Flow Rate Controller Orifice Clog Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow rate controllers using differential pressure flow meters struggle to accurately detect and prevent errors caused by orifice clogging due to foreign objects like coagulates, leading to inaccurate flow rate measurements and potential system failures.
Innovation Solution
A flow rate controller that compares preset and measured flow rates, and includes a monitoring pressure sensor to detect orifice clogs by identifying pressure differences and deviations in valve pulse positions, allowing for automatic detection and prevention of continued flow rate control errors without additional equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a differential pressure flow meter is used to measure flow rate, then flow rate control can be achieved, but orifice clogging by foreign objects causes measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of orifice clogging by monitoring the relationship between inlet pressure and flow rate before actual flow rate control is affected. The control unit detects abnormality when the measured flow rate deviates from the expected flow rate calculated from inlet pressure, enabling early intervention before clogging severely impacts measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback mechanism where the control unit continuously monitors the correlation between inlet pressure and flow rate, compares measured values with expected values, and generates abnormality notifications when deviations exceed predetermined thresholds. This feedback loop enables real-time detection and response to orifice clogging conditions
2Measurement precision
If additional equipment is added to detect orifice clogs, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses its existing inlet pressure sensor and flow rate measurement capabilities to self-diagnose orifice clogging conditions. By analyzing the correlation between inlet pressure and flow rate that already exists in the differential pressure flow meter system, the invention enables clog detection without requiring separate detection equipment, thereby maintaining measurement precision while avoiding increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls the flow rate adjusting valve for flow rate regulation, measures flow rate using differential pressure, detects inlet pressure, and identifies orifice clogging abnormalities. By making the control unit multi-functional, the system achieves accurate clog detection without adding dedicated detection equipment, thus avoiding increased device 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
Enables accurate and timely detection of orifice clogs, preventing errors in flow rate measurement and ensuring continuous, accurate flow rate control by automatically identifying and addressing clogged states with minimal additional equipment.
Implementation Method 1
differential pressure flow meters, which measure the flow rate of fluid... provided with pressure sensors before and after an orifice... calculates a flow rate by converting differential pressure between the two pressure sensors
Implementation Method 2
a monitoring pressure sensor for monitoring clogging... compare a detected pressure value of the monitoring pressure sensor with a reference pressure value... to determine that there is a clog fault in the orifice
Data Source
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AI summary
Flow rate controller that automatically detects a clogged state, including a differential pressure flow meter (20), wherein an orifice (23) is disposed between a pair of pressure sensors (21,22); a flow-rate adjusting valve (30); and a control unit (40) that controls the degree of opening of the flow-rate adjusting valve (30) upon receiving as inputs the pressure values detected by the pressure sensors (21,22), wherein the control unit (40) compares a preset flow rate value and the measured flow rate value of the differential pressure flow meter (20) and determines that there is a clog fault in the orifice (23) when a flow rate difference equal to or greater than a predetermined value continues for a predetermined period of time or longer.