Floating-Ball Buffer Valve for Smooth Diaphragm Valve Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pneumatic diaphragm valves experience issues with rapid fluid flow and vibration when opening and closing, leading to jet flow, turbulent flow, and particle contamination, which complicates the delivery of high-cleanliness fluids in semiconductor processes.
Innovation Solution
A buffer valve with a two-way mechanism is installed on the pneumatic diaphragm valve, featuring a floating ball and inner/outer gas holes to control the release of high-pressure gas, slowing down pressure shock waves and adjusting the release time to reduce impact and turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the high-pressure gas is released rapidly to push the diaphragm for fast valve opening/closing, then the response speed of the valve is improved, but intense jet flow and turbulent flow are generated causing particle contamination
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer valve is introduced as an intermediary device between the high-pressure gas source and the diaphragm. This buffer valve controls the release of high-pressure gas through a controlled opening, preventing direct rapid expansion that causes jet flow. The buffer valve mediates the pressure transmission to the diaphragm, allowing smooth acceleration without generating harmful fluid dynamics.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer chamber is provided that cushions the high-pressure gas before it acts on the diaphragm. The buffer chamber prevents direct contact of high-pressure gas with the diaphragm by providing a transitional space, thereby preventing intense jet flow and turbulent flow while still enabling fast valve response.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the spring chamber is filled with high-pressure gas to increase rebound force for faster diaphragm movement, then the valve response time is reduced, but violent vibration is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer valve acts as an intermediary between the spring chamber and the diaphragm, controlling the release of high-pressure gas. This prevents direct rapid expansion that causes violent vibration while maintaining the rebound force needed for fast valve response.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer chamber cushions the high-pressure gas from the spring chamber before it acts on the diaphragm. This preliminary cushioning prevents violent vibration while preserving the elastic rebound force for rapid valve operation.
3Speed
If the central portion of the diaphragm moves quickly to improve valve response, then the opening/closing speed is improved, but impact against the valve seat increases causing particle generation
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer valve serves as an intermediary that controls the pressure application to the diaphragm. It allows the diaphragm to move quickly for fast response while preventing excessive impact velocity that would cause particle generation during closing.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer chamber provides beforehand cushioning by controlling the pressure build-up and release to the diaphragm. This ensures the diaphragm achieves necessary movement speed while reducing impact velocity against the valve seat to prevent particle generation.
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 buffer valve effectively reduces intense jet and turbulent flows, minimizes particle contamination, and extends equipment life by controlling the release of high-pressure gas, ensuring smooth operation and cleanliness of the fluid delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The buffer valve is configured to adjust release of the high-pressure gas in the pneumatic chamber... slow down the release of the high-pressure gas... slow down a pressure shock wave generated by the release of the high-pressure gas
Implementation Method 2
The inner micro gas hole is disposed at a position deviating from the axis of the inner chamber and close to the inner annular surface... The floating ball is disposed in the inner chamber and floats along with the high-pressure gas
Implementation Method 3
The spring chamber is provided with a spring... The spring also releases its compressed rebound force to push the piston too fast
Implementation Method 4
When the compression ratio released by the high-pressure gas is >1.5 times, the violent vibration of the ultrasonic wave will be generated
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer valve is installed on a pneumatic diaphragm valve. An inner flow channel of the buffer valve includes an inner micro gas hole, an inner chamber, an outer gas hole, and a floating ball. The buffer valve has functions with a high-filling action, a shielding action, a releasing action, a shielding time Δt, and an adjusting mechanism. When inflatable, the floating ball will not block the inner micro hole to be quickly filled with high-pressure gas. when gas discharge, the floating ball will move to the outer gas hole with the gas flow and produce the shielding action to reduce the discharge rate to reduce the vibration and slow down the approach speed of the diaphragm to reduce the impact against the valve seat. When the pressure of the gas decreases, the floating ball is separated from the outer gas hole by the releasing action to accelerate the discharge.