Fluid Control Valve Filter Placement for Wet Gas Water Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fluid control valves in wet gas systems face issues with water infiltration and freezing, leading to blocked passages and impaired gas flow when the system is restarted, especially when the valve port is positioned below the introduction passage.

Innovation Solution

A fluid control valve design where the filter is positioned at the lowermost part of the introduction passage, allowing water to be suctioned and discharged without blocking the passage, even when the valve port is above the introduction passage, using a mesh filter to facilitate water removal through differential pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the valve port is disposed below the introduction passage, then water can be discharged by gravity when the valve port is opened during system operation, but the valve port and valve body may freeze when the system is stopped in low temperature environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater discharge capabilityVSAvoidfreezing prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the valve port above the introduction passage instead of below it. This inversion prevents water from entering the valve port by gravity during system shutdown, eliminating the freezing risk to the valve body while maintaining water discharge capability through the filter mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter acts as an intermediary component between the introduction passage and the valve port. It enables water to be discharged from the introduction passage while preventing water from reaching and freezing the valve port and valve body, thus resolving the contradiction between water discharge and freezing prevention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the valve port is disposed above the introduction passage, then the valve port and valve body are protected from freezing, but water cannot be discharged by gravity when the valve port is opened during system operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefreezing preventionVSAvoidwater discharge capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs hydraulic principles where the wet gas flow itself serves as the driving force to push water through the filter and discharge it from the introduction passage. The gas flow pressure differential enables water removal without relying on gravity, thus maintaining water discharge capability while keeping the valve port above the introduction passage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The filter serves as a mediator that facilitates water discharge through the action of wet gas flow. It allows water to be removed from the introduction passage by the hydraulic action of the gas flow while preventing water from reaching the valve port, thus resolving the contradiction between freezing prevention and water discharge

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If the introduction passage is formed in a curved shape projecting downward, then water accumulates in the curved portion and can be pushed out in a single burst, but the introduction passage becomes blocked until water completely blocks the passage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater discharge efficiencyVSAvoidpassage blockage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the water discharge function from the introduction passage structure itself and relocates it to a dedicated filter component. The filter is specifically designed to remove water from the wet gas flow, separating the water discharge function from the gas flow passage, thus preventing passage blockage while maintaining discharge efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter acts as an intermediary that continuously removes water from the wet gas flow before it can accumulate and block the introduction passage. This intermediary water removal mechanism prevents the blockage issue while maintaining efficient water discharge, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 continuous operation by preventing passage blockage due to water accumulation and freezing, improving system reliability and efficiency by allowing water discharge without blocking the introduction passage, thus maintaining gas flow when the system is reactivated.

Implementation Method 1

a filter including mesh for removing foreign matter contained in the wet gas flowing through the introduction passage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

the valve port is positioned above the introduction passage in consideration of water infiltration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3116056B1Fluid control valve
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3116056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3116056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3116056B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fluid control valve is connected to a wet gas flow passage in order to control a flow of a wet gas, and includes an introduction passage for introducing the wet gas into the fluid control valve, a filter including mesh for removing foreign matter contained in the wet gas flowing through the introduction passage, a discharge passage that includes a valve port disposed above the introduction passage and discharges the wet gas that has passed through the filter from the fluid control valve through the valve port, and a valve portion that opens and closes the valve port using a valve body. In this fluid control valve, the filter is disposed in a lowermost portion of the introduction passage.