Concentric Pressure Regulator Valve Spring Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure regulator valves face challenges in compact design without reducing return spring length and suffer from continuous safety valve openings due to pressure peaks, which can lead to piston seizure, especially when the regulator piston is mechanically linked to a chain of three components.
Innovation Solution
The pressure regulator valve design features a return spring and obturator mounted concentrically around the regulator piston, with a 'T' shaped longitudinal section and seals for sealing contact, allowing a longer spring length or reduced body dimensions while preventing safety valve shots during ON/OFF pressure peaks by limiting the piston movement to two elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the pressure regulator valve is designed to be compact, then the overall size is reduced, but the return spring length is reduced which affects its functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The return spring is mounted concentrically around the regulator piston, with the obturator also mounted concentrically around the piston. This nested arrangement allows the spring to be positioned within the existing cylindrical space of the valve body without increasing the overall footprint, thereby maintaining compactness while preserving the necessary spring length for proper regulator function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the regulator piston is mechanically linked to a chain of three components, then the valve can function, but the risk of piston seizure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The obturator is separated from the regulator piston chain, with the obturator mounted concentrically around the piston but not mechanically linked to it. This extraction removes the problematic third component from the piston movement chain, reducing seizure risk while maintaining both the regulator and safety valve functions through independent operation of the piston and obturator.
3Reliability
If the safety valve is designed to open automatically at given pressure, then overpressure protection is provided, but continuous openings occur due to pressure peaks during opening transient
Solution Approach 1:
The obturator is positioned and biased by the return spring in advance to ensure proper sealing against the piston. The concentric mounting and pre-compression of the spring prepare the safety valve mechanism to resist transient pressure peaks before they occur, preventing premature or continuous opening while maintaining readiness to activate at genuine overpressure conditions.
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 achieves a compact mechanism with a longer spring or reduced body size, preventing piston seizure and safety valve shots during pressure peaks, ensuring reliable operation and reduced risk of mechanical failure.
Implementation Method 1
a return spring (5) generating an effort on the regulator piston (3) which is opposite to the effort generated by the gas pressure in the working chamber (7) on the regulator piston (3)
Implementation Method 2
The obturator and the regulator piston comprise each at least a seal for a sealing contact between the obturator and the regulator piston for closing the gas exit
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A pressure regulator valve including a safety valve, the pressure regulator valve (10) comprising a body (1) enclosing a gas passage (2), a regulator piston (3) mobile with respect to a piston seat (4) between a first and upstream position wherein a first end (13) of the regulator piston (3) closes the gas passage (2) and a second position wherein said first end (13) of the regulator piston (3) opens the gas passage (2), the regulator piston (3) comprising a internal gas conduit (6) comprising an upstream end receiving gas flowing from the open piston seat (4) and a downstream end connected to a working chamber (7) closed by a second end of the regulator piston (3), the pressure regulator valve (10) comprising a return spring (5) generating a effort on the regulator piston (3) which is opposite to the effort generated by the gas pressure in the working chamber (7) on the regulator piston (3), the safety valve comprising an obturator (8) mobile on the regulator piston (3) between a first position closing a gas exit (16, 9) and second position opening the gas exit (26, 9), the obturator (8) being urged toward its first position by the return spring (5), characterized in that, the return spring (5) and the obturator (8) are located in a cavity of the body (1) and extend in the longitudinal direction on a distance included between 90% to 130% of the distance (D) from the second end of the regulator piston (3) to the piston seat (4).