Flow Rate Regulator With Decoupled Control Gap Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow rate regulators exhibit suboptimal control curves with a low-pressure behavior that is less steep than desired and an unwanted ascending high-pressure part, making it challenging to achieve a steep rise at low pressures and a flat or constant plateau at high pressures.
Innovation Solution
The control gap is divided into at least two separate regions, allowing the regulating body to deform independently in each region, with supporting elements providing decoupled support to manage high-pressure and low-pressure behaviors separately, enabling independent design of each region without cross-influences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the control gap is designed as a single region, then the structure is simple, but the control curve cannot achieve both steep low-pressure rise and flat high-pressure plateau
Solution Approach 1:
The control gap is divided into at least two separate regions (first control gap region and second control gap region) with different supporting element arrangements. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently for different pressure ranges, enabling the first region to provide steep low-pressure control while the second region provides flat high-pressure control, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and control curve precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If the regulating body deforms uniformly across the control gap, then the design is straightforward, but cross-influences prevent independent optimization of low-pressure and high-pressure behaviors
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the control gap into separate regions with different supporting element configurations, the regulating body is enabled to deform independently in each region. The first region can be optimized for low-pressure deformation while the second region is optimized for high-pressure deformation, eliminating cross-influences and allowing independent optimization of different pressure behaviors while maintaining straightforward manufacturing through integral formation of supporting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the control gap are given different local qualities through varying supporting element arrangements. The first control gap region has supporting elements configured for low-pressure response, while the second control gap region has supporting elements configured for high-pressure response, enabling each local region to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with other regions.
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 approach allows for a low-pressure behavior with a steep control curve slope and a high-pressure behavior with a flat curve, effectively managing the flow rate over a wide pressure range without influencing the low-pressure behavior, thereby achieving a desired control curve.
Implementation Method 1
the regulator body deforms elastically under the action of the fluid to modify the fluid flow through the seat as a predefined function of the fluid pressure difference
Implementation Method 2
supporting elements which support the regulating body in the control gap
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
It is proposed to decouple regions (7) of a regulating body (2) of a flow rate regulator (1) such that one of the decoupled regions (7) forms a low-pressure region (9) while another of the decoupled regions (7) defines a high-pressure region (8).