Dual pressure damper
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Solution Overview
Problem
During startup of air intake and exhaust fans in an oil extraction room, instantaneous airflow can create a positive pressure that allows toxic gases to escape through room openings, posing a risk to operators and compromising containment of hazardous gases.
Innovation Solution
A dual pressure damper with field-changeable torsion coil springs, featuring a low pressure damper blade that opens at a lower air pressure than a high pressure blade, is used to maintain negative air pressure and prevent gas escape, with the low pressure blade opening at 16 psi and the high pressure blade at 18 psi, ensuring controlled airflow during fan ramp-up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the intake fan and exhaust fan are started simultaneously at full speed during shutdown, then the airflow increases instantly to purge hazardous gases, but the intake fan may temporarily overpower the exhaust fan creating positive pressure that allows toxic gases to escape through room openings
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is segmented into two distinct blades: a low pressure blade and a high pressure blade. Each blade operates at different pressure thresholds to control airflow at different stages of fan startup. The low pressure blade responds to lower pressure differentials during initial fan acceleration, while the high pressure blade responds to higher pressure differentials when the exhaust fan gains dominance, preventing toxic gas escape during the transition phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper utilizes changes in pressure parameters to control blade positioning. The low pressure blade opens at a lower pressure threshold (16 psi) during initial fan startup, while the high pressure blade opens at a higher pressure threshold (18 psi) when the exhaust fan establishes negative pressure. This parameter-based control ensures the damper responds appropriately to different startup phases, preventing positive pressure conditions that could allow gas escape.
2Device complexity
If a single pressure damper blade is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot differentiate between low pressure and high pressure conditions during fan startup, failing to prevent toxic gas escape during pressure transitions
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single complex adjustable mechanism, the invention segments the damper into two simpler binary-state blades. Each blade independently responds to its specific pressure threshold, providing reliable gas containment through a structurally simple design that avoids the complexity of continuous adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual blade damper acts as an intermediary pressure control mechanism between the fans and the room environment. The low pressure blade mediates initial airflow during fan acceleration, while the high pressure blade mediates airflow when negative pressure is established, ensuring gas containment without requiring direct complex control systems.
3Device complexity
If the damper blade opens at high pressure only, then the structure is simpler, but it fails to control airflow during the initial low pressure phase of fan startup, allowing toxic gases to escape
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is segmented into two functional blades with different pressure thresholds. The low pressure blade specifically addresses the initial startup phase where pressure differentials are small, preventing gas escape during this vulnerable period. The high pressure blade addresses the later phase when stronger pressure differentials exist, providing comprehensive protection across the entire startup sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The low pressure blade performs preliminary airflow control during the initial phase of fan startup before the exhaust fan establishes strong negative pressure. This preliminary action prevents toxic gas escape during the critical transition period, before the high pressure blade becomes active at higher pressure differentials.
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 dual pressure damper effectively prevents toxic gas escape during startup by maintaining a negative air pressure in the oil extraction room, reducing the risk to operators and ensuring containment of hazardous gases within the facility.
Implementation Method 1
The subject invention includes a dual pressure damper, with an air intake fan, connected to a control system in the oil extraction room. The dual pressure damper is designed to prevent the positive pressure 'P' in the room during startup of the intake fan and the exhaust fan.
Implementation Method 2
The low pressure damper blade that opens at a lower air pressure, when compared to a high pressure damper blade to help maintain a negative air pressure 'N' in the oil extraction room.
Data Source
AI summary
A dual pressure damper used as an air intake damper in an air intake duct, The intake duct is used for introducing intake air into a room. The dual pressure damper helps maintain a negative air pressure “N” in the room. In particular, the room is used for plant oil extraction. The intake air vents toxic gases from the room and out an exhaust duct. The dual pressure damper includes a low pressure damper blade and a high pressure damper blade. A torsion coil spring includes a long torque arm attached to the low pressure damper blade and a short torque arm attached to the high pressure damper blade. The torque arms are used to open and close the damper blades at different incoming air pressures.