High Flow Nozzle System for Bladder Surge Tank Obstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bladder surge tanks face issues with the bladder blocking the tank's inlet/outlet opening during fluid discharge, leading to flow obstruction and potential damage from concentrated fluid force, especially in systems with liquid and solid mixtures like sewage, where plugging and fouling occur, requiring frequent maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a high flow nozzle system with perforations and a cylindrical throat to disperse incoming fluid uniformly, preventing bladder obstruction and facilitating the passage of solid constituents, ensuring effective surge protection without plugging or fouling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wire screen is placed in the tank's inlet/outlet opening to prevent bladder blocking, then the bladder blocking issue is partially addressed, but the liquid flow is impeded and the solution is not totally effective
Solution Approach 1:
The single inlet/outlet opening is segmented into multiple smaller openings distributed across the tank wall. This segmentation prevents the bladder from blocking the entire opening while collectively providing sufficient flow area to maintain high productivity. The multiple openings ensure that even if some are blocked, others remain open for fluid passage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tank wall are equipped with openings of varying sizes and distributions based on local flow requirements. The openings are strategically positioned to optimize both bladder clearance and flow characteristics in different areas of the tank.
2Reliability
If the tank's inlet/outlet opening is reduced in size to prevent bladder blocking, then the bladder blocking issue is addressed, but the flow rate and surge protection capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reducing the total opening size, the opening is divided into multiple smaller openings. This maintains the collective flow area while ensuring each individual opening is too small to be blocked by the bladder, thus preserving both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path is extended from a single large opening to multiple openings distributed across the tank wall surface. This dimensional distribution increases the effective flow area while preventing bladder interference with any single opening.
3Device complexity
If the inlet/outlet opening is concentrated in one location, then the structure is simple, but the incoming fluid force is concentrated and can cause damage to the bladder
Solution Approach 1:
The concentrated inlet/outlet opening is segmented into multiple distributed openings. This distributes the incoming fluid force across multiple locations on the bladder rather than concentrating it at one point, reducing the risk of bladder damage while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid force distribution is transformed from a concentrated point load to a distributed load across the tank wall surface. This dimensional distribution of force application points reduces peak stresses on the bladder while keeping the overall structure simple.
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 solution ensures uninterrupted fluid flow and reduces bladder damage by dispersing incoming fluid pressure, maintaining system operation without frequent maintenance, even in sewage applications with solid and liquid mixtures.
Implementation Method 1
A nozzle system is disposed within the tank body, and is configured having a nozzle member. The nozzle member comprises a first plurality of perforations that extend a predetermined axial length along the nozzle member.
Implementation Method 2
An elastomeric bladder is disposed within the tank body and is adapted to separate a volume of fluid within the tank from a volume of gas within the tank. In an example embodiment, the tank body is charged with a precharge pressure of gas that resides between an inside wall surface of the tank body and an adjacent surface of the bladder.
Data Source
AI summary
A surge tank is sized to retain a volume of fluid. A fluid inlet/outlet port is attached to the tank, and an elastomeric bladder is disposed within the tank and separates the fluid from a volume of gas. A nozzle system is disposed within the tank and has a nozzle member comprising a first plurality of axially elongate perforations, and a second plurality of perforations. The nozzle member can extend a partial or complete distance with tank. The tank body includes a throat that extends outwardly from a portion of the tank adjacent the port, and a portion of the nozzle member comprising the first plurality of perforations is disposed within the throat. An annular space exists adjacent the nozzle member in the neck to facilitate the flow of solid constituent within the fluid from the tank and into the nozzle member.