Discharge Plenum Valve Stopper Structure for Low Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing compressor designs with discharge valves and valve stoppers suffer from complex structures that lead to increased component count, difficult assembly, pressure loss, and reduced energy efficiency due to the valve stopper obstructing the flow of high-pressure fluid.
Innovation Solution
A discharge plenum with a valve stopper that includes a radial member with peripheral holes and an axial member with a slot flow path, which minimizes pressure drop and energy loss by allowing smooth fluid flow without blocking, and is designed to facilitate manufacturing and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve stopper is disposed adjacent to the discharge portion to adjust the discharge valve opening degree, then the discharge valve can be controlled to prevent excessive pushing out by high-pressure fluid, but the valve stopper becomes an obstacle blocking the flow of high-pressure fluid discharged when the discharge valve is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The valve stopper is divided into multiple functional parts: a main body portion for controlling the discharge valve, and a separate flow guide portion with flow paths. This segmentation allows the control function to be separated from the fluid flow path, enabling the valve stopper to control the discharge valve while minimizing obstruction to the high-pressure fluid flow through the dedicated flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guide portion acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the discharge valve control function and the high-pressure fluid flow. It provides dedicated flow paths that guide the fluid around the control structures, reducing the direct interference between the valve stopper and the fluid flow while maintaining effective valve control.
2Reliability
If the discharge valve and valve stopper are disposed adjacent to the outlet of the cylinder and sealed to prevent leakage, then leakage prevention is achieved, but the complicated structure increases the number of components and causes difficult assembly process
Solution Approach 1:
The valve stopper integrates multiple functions into a single component: it combines the discharge valve control function, the sealing function against the cylinder outlet, and the fluid flow guidance function. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining reliable leakage prevention through the integrated sealing surfaces and structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve stopper is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs valve control, sealing, and flow guidance. This universal design eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing structural complexity and assembly difficulty while ensuring reliable leakage prevention through its integrated sealing capability.
3Ease of operation
If the valve stopper interferes with the discharge valve in a direction of opening the discharge valve, then the degree of opening is controlled, but the valve stopper becomes an obstacle blocking a flow of the high-pressure fluid discharged
Solution Approach 1:
The flow paths in the flow guide portion are designed to guide the high-pressure fluid in a different spatial dimension or direction around the valve stopper's control structures. This dimensional change in fluid flow path allows the valve stopper to effectively interfere with and control the discharge valve opening while the fluid flows through alternative paths that minimize obstruction, thereby maintaining discharge efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a discharge plenum integrated with a valve stopper and a linear compressor including the discharge plenum. The valve stopper includes a radial member that extends radially and an axial member that extends axially from a radial inner end of the radial member. The axial member may have a tubular shape. The axial member may define a slot flow path that extends axially. The radial member may include a peripheral hole that extends axially. The radial inner side of the radial member may define a central hole of the axial member. The slot flow path and the peripheral hole may minimize a pressure drop and energy loss of a high-pressure fluid flowing from a compression portion to a discharge portion.