Flow Control System Using Expanding Conduit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow control systems for detention ponds and surge tanks rely on buoyancy, springs, or flexible conduits, which are prone to failure due to factors like float rupture, buoyancy loss, spring degradation, and conduit collapse under high pressure, making them unreliable for maintaining consistent fluid release rates.
Innovation Solution
A flow control system utilizing an expanding conduit, such as a bellows, restrained by a rigid tube, where fluid pressure controls the upward movement of a capped end with a fluid passageway, maintaining a consistent release rate without relying on floats, springs, or flexible conduits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional flow control systems use buoyancy-based floats or flexible conduits, then the system can passively control fluid release rates, but the system becomes unreliable due to float rupture, buoyancy loss, spring degradation, and conduit collapse under high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic buoyancy-based float and flexible conduit components from the system. Instead, it uses a rigid bellows that expands and contracts vertically in response to pressure changes, eliminating the reliability issues associated with floats rupturing, losing buoyancy, or springs degrading.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using buoyancy to lift a float upward to control flow, the patent inverts the approach by using pressure-driven vertical expansion of a rigid bellows. The bellows expands upward when pressure increases and contracts when pressure decreases, providing reliable flow control without floating components.
2Reliability
If the upstream reservoir receives high inflow rates that dramatically exceed the desirable outflow rate, then a large storage volume is required to control fluid levels, but this increases land acquisition, engineering, construction and transportation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic bellows structure that automatically adjusts its vertical dimension in response to changing pressure conditions. As inflow rates increase and pressure rises, the bellows expands upward, reducing the effective storage volume and allowing excess fluid to be held at higher levels without requiring a proportionally larger storage reservoir.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the vertical position parameter of the bellows in response to pressure variations. When upstream fluid levels rise and pressure increases, the bellows expands upward, effectively reducing the storage volume available and maintaining control over outflow rates without requiring a fixed large storage capacity.
3Reliability
If rigid confinement is applied to the bellows to prevent lateral movement, then the bellows maintains vertical expansion and contraction for flow control, but the system requires additional structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies rigid confinement only in the lateral direction to prevent sideways movement of the bellows, while allowing free expansion and contraction in the vertical direction. This selective constraint approach maintains flow control reliability without overly complicating the system structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple rigid confinement structure that copies the vertical orientation of the bellows, providing lateral support while maintaining the bellows' ability to expand and contract vertically. This minimal structural addition ensures reliable operation without excessive complexity.
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 system effectively regulates fluid release rates by using internal pressure to adjust the passageway's position, ensuring consistent discharge without the vulnerabilities of traditional systems, thus providing reliable and durable flow control.
Implementation Method 1
as the fluid level in the upstream reservoir continues to rise, the fluid pressure in the interior of the expanding conduit rises and, in turn, exerts an upward force on the underside of the distal, capped, upper end of the expanding conduit
Implementation Method 2
A flow control system utilizes an expanding conduit, such as a bellows, restrained by a rigid tube, where fluid pressure controls the upward movement of a capped end with a fluid passageway
Data Source
AI summary
An application for a flow control system includes a vertically oriented expanding conduit, positioned within the interior of a container which is fluidly interfaced to a downstream drainage system. The lower end of the expanding conduit is in fluid communication with an upstream reservoir through a closed conduit. A means to restrain the expanding conduit from lateral movement is provided and the means is in fluid communication with the interior of the container. The distal, upper end of the expanding conduit is capped and at least one fluid passageway opens through the cap from the interior of the expanding conduit. As the fluid pressure rises in the expanding conduit in response to an increase in the fluid level in the upstream reservoir, the fluid passageway through the capped, upper end of the expanding conduit rises to prescribed level and the release rate of fluid into the downstream drainage system is maintained at a prescribed rate or range of rates as the fluid level continues to rise.