Flow Limiter Valve for Hydraulic Pump Cut-Off Shock Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic mining shovel pumps fail prematurely due to high pressure cut-off events, leading to unexpected downtime and high costs, and existing modifications to pump components are costly and laborious without effectively addressing the issue.
Innovation Solution
A flow limiter for a cut-off valve that includes a valve element slidably transitioning from a first to a second position when a predefined fluid pressure threshold is exceeded, increasing fluid flow and providing hydraulic and mechanical dampening to reduce pressure differences and prevent rapid actuator movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If modifications are made to pump components (downstream pressure cut-off valve or upstream pilot valve) to mitigate high pressure cut-off events, then the reliability of the pump is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A flow limiter device is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump and the downstream pressure cut-off valve. This mediator device limits the flow rate to prevent excessive pressure buildup, thereby mitigating high pressure cut-off events without requiring modifications to the pump components themselves. The flow limiter acts as a buffer that absorbs pressure fluctuations and prevents harmful pressure spikes from reaching the pump.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If modifications are made to pump components to reduce high pressure cut-off events, then the pump durability is improved, but the ease of manufacture and implementation deteriorates due to costly redesign and laborious overhaul
Solution Approach 1:
The solution segments the pump system into distinct functional modules: the original pump system remains unchanged, and a separate, standalone flow limiter device is added downstream. This segmentation allows the flow limiting function to be implemented independently without affecting the pump's existing design or requiring complex integration. The modular approach simplifies manufacturing and enables easy installation during routine maintenance without costly pump redesign.
3Reliability
If the flow rate is restricted to prevent high pressure cut-off events, then the reliability is improved, but the productivity of the hydraulic system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limiter is designed with a pressure-activated valve element that dynamically adjusts the flow restriction based on system pressure conditions. Under normal operating pressure, the valve remains open and allows full flow rate, maintaining system productivity. When pressure approaches dangerous levels that could cause cut-off events, the valve automatically restricts flow to prevent overpressure. This dynamic adjustment ensures both high reliability and maintained productivity across different operating conditions.
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 flow limiter effectively reduces the frequency of high pressure cut-off events, minimizing wear on pump components and extending the lifespan of hydraulic mining shovel pumps by absorbing hydraulic shocks and reducing rapid accelerations.
Implementation Method 1
if a predefined fluid pressure threshold is exceeded at the fluid inlet
Implementation Method 2
providing hydraulic and mechanical dampening to reduce pressure differences
Implementation Method 3
absorbing hydraulic shocks and reducing rapid accelerations
Data Source
AI summary
A flow limiter for a cut-off valve of a hydraulic pumping system and a hydraulic system using such a flow limiter. The flow limiter provides for limiting a flow through a cut-off valve. The flow limiter for a cut-off valve of a hydraulic pumping system includes a valve body with a hollow channel. The hollow channel has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and the fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a discharge line of the cut-off valve in a mounted state of the flow limiter. A valve element is slidably arranged within the channel and can transition from a first position towards a second position, if a predefined fluid pressure threshold is exceeded at the fluid inlet. The valve element is arranged in the hollow channel so that in the second position a fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet is larger than in the first position.