Modular Steam Vent Design to Reduce Joint Failure and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam vent systems for district heating systems are heavy, cumbersome, and prone to premature joint failures due to repeated impact loading, and previous designs were labor-intensive and costly to produce, necessitating a durable, joint-free, lightweight, and cost-effective solution.
Innovation Solution
A movable steam vent system comprising a base portion with a tapered outer surface and a frustoconical inner surface, along with removably coupled pipe members featuring tabs and slots for easy assembly and disassembly, formed from cross-linked polyethylene material for structural integrity and light weight, allowing for efficient steam diversion and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-density-polyethylene (HDPE) steam vents are used, then the vent system provides structural integrity and durability, but the vents become heavy and cumbersome to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The steam vent system is divided into multiple sections that can be assembled together. Each section is lighter and more manageable, yet when connected they form a complete vent system that maintains the required structural integrity through the interlocking design of sections with flanges and gaskets.
2Reliability
If steam vents are made from fused HDPE sections, then joint connections are provided, but the vents are subjected to repeated impact loading causing premature joint failures
Solution Approach 1:
The joint connections between vent sections are designed with features that absorb and distribute impact loads before they can cause damage. The interlocking flange and gasket design provides a cushioning effect that protects against premature failure from dropped sections during installation or handling.
3Weight of moving object
If fiberglass layered material is used for steam vents, then lightweight construction is achieved, but the production becomes labor intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fiberglass layered material to cross-linked polyethylene material, changing the material parameter to achieve both lightweight construction and cost-effective manufacturing. The cross-linked polyethylene provides the necessary strength while being easier and less labor-intensive to produce than fiberglass composite materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A movable steam vent system is provided. The system includes a base and at least one pipe member. The base includes a tapered outer surface defined by an outer wall, a frustoconical inner surface defined by an inner wall, a plurality of ribs extending from the inner surface, the inner wall and the outer wall defining a space therebetween, the base further having an opening in an upper surface, the opening having a slot therein, the opening being in fluid communication with a hollow interior defined by the inner wall, the inner wall having an end that is sized to cover the subsurface space opening. The at least one pipe member is removably coupled to the base, the at least one pipe member having a having an outer wall, an inner wall, the inner wall defining a hollow interior that is in fluid communication with the base hollow interior.