Integrated Flow Regulating Valve for Compact Pressure Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flow control valves for liquid-carrying heating or cooling systems are expensive to produce, require significant space, and cannot be easily integrated with commercially available thermostatic valves due to the need for additional installation space and complex housing designs, especially when lacking an integrated pressure control device.

Innovation Solution

A compact flow control valve design with an integrated pressure control device, where the first throttle body forms the seat of the second throttle body, allowing all components to be assembled as a self-sufficient unit that can be installed or removed from the housing, enabling retrofitting of existing thermostatic valves with a dynamic valve insert.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a flow control valve with integrated pressure control device is designed using prefabricated components, then the flow control function is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases and the housing size becomes large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow control functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the pressure control device and flow control unit into a single integrated valve body with a unified throttle mechanism. The spindle simultaneously controls both pressure regulation and flow control, eliminating the need for separate prefabricated components and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining functional reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If additional pressure control components are added to the valve, then pressure regulation capability is improved, but the housing size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure regulation capabilityVSAvoidhousing size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure control device is nested within the existing valve housing structure. The spindle assembly is positioned concentrically within the valve body, and the throttle bodies are arranged in series along the flow path, allowing pressure regulation components to occupy minimal additional space while maintaining full pressure control functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Adaptability or versatility

If existing thermostatic valves are retrofitted with integrated pressure control, then the adaptability is improved, but the installation space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveretrofit capabilityVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The valve design uses a universal spindle mechanism that can function as both a pressure control spindle and a flow control spindle. The same actuating part controls both the pressure regulation throttle body and the flow control throttle body, allowing the valve to perform multiple functions (pressure control, flow control, and thermostatic regulation) within the same housing without requiring additional installation space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3025207B1Flow regulating valve
Publication Date: 2017.04.19 F W OVENTROP KG
  • EP3025207B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3025207B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3025207B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a flow regulating valve (1) for liquid-conducting heating or cooling systems, consisting of a housing (2) with an inlet (3), an outlet (4), and a connecting piece (13) which is arranged between the inlet and outlet and into which a pressure regulating device (14) that keeps the pressure difference between the pressure regions in front of and behind a flow regulating unit (8) arranged in the connecting piece constant and a spindle (7) with an actuating part protruding out of the housing (2) and with a first throttle element (9) located in the housing (2) are inserted, said first throttle element acting on the flow regulating unit or parts thereof. The flow regulating unit (8) consists of a first throttle device, which is made of the first throttle element (9) that is secured to the spindle (7) and a seat (10), and a second throttle device, which is made of a second throttle element (11) that is arranged on the spindle (7) in a movable manner along same and a seat, wherein the second throttle element (11) can be moved in the direction of the first throttle element (9).