Spring-Loaded Piston Shut-Off Valve for Pressure Accumulators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shut-off valves for pressure accumulator vessels in vehicles lack reliable mechanical solutions to maintain operating pressure during filling operations, leading to potential overfilling and energy inefficiencies, and are prone to wear and damage from pressure fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical shut-off valve with a piston and bias mechanism, featuring axial connecting channels and sealing elements, that maintains a passage opening open by spring force in an unpressurized state, ensuring the valve remains closed at predetermined pressures without electric actuation, reducing leakage and wear, and allowing unobstructed filling until the end of the operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional shut-off valve with piston and spring is used, then the filling pressure can be limited, but the valve may remain open due to negative pressure in the intake opening causing unreliable pressure maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The valve chamber is divided into two separate chambers: a first chamber receiving fluid medium from the intake opening and a second chamber adjacent to the accumulator region. This segmentation isolates the pressure sensing function to the second chamber, preventing negative pressure from the intake opening from affecting the piston position and maintaining reliable pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage opening is removed or closed to eliminate the direct connection between the first and second chambers. This extraction of the flow path separates the pressure control function from the fluid flow path, ensuring that pressure fluctuations in the intake region do not interfere with the accumulator pressure maintenance.
2Productivity
If the passage opening remains open during filling, then filling speed is high, but overfilling and excessive pressure may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The piston acts as a pressure-sensitive feedback mechanism that automatically responds to pressure changes in the accumulator region. When pressure reaches the predetermined limit, the spring force balances the pressure force on the piston, automatically closing the passage opening to maintain pressure compliance without external control.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve uses the accumulated fluid medium itself and its resulting pressure to actuate the piston and control the passage opening. The spring-loaded piston automatically opens during filling to allow high-speed flow and closes when pressure is reached, making the system self-regulating without external actuators or control systems.
3Measurement precision
If electronic pressure control valves are used, then precise pressure control is achieved, but the system requires electric components increasing complexity and potential failure points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic pressure sensors and electric actuators with a purely mechanical spring-loaded piston system. The piston's position is determined by the balance between spring force and fluid pressure, providing precise pressure control through mechanical equilibrium without requiring any electronic components, power supply, or control electronics.
4Reliability
If the valve closes rapidly to prevent overfilling, then pressure control is effective, but wear and damage to valve components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded piston provides a cushioning effect during valve closure. The spring gradually compresses as the piston moves, absorbing the kinetic energy of the closing motion and reducing impact forces on the sealing elements and valve components, thereby extending service life while maintaining effective pressure control.
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 mechanical shut-off valve effectively maintains desired pressure in the pressure accumulator system, prevents overfilling, reduces leakage, and minimizes wear, ensuring reliable and efficient filling operations across various fluid media, including hydrogen, methane, and natural gas, while being suitable for different permissible operating pressures.
Implementation Method 1
at least one bias mechanism such as, for example, a spring (23), wherein a first effective piston surface (A1) of the piston (22) that faces an inlet region (17) of the valve chamber (200)
Implementation Method 2
a piston (22) having at least one axial connecting channel (14) and which is guided in an axially movable manner by at least two sealing elements (41, 42) arranged in the valve chamber (200)
Data Source
AI summary
Shut-off valve for a pressure accumulator vessel for a medium, wherein a valve housing has a valve chamber with an intake opening and an outlet opening facing the pressure accumulator vessel, a movable piston, and at least one spring, wherein the piston has at least one axial connecting channel and is guided in an axially movable manner by at least two sealing elements arranged in the valve chamber, wherein a first effective piston surface of the piston, the first effective piston surface facing an inlet region of the valve chamber, and a sealing body form a valve seat, and wherein, by changing the pressure in an accumulator region of the valve chamber, the accumulator region being adjacent to a second effective piston surface, the piston is axially movable and a passage opening arranged between the intake opening and the outlet opening may be reversibly closed and opened, wherein, in the unpressurized state, the passage opening is kept open by the spring.Pressure accumulator system for a vehicle, comprising at least one pressure accumulator vessel and at least one shut-off valve, which is operatively connected thereto.