Pressure Regulating Valve Gasket for Irrigation Sprinklers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure regulating valves in irrigation sprinklers are not robust enough to maintain optimal performance across a wide range of flow and pressure conditions, leading to undesirable behaviors like 'hunting' at low flow rates and inefficiencies, requiring multiple valve designs that increase manufacturing costs and inventory.
Innovation Solution
A pressure regulating device with a gasket featuring a flexible, annular washer-like base and a toothed flow-control portion with alternating fluid passages of different sizes and shapes, which allows for improved sealing and pressure control over a wide range of flow rates from 1.3 to 16 gallons per minute, reducing valve hunting and maintaining consistent nozzle performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single pressure regulating valve design is used, then manufacturing costs and inventory are reduced, but the valve cannot maintain optimal performance across a wide range of flow and pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket incorporates a flow control portion with multiple fluid passages of varying sizes that dynamically adjust flow characteristics based on operating conditions. As the valve opens or closes, different passages become active, providing adaptive flow control that maintains stability across wide pressure and flow ranges without requiring multiple valve designs
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket's flow control portion changes effective flow parameters (passage cross-sectional area, flow path length) based on valve position and pressure differential. This allows a single valve design to adapt to varying flow rates from 1.3 to 16 gallons per minute while maintaining reliable pressure regulation
2Stress or pressure
If the valve orifice size is increased for high flow rates, then pressure drop decreases, but the valve exhibits hunting behavior at low flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple fluid passages provide dynamic flow resistance characteristics. At high flow rates, larger passages are active providing low pressure drop. At low flow rates, the system transitions to smaller passages that provide higher resistance, preventing the pressure buildup that causes hunting behavior while maintaining stable valve operation
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the flow control portion have different flow characteristics tailored to specific operating conditions. The first fluid passage handles high flow with low resistance, while second and third passages provide progressively higher resistance for lower flow rates, creating locally optimized flow paths that prevent hunting
3Reliability
If multiple pressure regulating valve designs are used for different flow ranges, then performance is optimized for specific conditions, but manufacturing costs and parts inventory increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket's flow control portion is designed to perform multiple functions within a single valve: it provides low-pressure-drop flow control for high flow rates through the first fluid passage, and high-pressure-drop flow control for low flow rates through the second and third passages. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate low-flow and high-flow valve designs
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functionality of multiple specialized valves (low-flow valve with small orifice and high-flow valve with large orifice) into a single valve design. The gasket combines multiple fluid passages with different characteristics into one integrated component, allowing a single valve to replace what would traditionally require multiple valve designs
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 device effectively regulates pressure and prevents valve hunting across a wide flow and pressure range, minimizing parts inventory and ensuring consistent irrigation performance despite variations in flow and pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the piston utilizes a flat gasket in order to more efficiently seal the piston against the valve seat when the valve is closed
Implementation Method 2
the pressure controller causes the valve to close. If the pressure drops below a predetermined set-point, the pressure controller causes the valve to open. In this manner, the pressure within the housing can be maintained within a predetermined range
Implementation Method 3
a toothed flow-control portion with alternating fluid passages of different sizes and shapes, which allows for improved sealing and pressure control over a wide range of flow rates
Data Source
AI summary
An irrigation sprinkler is provided with a housing configured for a fluid flow therethrough. A pressure regulating device having a gasket configured to variably move between a first position to a second position is disposed within the housing. The pressure regulating device includes an outlet with a variable opening formed from the cooperation of fluid passages in the gasket with a portion of the valve bore.