Dual-Valve Gear Assembly for Safe Gas Line Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas shut-off systems in the gas utility industry lack enhanced safety features for emergency isolation and efficient operation, particularly in synchronizing the control of inlet and outlet valves to ensure reliable gas supply and demand management.
Innovation Solution
A gear-controlled valve system with a housing that includes an inlet valve, an outlet valve, and a control gear synchronously operating both inlet and outlet gears to manage gas flow, featuring a fluid purge port for improved safety and efficiency in isolating the service demand from the service supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single shut-off valve is used in the gas distribution system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the safety and reliability of isolating service demand from service supply is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single valve function into two separate valves: an inlet valve and an outlet valve. This segmentation allows each valve to perform a specific isolation function, creating a more reliable dual-valve safety system while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple valves and gears into a single integrated housing assembly. The housing merges the inlet valve, outlet valve, inlet gear, outlet gear, and control gear into one unified structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of multiple valves
2Ease of operation
If manual operation of multiple valves is required, then the ease of operation is reduced, but the device complexity remains manageable
Solution Approach 1:
The control gear is designed to simultaneously operate both the inlet gear and outlet gear through a single rotational input. This merging of control functions allows one operator to open or close both valves at the same time, significantly improving ease of operation while the integrated housing keeps the mechanical complexity contained
Solution Approach 2:
The gear mechanism is pre-configured with interlinked gears that automatically coordinate the opening or closing of both valves when the control gear is rotated. This preliminary mechanical arrangement eliminates the need for separate manual operations, making the system easier to operate despite the presence of multiple moving parts
Data Source
AI summary
A valve system includes a housing that houses a fluid path having an inlet side and an outlet side, and a fluid purge port disposed at and in fluid communication with the outlet side of the fluid path. The housing includes: an inlet valve disposed in fluid communication with the fluid path at the inlet side and in operable communication with an inlet gear; an outlet valve disposed in fluid communication with the fluid path at the outlet side and in operable communication with an outlet gear; and a control gear disposed in operable communication with both the inlet gear and the outlet gear.