Metering Valve Flow Path That Isolates Seals From Fluid Abrasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contamination of fluids during handling, particularly in additive manufacturing, leads to defects and costly re-manufacturing due to residue from previous fluids or abrasion from non-metallic components like elastic seals in valve fittings.
Innovation Solution
A valve design with a housing channel and sealing arrangement where the fluid flows through a tapered area, avoiding contact with the sealing arrangement, and a guide element directs the fluid to prevent contact, ensuring the seal is not subjected to abrasive forces, and a flushing medium is used to remove residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing arrangement is provided in the valve to ensure fluid tightness, then sealing reliability is improved, but the sealing arrangement is subjected to abrasive forces from fluid contact causing contamination and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is extracted from the flow region and positioned outside it, so that the fluid flow does not come into contact with the sealing arrangement. This eliminates the harmful abrasive forces and contamination risk while maintaining sealing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide element is introduced as an intermediary component that directs the fluid flow along a specific path, ensuring the fluid passes through the flow region without contacting the sealing arrangement. The guide element mediates between the fluid flow and the sealing arrangement, preventing direct contact.
2Productivity
If the valve body is moved rapidly from closed to open position for quick dosing, then productivity is improved, but shock and friction forces may cause geometry changes in the flow body
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is extracted from the flow region and positioned outside it, so that the fluid flow does not come into contact with the sealing arrangement. This eliminates the harmful abrasive forces and contamination risk while maintaining sealing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element is designed to preliminary direct the fluid flow along a controlled path before it reaches the outlet, preventing shock and friction-induced geometry changes in the flow body during rapid valve operation.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
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AI summary
The invention relates to a valve (1) for metering a fluid flow from a first volume to a second volume, in particular from a first container to a second container fluidically connected to the first container, or from a first container module of a modular container to a second container module. The valve (1) comprises a valve housing (2) with a fluid inlet opening (17) and a fluid outlet opening (18). The valve housing (2) can be attached to the first container and the second container, or to the first container module and the second container module. The valve housing (2) comprises a housing channel (3) in or on which a movable valve body (5) is arranged, such that the housing channel (3) is permeable to the fluid in an open valve body position and impermeable to the fluid in a closed valve body position.A sealing arrangement (6) is provided with which the housing channel (3) is tightly sealed in the closed valve body position. The housing channel (3) has a flow region (26) through which the fluid flows when the valve body is open. The sealing arrangement (6) is located outside the flow region (26).