Hydraulic Pulsation Damper With Flushable Dead-Space-Free Chamber

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing damping devices for fluids face challenges in cleaning due to trapped fluid residue between the hydraulic accumulator's separating element and the accumulator wall, necessitating disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly, which is complex, expensive, and results in extended system downtime.

Innovation Solution

A damping device design with separably fixed housing components and a damper housing containing a second fluid chamber with a movable separating element, allowing for cleaning of the damper housing alone, eliminating the need for disassembly and reassembly of the hydraulic accumulator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the hydraulic accumulator is used as a damping device for fluids, then pressure pulsations are smoothed out, but fluid residue becomes trapped between the separating element and accumulator wall making cleaning impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping functionVSAvoidcleaning capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into two independent housing parts: a first housing part containing the hydraulic accumulator and a second housing part containing the damping chamber. This segmentation allows the damping chamber to be cleaned separately by removing only the second housing part, while the hydraulic accumulator remains intact and functional.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damping chamber is extracted as a separate functional unit from the hydraulic accumulator. By providing a separate second housing part that can be removed, the fluid residue trapping problem is isolated to the removable damping chamber rather than the entire accumulator system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the damping device is cleaned by disassembling the hydraulic accumulator, then fluid residue is removed, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning accessibilityVSAvoidsystem downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into removable parts, specifically the second housing part containing the damping chamber can be separately removed for cleaning. This eliminates the need to disassemble the entire hydraulic accumulator, reducing cleaning complexity and time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damping chamber is extracted as a separate removable component. This allows cleaning operations to be performed on only the necessary part (second housing part) rather than the entire accumulator assembly, significantly reducing maintenance downtime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If sealing elements are replaced during cleaning, then contamination is prevented, but costs and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidmaintenance complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into separable parts with sealing elements located at the interface between the first and second housing parts. This segmentation allows sealing elements to be accessed and replaced by simply removing the second housing part, rather than requiring complete disassembly of the accumulator.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second housing part containing the damping chamber is extracted as a separate unit. This extraction provides direct access to the sealing elements at the housing interface, enabling maintenance personnel to service seals without the complex disassembly previously required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Device complexity

If the same fluid is used in both the accumulator and damping chamber, then the system is simpler, but contamination occurs when changing fluids

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidfluid change capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fluid system is segmented into two separate chambers: the first fluid chamber in the hydraulic accumulator and the second fluid chamber in the damping housing. This physical segmentation allows different fluids to be used in each chamber independently, enabling fluid changes in the damping chamber without affecting the accumulator fluid.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second fluid chamber is extracted as a separate removable unit. This extraction enables the damping chamber to be isolated and its fluid changed independently from the accumulator, providing versatility for handling different fluids while maintaining system simplicity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 efficient cleaning during operation by flushing the damper housing, reducing downtime and ensuring compliance with purity requirements without disassembly, while using a chemically neutral separation fluid to prevent contamination.

Implementation Method 1

a damping device for fluids exhibiting pressure pulsations, having the features of claim 1... at least one hydraulic accumulator, the accumulator housing of which includes a first movable separating element that separates a gas side from a first fluid space and can be pressurized by a fluid located in the first fluid space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic accumulator: Hydraulic Accumulator

Implementation Method 2

damping devices that incorporate a hydraulic accumulator providing a flexible pressure cushion... to smooth out pressure pulsations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure cushion:

Implementation Method 3

a damper housing with a second fluid space is provided as a component of the accumulator housing, which can be flowed through by the fluid subject to pressure pulsations and contains a second movable separating element that separates the second fluid space from the first fluid space of the hydraulic accumulator without dead space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSeparating element: Semipermeable Membrane

Data Source

PatentEP3735539B1Damping device
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 HYDAC TECH GMBH
  • EP3735539B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3735539B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a damping device for fluids affected by pressure pulsations, comprising at least one hydraulic reservoir (2), the reservoir housing (4, 6) of which contains a movable separating element (18), which separates a gas side (14) from a fluid space (16) and can be pressurised by a fluid in the fluid space (16), which damping device is characterized in that a damper housing (34) having a second fluid space (38) is provided as a component of the reservoir housing (4, 6), through which fluid affected by pressure pulsations can flow, and contains a second movable separating element (40) which separates the second fluid space (38) from the first fluid space (16) of the hydraulic reservoir (2) without any dead space.