Piston Gas Regulator Valve Plug Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas pressure regulators fail to maintain a consistent outlet pressure as the high pressure source diminishes, leading to potential over-pressurization issues in sensitive applications.
Innovation Solution
A piston-type gas pressure regulator with a valve and piston assembly, featuring a hollow stem, piston head with a valved opening, and a plug with an arm, is designed to maintain a set outlet pressure by balancing forces and using a spring mechanism to adjust the plug's position, ensuring consistent pressure delivery even as the high pressure source decreases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional gas pressure regulator is used, then the regulator can provide a fixed output pressure from a variable high pressure inlet source, but as the high pressure source is depleted, the outlet pressure rises above the set value before the regulated valve shuts off
Solution Approach 1:
The regulator is divided into functionally independent segments: a valve assembly for flow control and a piston assembly for pressure sensing and regulation. The piston assembly includes a piston, piston rod, and plug that work together to sense outlet pressure and control valve positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, with the piston assembly compensating for inlet pressure variations to maintain constant outlet pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston assembly provides continuous feedback on outlet pressure to the valve assembly. The piston moves in response to outlet pressure changes and automatically adjusts the valve position to maintain the set pressure. This feedback mechanism ensures that as the high pressure source depletes, the outlet pressure remains stable at the predetermined set value rather than rising, eliminating over-pressurization before valve shut-off.
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 solution effectively maintains a stable downstream pressure, preventing over-pressurization and ensuring accurate pressure regulation, even as the high pressure source drops, thereby addressing the issue of pressure variability and maintaining sensitivity and accuracy in gas delivery systems.
Implementation Method 1
a keeper spring, the keeper spring for maintaining a removed end of the plug arm against the inner walls of the body
Implementation Method 2
movement of the piston and valve assembly will be capable of unseating the plug from the opening in the piston head allowing gas to flow from the hollow stem at the inlet port through an inner volume of the piston, through the valved opening of the piston head and into a regulated gas chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure regulator which includes a body. The body has inner walls defining an inlet port. Slidably moving within the inlet port is a hollow stem of a valve and piston assembly. The hollow stem is in slidable gas sealing contact with the inlet port. The valve and piston assembly includes a piston having a piston head with a valved opening therethrough. In the opening in the piston head is the arm of a plug. A body of the plug lies within the sliding piston held in place by a keeper spring, the keeper spring for maintaining a removed end of the plug arm against inner walls of the body. With such a structure, movement of the piston and valve assembly will be capable of unseating the plug from the valved opening in the piston allowing gas to flow from the hollow stem at the inlet port through an inner volume of the piston, through the valved opening of the piston head and into a regulated gas chamber defined in part by the inner walls of the body and an outer surface of the piston head.