Proportional Flow Control Valve Pressure Relief Piston
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromagnetic 2-way proportional flow control valves face challenges with high power demand and difficulty in precise control, especially at low flow rates due to high solenoid drive force requirements, leading to abrupt changes in fluid flow with small changes in actuating current.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a pressure detecting piston that reduces actuating forces by creating a fluid-conducting connection between the fluid inlet and a pressure detecting chamber, allowing fluid pressure to apply force in the direction of relief for the solenoid, thereby minimizing the overall pressure-effective surface and energy consumption, and enabling a more linear solenoid drive force characteristic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a seat-type design with proportional solenoid is used, then the valve can control volume flow, but the power demand and solenoid size become relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into two independent functional sections: a pilot section with a pilot valve and pilot solenoid for precise control, and a main section with a main valve for flow regulation. This segmentation allows the small-power pilot solenoid to control the larger main valve, reducing overall power demand while maintaining control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot valve acts as an intermediary between the pilot solenoid and the main valve. The pilot solenoid controls the pilot valve, which in turn regulates the main valve opening. This intermediary mechanism amplifies the control effect, allowing a small solenoid to control a larger valve with high precision.
2Ease of operation
If the solenoid drive force is flattened to ease control, then the valve opening can be controlled more easily, but the solenoid drive force becomes relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is segmented between the pilot solenoid and main solenoid. The pilot solenoid provides precise control with low power consumption, while the main solenoid handles the heavier duty of opening the main valve. This segmentation avoids the need for a single high-power solenoid with flattened drive force characteristics.
3Device complexity
If a sliding piston design is used, then the valve structure is simpler, but the power demand and solenoid size are not minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into pilot and main sections with different piston designs. The pilot valve uses a simple sliding piston suitable for low-power operation, while the main valve uses a more complex but power-efficient design controlled by the pilot section. This segmentation achieves both structural simplicity where possible and power minimization where critical.
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
This design achieves precise volume flow control over a wide range with reduced energy demand and smaller solenoid size, ensuring a flat and almost 100% linear characteristic curve, allowing for accurate flow rate control even at low flow rates.
Implementation Method 1
a control piston, designed as a sliding piston, acts, subject to the action of the magnetic force of the proportional solenoid
Implementation Method 2
The fluid inlet is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to a pressure detecting chamber by a pressure detecting duct such that the fluid pressure prevailing in the pressure detecting chamber applies a force to the pressure detecting piston and the control piston in the direction of a relief of the actuator
Data Source
AI summary
An electromagnetic proportional 2-way flow control valve (1) has a valve housing (2) in which a control piston (3) is guided to be displaced axially. The control piston (3) actuates at least one fluid-conducting connection (4) between a fluid inlet (5) and an outflow opening (6). An armature (8) can be actuated by a proportional magnet and acts on the control piston (3). A pressure detecting piston (9) serves as the actuator part on the control piston (3). The fluid inlet (5) is connected in a fluid-conducting manner by a pressure detecting channel (11) to a pressure detecting chamber (12) such that the fluid pressure prevailing in the pressure detecting chamber (12) loads the pressure detecting piston (9) and the control piston (3) with a force (F) in the direction of relief of the armature.