Sanitary Pipe Elbow Flow Divider for Pressure Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deflection bends in downpipes suffer from suboptimal flow guidance, leading to energy loss and ineffective flushing of residues, due to the formation of a film flow curtain that prevents air escape and causes noise-generating vibrations.
Innovation Solution
A flow divider is arranged inside the deflection bend to break up the film flow, creating an opening for pressure equalization and transforming the flow into a channel flow, which reduces energy loss and enhances residue removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a film flow forms in the downpipe, then the water flows smoothly down the pipe, but the film flow forms a curtain that prevents air from escaping and causes noise-generating vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The flow divider breaks the continuous film flow into segmented flows by creating openings through which air can escape. The flow divider structure segments the water film into multiple smaller streams, allowing air to pass through the openings and preventing the formation of a continuous curtain that causes vibrations and noise.
2Loss of energy
If the film flow is not broken up, then the flow guidance is simpler, but pressure equalization is prevented and energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow divider acts as an intermediary element between the film flow and the air. It provides openings that allow air to pass through while still guiding the water flow, enabling pressure equalization without completely disrupting the flow pattern. This intermediary structure facilitates energy-efficient flow while maintaining manageable complexity.
3Productivity
If the film flow curtain is maintained, then the structure is simpler, but residues in the pipeline cannot be effectively flushed away
Solution Approach 1:
The flow divider segments the continuous film flow into multiple smaller streams that create turbulence and increased shear stress on the pipeline residues. This segmentation disrupts the smooth curtain flow and enhances the flushing action, allowing residues to be effectively removed while maintaining a relatively simple structural addition.
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 flow divider ensures complete pressure equalization, reduces noise-causing vibrations, and increases the capacity of the downpipe by minimizing energy loss, allowing effective flushing of residues.
Implementation Method 1
breaks up a film flow of the water and thus enables pressure equalization in the flow
Implementation Method 2
in the curved area this film flow forms a kind of curtain which prevents the air from escaping
Implementation Method 3
The cylindrical film flow then changes into a channel flow after the outlet, the water then flows after the outlet similar to a channel at the bottom of the pipe
Implementation Method 4
The energy loss at this flow divider is comparatively small, so that residues in the pipeline can be effectively flushed away
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The elbow (1) has a flow divider (5) arranged at an inner side (3) of a vertical region (1a), and drilling down a film flow of water and enabling pressure balance in the flow. The flow divider is arranged on a side of an outlet, and is extended in a flow direction over a half of the inner side. The flow divider comprises a radial thickness, which suits to a thickness of the film flow and is smaller than 2 centimeters. The divider has an edge (5a), which is extended radially.