Modular Pressure Relief Valve With Control Pressure Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure relief valve assemblies are unable to flexibly reduce feed pressure to lower values, such as 10 bar, when hydraulic end users are not under load, due to their fixed spring bias settings, resulting in inefficient energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A modular pressure relief valve assembly with a pressure relief valve featuring a valve bushing with a radially protruding sealing collar and a second control surface subject to a control pressure, allowing for flexible configuration with either constant or variable spring biasing, enabling efficient feed pressure reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional pressure relief valve with fixed spring bias is used, then the maximum feed pressure can be limited to a preset value (e.g., 30 bar), but the feed pressure cannot be reduced to lower values (e.g., 10 bar) when hydraulic end users are not under load, resulting in inefficient energy usage
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief valve is designed with a second control surface that can be dynamically subjected to variable control pressure, transforming the static pressure relief system into a dynamic one. This allows the valve opening pressure to be continuously adjusted from the preset maximum (e.g., 30 bar) down to lower values (e.g., 10 bar) by varying the control pressure applied to the second control surface, enabling energy-efficient operation during idle periods while maintaining adequate pressure protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating parameters of the pressure relief valve by introducing a second control surface that responds to variable control pressure. By adjusting the control pressure parameter, the effective spring bias on the valve piston is modified, allowing the relief pressure to be varied between a minimum and maximum value. This parameter change approach enables flexible pressure management without requiring multiple fixed-setting valves or complex mechanical adjustments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a second control surface is added to enable pressure reduction, then flexible pressure adjustment is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to additional pressure channels and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief valve assembly is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating a second control surface that serves dual purposes: it enables dynamic pressure reduction when needed while maintaining compatibility with the original single-control-surface operation mode. The valve can function as a fixed-set pressure relief valve using only the first control surface, or as a variable pressure relief valve when the second control surface is activated, providing universal applicability across different operating conditions without requiring entirely different valve designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The control pressure application is segmented into two independent pathways: the first control surface receives pressure from the feed line through the valve piston, while the second control surface receives variable control pressure through a separate control pressure channel. This segmentation allows the two control surfaces to operate independently or in combination, enabling flexible pressure adjustment without interfering with the basic pressure relief function. The segmented design simplifies the control architecture by keeping pressure pathways separate rather than integrated.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pressure-reducing valve and outlet-side pressure channel are integrated into the housing, then significant device design effort is required, but the solution achieves flexible pressure reduction
Solution Approach 1:
A control pressure channel acts as an intermediary element that connects the feed line to the second control surface of the valve piston. This intermediary channel enables the transmission of variable control pressure to modulate the valve opening pressure without requiring a fully integrated pressure-reducing valve assembly. The control pressure channel serves as a simple yet effective mediator that decouples the pressure reduction function from the main valve body, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining flexible pressure adjustment capability.
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 solution allows for flexible and efficient reduction of feed pressure to lower values, optimizing energy usage with minimal device design effort, while maintaining the ability to adjust to different pressure levels.
Implementation Method 1
a valve piston (34) being guided in the bushing and being biased by a spring (36) against a valve seat (38)
Implementation Method 2
The valve bushing (30) has a radially protruding sealing collar (66) which sits sealingly against the peripheral wall of the housing bore (72) in a sealed fit
Implementation Method 3
a first control surface subject to the pressure to be limited in the opening direction is designed on the valve seat, as is a second control surface which is likewise subject to a control pressure or a tank pressure in the opening direction
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure relief valve assembly includes a pressure relief valve having a valve bushing received in a valve bore of a housing bore, and a valve body biased against a valve seat by a spring guided in the valve bushing. The valve body includes first and second control surfaces subjected in an opening direction, respectively, to a pressure to be limited and to a control pressure. A fixing device disposed on the valve bushing axially supports the valve bushing in the housing bore. The valve bushing has a radially protruding sealing collar which sits against a peripheral wall of the housing bore and seals an annular chamber carrying the pressure to be limited against an annular control chamber carrying the control pressure. Both the chamber and the control chamber are radially delimited on one side by the housing bore and on the other side by the valve body.