Drain Valve with Integrated Float and Piston Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain systems for gaseous fluid handling systems have complex housing assemblies with numerous inlets and outlets, external tubing, and exposed pistons, which are prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
An automatic drain valve with a simplified structure, featuring a housing with a float chamber and a piston chamber, a plenum, and a seal body that allows pressurized gas to actuate the piston to open the valve, reducing the need for external tubing and exposed pistons by using a buoyant float and a single-acting piston with an integrated valve element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional drain system with float chamber, external tubing, and remote piston valve is used, then the drain function is achieved, but the system complexity and exposure to damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the float chamber, piston chamber, valve seat, and tubing into a single integrated housing assembly. The float chamber and piston chamber are positioned one above the other within the same housing, eliminating the need for external tubing and separate valve assemblies. This merging of components directly reduces system complexity while maintaining the drain function, thereby improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the piston and valve elements from their traditional external locations and integrates them directly into the housing assembly. The piston is positioned within the piston chamber of the housing, and the valve element is integrated with the piston, eliminating exposed external components that are prone to damage.
2Reliability
If external tubing and piping are used to connect float chamber to piston, then the drain system functions, but the exposed components are prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates external tubing by integrating the gas passage directly into the housing wall that separates the float chamber and piston chamber. The tubing function is merged with the housing structure itself, removing exposed flexible components that are susceptible to physical damage and environmental factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes external tubing and piping from the system by incorporating all necessary fluid passages directly into the housing. This extraction of external components eliminates their exposure to damage while maintaining the required fluid communication between chambers.
3Ease of operation
If a remote piston valve mounted in external piping is used, then liquid discharge is controlled, but the number of exposed components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the piston valve function with the internal housing structure. The piston is positioned within the housing's piston chamber, and the valve element is integrated with the piston, eliminating the need for a separate remote valve assembly. This reduces the total number of components while maintaining full valve control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the valve control function from external mounting and integrates it directly into the housing assembly. The piston and valve elements are incorporated within the housing, eliminating exposed external valve components while preserving the liquid discharge control 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 solution reduces the complexity and potential for damage of the drain system, allowing for efficient liquid discharge while withstanding high gas pressures and eliminating the need for external valves and tubing, thus enhancing system reliability and operation.
Implementation Method 1
The float is buoyant in liquid so the float moves up and down along the tube as the float rises and falls in the float chamber, respectively, in response to liquid flowing into and out of the float chamber
Implementation Method 2
the seal body rests on the upper end of the tube when liquid is absent from the float chamber to block the upper port of the tube passage to prevent pressurized gas in the float chamber from entering the tube passage
Implementation Method 3
pressurized gas in the float chamber to pass through the tube passage to the piston chamber... the piston moves away from the valve seat when pressurized gas enters the piston chamber through the gas inlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A drain valve including a housing having a float chamber, a piston chamber, and a plenum communicating with the piston chamber through a seat. The housing has a liquid inlet passage, and an outlet port. The drain valve has a tube passage communicating with the piston chamber. The drain valve includes an annular float. The drain valve includes a seal body connected to the float and rising away from the tube passage when liquid is in the float chamber. The drain valve includes a piston slidably mounted in the piston chamber having a head that moves away from the seat when gas enters the piston chamber. The piston includes a valve element that moves as the piston head moves to expose the liquid inlet port and allow liquid to flow from the liquid inlet passage through the plenum and into the liquid outlet passage.