Liquid Line Draining with Pressure Impulses for Freeze Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems require high energy and cost expenditure to prevent liquid lines from freezing, especially in low-temperature conditions, and involve complex heating device designs to maintain constant heat output along the line length.
Innovation Solution
A pressure accumulator and ventilating element combination generates a pressure impulse outside the operating phase to drain residual liquid from the lines, eliminating the need for heating elements and reducing energy and cost expenditures by using a reversible pump to create pressurized air that pushes out the liquid, ensuring the line is free of residue and resistant to freezing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating elements are used to prevent liquid freezing in the line, then the line is protected from freezing, but energy expenditure and cost expenditure increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful residual liquid is extracted from the line using a pressure impulse generated by the pressure accumulator. The ventilating element opens to allow the pressure impulse to push the liquid out of the line, removing the freezing hazard without requiring continuous heating energy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous heating, the system uses periodic pressure impulses generated by the pressure accumulator at intervals (e.g., every 10-30 minutes or when freezing is detected). This intermittent action maintains freezing protection while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous heating.
2Reliability
If heating elements are installed along the line to maintain constant heat output, then freezing protection is achieved, but device complexity and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex heating device is replaced by extracting the liquid hazard and using a simple pressure impulse mechanism. The system only requires a pressure accumulator and a ventilating element instead of elaborate heating elements distributed along the entire line length.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic pressure impulses from the pressure accumulator to drain the line. This replaces the thermal field approach (heating elements) with a mechanical field approach (pressure waves), simplifying the device design and reducing installation complexity.
3Device complexity
If residual liquid remains in the line after engine shutdown, then the system is simple, but freezing damage can occur at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure accumulator generates pressure impulses periodically or when freezing is detected to proactively remove residual liquid before it can freeze and cause damage. This preliminary draining action prevents the harmful effect of frost damage while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of residual liquid freezing into a benefit by using the pressure impulse to actively drain the line. The same pressure mechanism that could potentially cause fluid hammer is used beneficially to push liquid out of the line and prevent freezing damage.
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
This solution effectively prevents line freezing without significant energy or cost expenditure, allowing for immediate engine reactivation and reducing the complexity of heating systems by using a pressure accumulator and ventilating element to efficiently drain liquids from the lines.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure impulse within the at least one line can be generated by the pressure generated by the pressure accumulator
Implementation Method 2
by means of the pump, pressurized air can be generated and stored in the pressure accumulator
Implementation Method 3
the pressurized air guided through the line can balance itself out with regard to the atmosphere and thus escape from the line
Implementation Method 4
a pump connected to the at least one line for conveying the liquid from the liquid tank through the at least one line in the direction of flow
Implementation Method 5
by means of the pump, pressurized air can be generated and stored in the pressure accumulator
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement (100) having a liquid tank (10), at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) connected to the liquid tank (10), through which liquid (F) can be transported from the liquid tank (10), and a pump (13) connected to the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) for conveying the liquid (F) from the liquid tank (10) through the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) in the direction of flow (R) during an operating phase, wherein a pressure accumulator (14) connected to the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) is provided, by means of which a pressure can be generated in the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) outside of the operating phase, and a ventilating element (15, 15a, 15b), which can be transitioned into an open position and into a closed position, is arranged along the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b), wherein, outside of the operating phase, a pressure impulse within the at least one line (11, 11a, 11b) can be generated by the pressure generated by the pressure accumulator (14) and a subsequent transition of the ventilating element (15, 15a, 15b) into the open position in order to drain the line (11, 11a, 11b) of the fluid (F).