HVAC Plastic Seal Fitting With Deformable Flange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic fluid lines in HVAC systems face leakage issues due to material creep, which reduces the effectiveness of axial sealing means over time, making them susceptible to failure.
Innovation Solution
A seal assembly comprising rigid blocks with radially extending sealing surfaces and a conduit with a deformable flange, where the flange is compressed between the sealing surfaces to create a hydrostatic lock, preventing material creep and maintaining a fluid-tight seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If axial sealing means are used with plastic fittings, then initial sealing performance is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates over time due to material creep
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is pre-formed with a deformable structure that allows it to be compressed between the sealing surfaces during assembly. This preliminary configuration enables the flange to establish initial contact and sealing before operational forces are applied, preventing material creep from compromising the seal over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable flange acts as an intermediary element between the plastic conduit and the rigid seal blocks. By deforming under compression, it distributes the sealing force evenly across the sealing surfaces, preventing localized stress that would cause plastic creep and seal failure.
2Weight of moving object
If plastic fluid lines are used instead of metal, then vehicle weight is reduced, but leakage resistance deteriorates due to material creep
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable flange serves as a mediator that compensates for the plastic material's creep tendency. By deforming elastically under compression, it maintains consistent sealing pressure on the plastic conduit, preventing leakage despite the plastic's time-dependent deformation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism changes the physical state of the flange from undeformed to compressed during operation. This parameter change allows the flange to adapt to the plastic conduit's dimensions and maintain sealing pressure, overcoming the inherent leakage resistance problems of plastic fluid lines.
3Ease of operation
If radial sealing means are used, then assembly simplicity is improved, but sealing performance deteriorates with higher leakage rates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a radial sealing approach (o-ring) where the seal element sits perpendicular to the flow direction, the invention inverts to an axial sealing approach where the deformable flange is compressed parallel to the flow direction between opposing sealing surfaces. This inversion provides superior sealing performance while maintaining assembly simplicity.
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 effectively prevents material creep and maintains a reliable seal over time, enhancing the longevity and performance of plastic fluid lines in HVAC systems by using a hydrostatic lock mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a flange extending radially outwardly from an end of the tube portion and configured to deform when compressed between the first and second sealing surfaces
Implementation Method 2
the flange is compressed between the sealing surfaces to create a hydrostatic lock, preventing material creep and maintaining a fluid-tight seal
Data Source
AI summary
A seal assembly for an HVAC system includes a first block having a first aperture and a first sealing surface, a second block having a second aperture and a second sealing, and a conduit having a tube portion with an axially extending aperture and a flange extending radially outwardly from an end of the tube portion. The tube portion is disposed within the first aperture of the first block and the flange is disposed between the first sealing surface of the first block and the second sealing surface of the second block and is configured to deform when compressed therebetween. The seal assembly further includes an insert providing fluid communication between the aperture of the tube portion and the second aperture of the second block. A first end of the insert is received in the aperture of the tube portion of the conduit.