Liquid Pressure Regulator With Damped Chamber Flow and Impurity Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing irrigation system pressure regulators are prone to vibrations and water hammers during operational transients, and they struggle with the accumulation and removal of impurities like sand and debris, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A pressure regulator design featuring a valve member with an annular passage that reduces liquid flow into the regulating chamber through friction, preventing sudden pressure changes and vibrations, and an inclined annular transverse surface to facilitate the discharge of impurities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure regulator with a valve seat and movable valve member is used to maintain constant liquid pressure, then pressure regulation is achieved, but impurities build up in the regulating chamber and hinder valve movement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful function of the traditional regulating chamber by replacing it with a filter element that actively removes impurities. The filter element is positioned to intercept impurities before they can accumulate and hinder valve movement, while still allowing liquid to pass through for pressure regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter element utilizes porous material structure to allow liquid flow while trapping impurities. The porous nature enables the filter to maintain liquid passage for pressure regulation while removing solid particles that would otherwise accumulate and interfere with valve operation.
2Productivity
If the valve seat axis is offset from the valve member axis to reduce liquid flow resistance, then flow resistance decreases, but the valve body experiences greater wear and seal degradation on the inlet side
Solution Approach 1:
The invention intentionally introduces asymmetry through the offset filter element position. The filter element is offset from the central axis, creating an asymmetric flow path that reduces resistance while the filter itself protects the symmetric valve seating surfaces from wear and seal degradation.
3Reliability
If seals with small by-passes are used to limit liquid entry into the regulating chamber, then liquid entry is reduced, but automatic discharge of residues is hindered and prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element performs self-service by automatically capturing and retaining impurities as liquid flows through it. The design enables automatic discharge functionality where accumulated residues can be cleared without manual intervention, maintaining both pressure control and impurity removal capabilities.
4Productivity
If a single strut is used to join the valve seat to the housing to reduce liquid flow resistance, then flow resistance decreases, but the valve seat strength and resistance to pressure changes are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element acts as an intermediary structural component that provides additional support to the valve seat assembly. Rather than simply reducing flow resistance, the filter element serves as a structural mediator that enhances valve seat strength and stability while maintaining adequate liquid flow capacity.
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 regulator maintains a constant pressure, reduces vibrations and water hammers, and effectively discharges impurities, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of irrigation systems.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid flow toward the regulating chamber is reduced through friction in the annular passage, thereby damping the entry of the liquid into the regulating chamber and avoiding any sudden pressure changes
Implementation Method 2
The valve member is equipped with an annular diaphragm defining a liquid regulating chamber with the housing to move the valve member and vary the regulating port based on the liquid pressure, to maintain this pressure substantially constant
Implementation Method 3
the outlet portion of the housing has a wider region with an annular transverse surface defining a bottom of the regulating chamber, which is inclined toward a center of the regulator to facilitate discharge of any impurities collected in the regulating chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid pressure regulator includes a housing having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, a tubular valve member slidingly accommodated inside the housing and having an inlet edge, a valve body fixed inside the housing and a seat that interacts with the inlet edge to form a port having a variable width, and an elastic annular diaphragm for connecting the valve member to the housing and forming a regulating chamber. The valve member has an outlet edge configured to interact with the outlet portion of the housing and form an annular passage communicating with the regulating chamber. The width of the annular passage decreases as the inlet edge of the valve member moves toward the seat. The outlet portion has a wider region with a transverse surface defining the bottom of the regulating chamber, which is inclined toward the center to facilitate the outer discharge of soil, sand and impurities.