Phase Change Valve for Pipe Freeze Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods to prevent pipe freeze-fracturing, such as using heat-retaining articles or continuous water drainage, are inefficient and costly, as they require additional equipment, consume energy, or waste water resources, and maintenance is labor-intensive due to potential device failures.
Innovation Solution
A valve using a phase change material that automatically drains water from a pipe by contracting and decreasing in volume as it solidifies, preventing water from freezing by opening the valve before freezing temperatures are reached, with a housing containing a draining chamber and a storage chamber for the phase change material, and a plunger mechanism that opens the valve when the material solidifies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heat-retaining article or heating device is installed inside the pipe to prevent freezing, then the pipe is protected from freeze-fracturing, but the device complexity increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the preventive function from the pipe system by using a separate safety plug device that responds to freezing conditions. The safety plug is installed in a bypass or side chamber rather than inside the main water flow, separating the protection mechanism from the primary system while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety plug operates automatically using the physical properties of water itself - when water freezes and expands, it directly acts on the safety plug mechanism to open the drainage path. No external power source, sensors, or control systems are needed; the freezing water triggers its own protection.
2Reliability
If a heating device is used to prevent freezing, then the pipe is protected from freeze-fracturing, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety plug uses the freezing water's own expansion force to activate the drainage mechanism. The system requires no external energy input - the phase change of water from liquid to solid provides the mechanical force needed to open the valve and drain the pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful freezing process into a beneficial protective action. The expansion of freezing water, which normally causes damage, is harnessed to trigger the safety mechanism that drains the pipe and prevents freeze-fracturing.
3Reliability
If water is continuously drained from the pipe to prevent freezing, then the pipe is protected from freeze-fracturing, but water resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous drainage, the safety plug implements periodic action by remaining closed during normal operation and only opening when freezing conditions are detected. The drainage occurs intermittently only when needed, triggered by the freezing of water in the pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The system activates drainage only when the water itself indicates freezing conditions through expansion. This self-triggering mechanism ensures water is drained only when necessary for protection, avoiding unnecessary water loss during warm periods.
4Reliability
If a safety plug with a tearing member is used to prevent freeze-fracturing, then the pipe is protected from freezing damage, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to replacement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The safety plug is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after activation rather than repaired. The simple structure with no complex mechanisms allows for easy replacement - the entire plug is removed and replaced with a new one, eliminating the need for complex repair procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety plug is designed as a separate, modular component that can be easily removed and replaced independently of the main pipe system. This segmentation allows for simple maintenance where the entire plug unit is swapped out without affecting other parts of the system.
5Loss of substance
If the valve remains closed to maintain water flow in the pipe, then water resources are conserved, but the pipe is vulnerable to freeze-fracturing when freezing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The valve remains closed during normal operation to conserve water, and automatically opens only when the water itself signals freezing conditions through expansion. This self-triggering mechanism balances water conservation with freeze protection by activating drainage only when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve operates in a closed state during normal periods to conserve water and opens periodically only when freezing conditions are detected. This periodic activation minimizes water loss while providing protection when needed.
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 valve effectively prevents pipe freeze-fracturing by automatically draining water before freezing, reducing maintenance costs and labor, and allowing for easy adjustment and replacement of the phase change material, ensuring reliable operation and compatibility with various conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A storage chamber is provided in a portion of the housing that is opposite the draining chamber. The storage chamber contains therein a phase change material, which decreases in volume while changing in phase from liquid to solid.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve for preventing freeze-fracturing prevents accidental freeze-fracturing due to the freezing of water by draining water from a flow pipe before the danger of freezing occurs when the temperature of ambient air drops. The valve for preventing freeze-fracturing includes a housing coupled to a pipe port and a draining chamber provided in a portion of the housing that faces the pipe port. The draining chamber has therein a water inlet hole, which communicates with an inside of the flow pipe, and a water outlet hole, which communicates with an outside of the housing. A storage chamber is provided in a portion of the housing that is opposite the draining chamber, and contains therein a phase change material, which decreases in volume while changing in phase from liquid to solid. A plunger is movably disposed in the draining chamber to open and close the water inlet hole.