Low Profile Backwater Valve With Pivoting Float Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backwater valves often require significant clearance space and can be unsuitable for installations with insufficient space, and they face operational challenges due to debris and contaminants that affect their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A low profile backwater valve design featuring a hollow valve body with a pivoting valve member and float appendages that provides buoyancy, allowing the valve to automatically close in the presence of backflow, along with features like baffles and a hose coupling for debris management and easy inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional backwater valve design is used, then the valve can effectively prevent backflow, but it requires significant clearance space that is not available in all installations
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member pivots on a horizontal axis rather than moving vertically, allowing the valve to close in a horizontal plane. This dimensional change enables the valve to function effectively in installations with limited vertical clearance space while maintaining backflow prevention capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve member transitions from a static closed position to a dynamic pivoting mechanism that opens and closes based on water flow conditions. The float mechanism provides automatic dynamic control, allowing the valve to respond to backflow conditions without requiring manual operation or complex actuation systems.
2Ease of operation
If the valve member is designed to pivot freely, then the valve can respond automatically to backflow, but debris and contaminants can interfere with its operation
Solution Approach 1:
The float acts as an intermediary between the water flow and the valve member. It transmits the force of backflow to the valve member through a pivot connection, allowing automatic operation while isolating the valve member from direct contact with debris and contaminants in the sewage flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The float provides a counterbalancing force that offsets the weight of the valve member and any debris that may accumulate. This buoyant force ensures the valve member can pivot freely in response to backflow conditions without being hindered by the weight of contaminants.
3Length of stationary object
If the valve is designed with a low profile, then it can be installed in spaces with limited clearance, but the valve member may not have sufficient buoyancy to close properly
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the closure mechanism from vertical lifting to horizontal pivoting, the valve eliminates the need for significant vertical clearance. The low-profile design achieves adequate closing force through the pivot mechanism and float positioning rather than relying on vertical buoyant lift, allowing proper operation in limited clearance spaces.
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 low profile design enables installation in spaces with limited clearance and effectively prevents backflow while maintaining operational integrity by using buoyancy and inclined planes to close the valve, and features like baffles and a hose coupling ensure debris is managed, ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
A float is positioned as an appendage along at least one of the opposed sides of the valve member, such that the float adds buoyancy to the valve member causing the valve member to float into the closed position in the presence of a backflow
Data Source
AI summary
A low profile backwater valve includes a hollow valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a bottom. A pivoting valve member is pivotally movable between a normally open position along the bottom of the valve body and a closed position sealing the inlet. The valve member has a hinge end, a remote end, and opposed sides. A float is positioned as an appendage along at least one of the opposed sides of the valve member, such that the float adds buoyancy to the valve member causing the valve member to float into the closed position in the presence of a backflow.