Nozzle Switching Between Single and Binary Fluid Sprays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nozzles used in continuous casting equipment for cooling steel plates face issues with unstable spray angles and flow rate distributions when switching between single fluid and binary fluid sprays, leading to nonuniform cooling and high air consumption.

Innovation Solution

A nozzle design that automatically adjusts between single fluid and binary fluid sprays based on liquid pressure, using a switching valve to introduce air only when liquid pressure decreases, maintaining stable spray angles and flow rate distributions by varying the air-to-water ratio.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If binary fluid spray is used to easily adjust spray amount, then spray amount control is improved, but spray angle and flow rate distribution become unstable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespray amount controlVSAvoidspray angle and flow rate distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle dynamically switches between binary fluid spray mode and single fluid spray mode based on the required spray amount. When spray amount needs to be reduced, it transitions from binary fluid (water+air) to single fluid (water only), maintaining stable spray angle and flow rate distribution while achieving easy spray amount control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of spray composition from binary fluid to single fluid based on operating conditions. This parameter change allows the system to maintain stable spray characteristics (angle and flow rate distribution) while achieving variable spray amount control, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of energy

If air flow rate ratio to liquid is decreased to reduce power consumption, then energy cost is reduced, but spray pattern stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption of air supply compressorVSAvoidspray pattern stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle employs periodic or conditional switching between binary fluid spray and single fluid spray based on the required spray amount. When low spray amount is needed, it uses single fluid spray mode with zero air consumption, eliminating continuous air compressor operation and reducing energy loss while maintaining stable spray pattern through the single fluid mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the spray composition parameter from binary fluid to single fluid, the system achieves complete elimination of air consumption during single fluid mode, thereby reducing power consumption of the air supply compressor to zero during that mode while maintaining stable spray pattern through the alternative spray mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If only liquid is sprayed to reduce air consumption, then air consumption is reduced, but spray angle becomes small and unstable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair consumptionVSAvoidspray angle
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle dynamically selects between binary fluid spray mode (when high spray angle is needed) and single fluid spray mode (when low air consumption is prioritized). This dynamic switching allows the system to accept smaller spray angle in single fluid mode while achieving the goal of reduced air consumption, and switch to binary fluid mode when spray angle stability is critical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the spray composition parameter between binary fluid and single fluid modes. In single fluid mode, air consumption is reduced to zero while spray angle becomes smaller; in binary fluid mode, spray angle is maintained larger. This parameter change allows the system to trade spray angle for air consumption reduction based on operational priorities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 nozzle ensures stable spray patterns and reduced air consumption by automatically switching to binary fluid spray when liquid flow rate decreases, maintaining uniform cooling and lowering energy costs.

Implementation Method 1

when a pressure of the liquid is high when a supply amount of the liquid is large, the nozzle sprays only the liquid, whereas when the pressure of the liquid is low when the supply amount of the liquid is small, the nozzle sprays the binary fluid consisting of the mixture of the liquid and the air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid pressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP2548652B1Method for spraying with nozzle and nozzle
Publication Date: 2015.05.27 HIKEUCHI & CO LTD
  • EP2548652B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2548652B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2548652B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~5

AI summary

Disclosed is a method for spraying with a nozzle which enables to properly switch between one-fluid spray of spraying only a liquid and two-fluid spray of spraying a mixture of a liquid and air without varying a spraying angle etc. using a single nozzle. The nozzle is connected to a liquid feeding tube and an air feeding tube so as to combine the one-fluid spray of spraying only a liquid and the two-fluid spray of spraying a mixture of a liquid and air. The one-fluid spray of spraying only a liquid is performed when a fluid pressure is high, that is when the amount of a supplied liquid is large, and two-fluid spray of spraying a mixture of a liquid and air is performed when the fluid pressure is low, that is when the amount of the supplied liquid is small.