Multi-Fluid Flow Control for Priority Pressure and Flow Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Regulating a plurality of fluids from different sources to maintain flow rate balance, particularly during transient phases when certain fluids must be prioritized, is challenging due to fluctuations in supply flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that divide a fluid supply flow into parts and distribute them to treatment units, where one unit maintains a constant flow rate and another unit maintains constant pressure, with a controller adjusting the flow rate of the first unit when the second unit's flow rate drops below a threshold to ensure continued operation of critical processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluid supply flow is divided into multiple parts and sent to different treatment units with independent regulation, then each treatment unit can maintain stable operation, but the system cannot adapt when supply flow fluctuates and certain fluids must be prioritized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a control system that continuously monitors the supply flow rate Q and the flow rates of treated fluids from each treatment unit. When a fluctuation is detected, the controller automatically adjusts the regulation valves to maintain stability of critical treatment units while allowing non-critical units to adapt. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond dynamically to supply variations and prioritize fluids based on pre-defined importance levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulation system transitions from static independent control to dynamic coordinated control. The control means adjusts the setpoints of treatment units based on real-time supply flow conditions, enabling the system to dynamically reconfigure its operation. During transient phases, the system can shift priorities by modifying flow distribution to ensure critical treatment units receive adequate supply, while non-critical units operate at reduced capacity or are temporarily suspended.
2Stability of the object's composition
If each treated flow is regulated independently to maintain constant flow rate or pressure, then individual unit stability is achieved, but the overall system cannot maintain substance balance during supply fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains constant flow rates for some treatment units, maintains constant pressures for others, and coordinates overall substance balance. The controller integrates information from multiple sensors and adjusts multiple valves in a coordinated manner, enabling a single control mechanism to fulfill multiple regulatory roles that were previously handled by independent systems.
3Reliability
If regulation systems maintain constant flow rates for all treatment units, then operational stability is ensured, but critical treatment units cannot be prioritized during supply reductions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different regulation qualities to different treatment units based on their criticality. Critical treatment units are assigned priority status with higher weight factors in the control algorithm, ensuring they receive adequate flow even during supply reductions. Non-critical units are allowed to operate at reduced flow rates or be temporarily suspended. This differentiated approach ensures that constant flow rate operation is maintained for critical units while allowing flexibility for non-critical units.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for regulating at least two fluids, a fluid feed flow Q is divided into n parts, the sum of the n parts being equal to Q, each of the n parts is sent to one of n processing units, each of the n processing units produces at least one processed flow, at least one processed flow of a first of the processing units is regulated by control means in order to keep the flow thereof constant at a value Q1 in nominal operation, at least one processed flow of a second of the processing units is regulated by control means in order to keep the pressure thereof constant in nominal operation and, in the event of a reduction of the feed flow Q, in reduced feed operation, if, preferably only if, the flow of the flow processed in the second processing unit of step v) drops and thus reaches a first minimum flow threshold, a processed flow in the first processing unit is regulated such that the processed flow having a value Q1 in nominal operation is reduced to a value less than Q1.