Modular Axial Valve With Multi-Drive Actuation and Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current axial piston flow control and check valves lack modularity and multifunctionality, limiting their ability to accommodate various drive types and environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures and fluid contamination, which affects precision, reliability, and resistance to pressure surges and noise.
Innovation Solution
A modular axial valve design with a coaxially placed actuator and regulating piston, featuring a single-piece or two-piece valve body with internal or external sensor mechanisms for position feedback, allowing for hydraulic, mechanical, pneumatic, or pneumatic-hydraulic drives, and capable of operating in diverse applications with minimal cavitation and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single-type valve structure is used, then the manufacturing and maintenance are simple, but the adaptability to different drive types and environmental conditions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed with a universal modular structure that can accommodate multiple types of actuators (hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, manual) and sensor mechanisms (internal and external). The standardized mounting interfaces and interchangeable components enable the same valve body to perform multiple functions across different application scenarios, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is divided into modular segments including the valve body, actuator, sensor mechanism, and feedback system. These segmented components can be independently selected, configured, and replaced based on specific application requirements. The modular architecture allows different drive types and sensor variants to be combined with the same valve body without redesigning the entire system, thus improving adaptability while maintaining manageable complexity through standardization.
2Measurement precision
If position feedback monitoring is added, then the control precision and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor mechanism is nested within the actuator assembly, with the sensor integrated into the existing structural components of the actuator. This nesting approach allows position feedback monitoring to be implemented without adding external complexity to the valve body. The sensor utilizes the actuator's internal space and structural elements, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the valve operates in extreme temperature conditions, then the application range is expanded, but the reliability of the sealing system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different sealing materials and designs are applied to different parts of the sealing system based on their specific functional requirements and exposure conditions. The valve body sealing, actuator sealing, and valve disc sealing use materials and configurations optimized for their local temperature and pressure conditions. This localized optimization allows the valve to operate reliably across extreme temperature ranges while maintaining high sealing reliability in each specific location.
4Speed
If the regulating piston moves quickly for precise control, then the response speed is improved, but the cavitation damage and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve incorporates cushioning mechanisms that are activated before the regulating piston reaches its final position or before cavitation is likely to occur. These cushioning features, such as restricted orifices, damping chambers, or progressive sealing approaches, reduce the impact velocity and pressure differentials that cause cavitation and noise. By applying cushioning in advance, the system maintains fast response speed while preventing the harmful effects of sudden pressure changes and impact.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an axial valve with a modular concept for the regulation of fluid flow and prevention of fluid reverse flow consisting of a single-piece and two-piece outer valve body (1; 99) that can be installed within the pipeline, the outer valve body (1; 99) of which contains a coaxially situated inlet and outlet fluid flow opening; a central valve body (2) which is connected to the outer valve body (1; 99) by means of a plurality of ribs (1.1), wherein a channels (7) are situated between the outer valve body (1; 99) and the central valve body (2), and said channels allow for an undisturbed flow of the flow fluid when said axial valve is open; an actuator (4a; 4-b; 4c; 4-SC; 4-SH; 4-SFMO) located axially within the central valve body (2; 100), the actuator of which contains an actuator piston (5-a; 5-b; 5-c; 90; 112; 106-SH) and an actuator piston rod (5.1-a; 5.1-b; 5.1-c; 86.1-a; 106.1-SH) to which a regulating piston (6-a; 80) is connected, and with an axial movement of which the flow of the fluid in a pipeline or a disc (104) for the prevention of fluid reverse flow is controlled. The axial valve further comprises a sealing system of the actuator piston rod (5.1-a; 5.1-b; 5.1-c; 86.1-a; 106-.1-SH) and a sealing control mechanism for the same; and a sensor mechanism for signalling a position of the regulating piston (6-a; 80) and the disc (104) of the check valve. The actuator, according to the present invention, may either be a hydraulic actuator (4a; 4-SH) or a mechanical actuator (4-b) or a pneumo-hydraulic actuator (4-c) or a pneumatic actuator (4-c; 4-SH; 4-SFMO), and the sensor mechanism may be either an internal sensor mechanism housed within any of the said actuators or an external sensor mechanism located outside of any of the said actuators, wherein any of the said actuators and said sensor mechanisms are modular and mutually complementary in such a way that they can be combined. The axial valve is a flow control valve or a check valve.