Flexible-Membrane Flow Dampener for Low-Rate Pulsation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flow dampeners are heavy, expensive, and unsuitable for single-use or high-sterilization applications, and they fail to effectively dampen pulsation at low flow rates, leading to inaccurate flow rate measurements.
Innovation Solution
A flow dampener comprising two halves with body shells and flexible membranes, forming elongate flow paths that absorb kinetic energy and reduce pulsation, made from polymer materials for cost-effectiveness and sterilizability via Gamma irradiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal dampeners are used, then dampening performance is achieved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs polymer materials to create a disposable flow dampener that can be sterilized and used once, then discarded. This eliminates the need for heavy, expensive metal dampeners while maintaining adequate dampening performance for the intended application lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to polymer, fundamentally altering the weight and cost characteristics while maintaining the dampening function through the flexible membrane design that absorbs pulsation energy.
2Strength
If metal dampeners are used, then structural strength is achieved, but sterilization effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer-based dampener is designed as a single-use component that can be sterilized via Gamma irradiation. This approach achieves complete sterilization effectiveness while the component is discarded afterward, eliminating the need for repeated sterilization cycles that chemical methods cannot achieve on metal surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical sterilization process with radiation sterilization (Gamma irradiation), which penetrates the polymer material effectively to achieve complete sterilization without the limitations of chemical methods on metal surfaces.
3Reliability
If conventional dampeners are used, then pulsation reduction is achieved, but measurement accuracy at low flow rates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a localized flexible membrane structure within the flow path that provides targeted pulsation dampening. The membrane's flexibility is specifically tuned to absorb low-frequency pulsations while maintaining laminar flow characteristics that preserve measurement accuracy at low flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible polymer membrane as the core dampening element. This thin film structure absorbs pulsation energy through elastic deformation while maintaining minimal flow resistance, thereby preserving measurement accuracy at low flow rates where conventional rigid dampeners would cause excessive pressure drop and measurement error.
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 flow dampener effectively reduces pulsation by up to 95%, improving the accuracy of flow rate measurements, especially at low flow rates, and is suitable for single-use and high-sterilization applications due to its lightweight, cost-effective, and Gamma-sterilizable design.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible membrane vibrates with the flow and absorbs kinetic energy in the flow
Implementation Method 2
The flexibility of the flexible membrane dampens vibration in the flow
Data Source
AI summary
A flow dampener for dampening pulsation in a fluid flow includes a body shell, a flexible membrane, and two flow ports. The body shell has an interior surface and an elongate groove formed on the interior surface. The flexible membrane is sealed to the interior surface of the body shell and covers the elongate groove. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is over-molded onto the body shell. The flexible membrane cooperates with the elongate groove to form an elongate flow path for the fluid flow. The flexible membrane has a thickness in a range from 0.5 mm to 6 mm. As the membrane is flexible, it vibrates as the fluid flows through the elongate flow path, absorbs kinetic energy in the fluid flow, and thereby dampens pulsation in the fluid flow.