Flare Tip Valve Dampening with Air Dashpot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring-loaded flare tips for waste gas disposal experience volumetric gas flow limitations due to exit velocity constraints and produce undesirable 'chatter' noise at varying pressures, potentially damaging the valve seat.
Innovation Solution
A combustible gas burner with a pressure relief valve system that includes a valve body, valve seat, and air dashpot dampers to regulate gas flow, where the air dashpot dampers use a tubular member and piston to dampen movement of the valve body relative to the valve seat, preventing rapid fluctuations and chatter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring-loaded valve body is used to regulate gas flow, then the valve can respond to pressure changes, but the valve body produces chatter noise and potentially damages the valve seat due to rapid repeated lifting and dropping
Solution Approach 1:
A dashpot device is introduced as an intermediary between the valve body and valve seat. The dashpot contains a piston that moves within a cylinder filled with viscous fluid, creating damping force that prevents the valve body from rapidly dropping onto the valve seat, thereby eliminating chatter noise while maintaining the pressure-responsive flow regulation function
Solution Approach 2:
The dashpot provides beforehand cushioning by creating viscous resistance before the valve body completes its motion. The damping force builds up as the valve body approaches the valve seat, cushioning the impact before contact occurs and preventing the harmful rapid repeated striking that causes chatter
2Productivity
If the exit velocity of gas through the variable opening is increased to handle higher volumetric gas flow, then more waste gas can be disposed of, but environmental standards limit exit velocity to 400 ft/s
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the governing parameter from exit velocity to pressure differential. By using a pressure-responsive valve body that modulates opening based on upstream pressure rather than relying on fixed high-velocity flow, the system can handle varying volumetric gas flows while maintaining exit velocities within the 400 ft/s environmental limit
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 effectively regulates gas flow and reduces chatter noise, maintaining valve seat integrity while accommodating a wider range of pressures without the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
an air dashpot damper that includes a tubular member having a closed distal end and an open proximal end, and a piston member received within the tubular member... Movement of the valve body relative to the valve seat is dampened using at least one air dashpot damper
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure relief valve includes a valve seat at the outlet, a valve body, and an air dashpot damper. In some embodiments, the valve body is configured to engage the valve seat and move along a central axis relative to the valve seat in response to a pressure at the outlet to regulate a flow of combustible gas through the outlet. In some embodiments, the air dashpot damper includes a tubular member having a closed distal end and an open proximal end, and a piston member received within the tubular member. In some embodiments, the tubular member or the piston member is attached to the valve body, and the piston moves relative to the tubular member along an axis of the tubular member in response to movement of the valve body relative to the valve seat. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve includes a plurality of the air dashpot dampers.