Hydrant Shut-off Element Damping System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure surges occur when closing hydrants, leading to pipe breaks, water loss, decreased water pressure, and potential contamination of drinking water, especially during urgent firefighting situations, due to the rapid closure of shut-off elements in water distribution systems.
Innovation Solution
A shut-off element with a damping system that slows down the main valve body's sealing engagement with the hydrant's sealing surface, decoupling the closure speed from the operator's manual operation, thereby reducing pressure surges by using a compression spring and fluid reservoir to control the movement of the main valve body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the shut-off element is closed quickly, then the operation time is reduced and firefighting efficiency is improved, but pressure surges occur causing pipe breaks and water loss
Solution Approach 1:
A damping system with a damper is integrated into the shut-off element, positioned to absorb and dissipate the kinetic energy of the closing valve before it can generate harmful pressure surges. The damper acts as a pre-positioned cushion that controls the closing speed and reduces water hammer effects, allowing fast operation without causing pipe breaks or water loss.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the shut-off element is closed slowly, then pressure surges are reduced, but the operation time increases and firefighting efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping system is designed to be dynamically active only during the closing phase. The damper allows rapid opening operations while providing controlled resistance during closing, automatically adjusting the flow characteristics based on the direction and speed of valve movement. This dynamic behavior enables fast firefighting response without sacrificing pressure surge protection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping system is added to control closure speed, then pressure surges are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping system utilizes hydraulic principles with a damper that employs fluid resistance to control valve closure speed. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach provides effective damping with a compact design that integrates into the existing shut-off element structure, avoiding complex mechanical spring systems or electronic controls while achieving the desired pressure surge reduction.
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 damping system ensures that the shut-off element closes slowly and consistently, regardless of the closure speed, preventing pressure surges and maintaining system integrity, while allowing for adjustable closure speed and easy retrofitting.
Implementation Method 1
The damping system comprises a compression spring (112) which is inserted biased at least between the damping system (110) and the piston section (114)
Implementation Method 2
The cylinder chamber (118) is filled with a viscous fluid (130), wherein the piston section (114) is movable in the cylinder chamber (118)
Data Source
AI summary
A shut-off element of a hydrant with a hydrant axis. The shut-off element has a valve stem that is axially movable substantially along the hydrant axis, and a main valve body that can be brought into sealing contact with a sealing surface of the hydrant. The shut-off element has a damping system that is inserted between the main valve body and the valve stem or in a section of the valve stem or between an actuating element of the valve stem and the valve stem or in the actuating element itself, so that the main valve body is coupled to the valve stem axially dampened by the damping system along the hydrant axis.