designed with high thermal conductivity properties to provide effective cooling in the critical pressure valve area. Other components of the valve plate system can have different material properties optimized for their specific requirements, such as heat resistance or mechanical strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design provides optimal cooling for the pressure valve, reduces thermal load on components, and minimizes wear on seals, resulting in improved operational efficiency and reduced drive power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling channel for water cooling, especially of the pressure valve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWater cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 2

at least one cooling channel in the core plate, which at least partially surrounds the outlet channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a three-part valve plate design with a core plate made of high thermal conductivity material, such as aluminum alloy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

a relief valve for connecting a working chamber formed in the cylinder housing to a relief chamber arranged in the cylinder head as required

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure relief: Depressurisation

Data Source

PatentEP3763941B1Axial piston compressor of an apparatus for supplying pressurized air in automobiles
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 ZF CV SYST EURO BV
  • EP3763941B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3763941B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

Piston compressor (2) of a compressed air supply system in motor vehicles, in particular in commercial vehicles, with a valve plate (12) acting as a valve carrier, which is arranged between a cylinder housing (6) and a cylinder head (16) of the piston compressor, and which, in addition to a suction valve (28) and a pressure valve (38), has a relief valve (48) for connecting, on demand, a working chamber formed in the cylinder housing (6) with a relief chamber arranged in the cylinder head and a cooling channel (66) for water cooling, especially of the pressure valve. The piston compressor has, among other things, the following features: a three-part design of the valve plate with a cylinder-side base plate, a head-side cover plate (24) and a core plate (22) arranged between these, a design of the core plate made of a material with high thermal conductivity,a design of the base plate and the cover plate made of a material with high heat resistance, a design of the relief valve (48) as a sliding vane valve with at least one relief channel (50) arranged in the valve plate between the inlet channels (30) and the outlet channel (40) and a sliding vane (52) covering the relief channel and pivotally mounted on one side, an axially movable arrangement of a pneumatically actuated actuating piston (58) of an actuating actuator (54) in a bore (56) of the core plate, which is in actuating connection with the sliding vane at its end opposite the pivotal mounting, and an arrangement of at least one cooling channel in the core plate that at least surrounds the outlet channel.