Motor-Driven Flow Control Valve With Isolated Pilot Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically-driven flow rate control valves require high electric power to maintain valve position due to direct pressure application and suffer from precision issues due to hysteresis in spring and actuator systems, leading to increased electric power consumption and valve size.
Innovation Solution
An electrically-driven flow rate control valve design where the main valve body is shaped to satisfy AS<AT, with a flow-rate regulating mechanism and a sub valve body driven by an electric motor, reducing direct pressure application to the sub valve body and eliminating the need for an energizing member, allowing precise position control and reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a high pressure fluid directly acts on the pilot valve element to maintain closed state, then the valve can be compact, but the driving force required increases and electric power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pilot piston as an intermediary component between the high-pressure fluid and the pilot valve element. The pilot piston receives the high-pressure fluid force and transmits it to the pilot valve element, allowing the valve to maintain a compact size while reducing the direct driving force requirement on the pilot valve element itself. This mediator approach enables efficient force transmission with reduced power consumption.
2Device complexity
If spring and actuator systems are used to control pilot valve element position, then the valve structure is simplified, but precision of position control varies due to hysteresis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional spring-based mechanical positioning system with an electric motor-driven positioning system. The electric motor provides precise, controllable motion to the pilot piston without the hysteresis characteristics inherent in spring systems. This substitution maintains structural simplicity while significantly improving position control precision and eliminating the hysteresis problem associated with mechanical springs.
3Power
If the main valve body is designed with large pressure reception area to reduce driving force, then the electric power required increases, but the valve can maintain position without additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pilot piston serves as a force amplifier and mediator, allowing the electric motor to generate a small driving force that is amplified through hydraulic pressure to produce the large force needed to move the main valve body. This intermediary mechanism enables the use of a small-pressure-reception-area main valve body while maintaining position with minimal electric power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic pressure amplification through the pilot piston system. The electric motor generates a small force that creates pressure in the pilot fluid, which is then amplified to generate the large force required to move the main valve body. This hydraulic approach allows for reduced electric power consumption while maintaining adequate driving force.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an electrically-driven flow rate control valve capable of controlling a flow rate of fluid while application of a high pressure of the fluid to a sub valve body connected to an electric motor is suppressed. A flow rate control valve includes a casing, an elevation drive device, and a main valve body. When the sub valve body moves upward by the elevation drive device, oil in a back pressure chamber is discharged. Moreover, the oil in a first oil chamber flows into the back pressure chamber while the flow rate of the oil is regulated. A balance among pressures in the back pressure chamber, the first oil chamber, and the second oil chamber changes, and the main valve body opens. When the main valve body is closed, a direct application of the pressure of the back pressure chamber to the sub valve body is blocked.