Pneumatic Valve Pressure Control Without Position Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve systems face challenges in achieving precise actuation accuracy, compactness, cost-efficiency, and ease of installation, particularly in applications requiring precise control of medium flow, while also needing to be robust against disruptive influences and minimizing the need for additional sensors and complex hardware.
Innovation Solution
An operating method for a valve system that utilizes a pneumatic actuation apparatus with a movable armature, where the valve position is achieved by setting and stabilizing a target differential pressure, allowing for precise control without direct detection of the armature's position, and using pressure sensors to determine chamber pressures, enabling a compact and cost-effective design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional sensors and complex hardware are used to achieve precise actuation accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical position sensors with a pneumatic feedback system. A pressure sensor measures the pneumatic actuation force, which is then fed back to the control unit to indirectly determine valve position. This substitution of direct mechanical sensing with pneumatic-field sensing reduces hardware complexity while maintaining measurement precision for actuation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pneumatic pressure as an intermediary parameter between the valve position and the measurement system. Instead of directly measuring armature position, the system measures the pneumatic pressure required to achieve that position, using pressure as a mediator that correlates with position through the pneumatic actuation mechanism.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors and detection systems are installed to improve measurement precision, then actuation accuracy is improved, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic actuation apparatus serves multiple functions: it actuates the valve armature and simultaneously provides the measurement signal through pressure sensing. The existing pneumatic infrastructure is utilized for dual purposes, eliminating the need for separate position sensing hardware and reducing installation space requirements while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Manufacturing precision
If more components are added to achieve precise valve control, then actuation accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the pneumatic actuation force itself as the measurement signal. The pressure sensor measures the force already present in the actuation system, and this information is fed back to control the valve position. The system essentially measures and controls itself using existing components, eliminating the need for additional expensive position sensing hardware while achieving precise control.
4Measurement precision
If direct position detection is implemented to improve measurement precision, then valve position accuracy is improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical position detection systems with a pneumatic field-based indirect measurement system. By measuring the pneumatic pressure required to position the armature and using feedback control, the system achieves position detection accuracy without requiring mechanical sensors, reducing the total component count.
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
This method provides increased actuation accuracy, reduced component count, and increased robustness, allowing for precise control of valve positions, including intermediate positions, while minimizing installation space and the need for additional sensors, thus enabling efficient operation in automation systems with limited space.
Implementation Method 1
a first chamber pressure 21 and a second chamber pressure 22, which result in a differential pressure 18 via which the pneumatic actuation apparatus 20 can move the armature 12
Implementation Method 2
detecting a differential pressure present in the pneumatic actuation apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A valve system having a valve with a moveable armature and a pneumatic actuation apparatus, a controller, a computer program product for simulating operating behavior of the valve system and an operating method for the valve system, wherein the valve is provided in an active operating state and a valve position to be approached is specified, a target differential pressure corresponding to the valve position to be approached that is to be set in the pneumatic actuation apparatus is determined, a differential pressure in the pneumatic actuation apparatus is changed and the differential pressure present is detected, and the differential pressure present is stabilized if a deviation between the differential pressure present and the target differential pressure falls below a settable threshold value in terms of amount.