Pressure sensing valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solenoid actuated water valves face challenges in maintaining precision water dispensing across varying water pressures, leading to inaccuracies due to design limitations and contamination, resulting in a tolerance of 3% to 5% variance in flow control.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pressure sensor to measure inlet water pressure, allowing the electronic controller to adjust the valve opening time based on flow curves and orifice size, and dynamically controlling the valve operation to maintain precise dispensing despite pressure changes, with optional calibration for accurate water delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed flow control valve is used, then the valve structure is simple, but the flow precision deteriorates when pressure varies
Solution Approach 1:
The valve transitions from a fixed flow control design to a dynamic pressure-compensated design. The controller dynamically adjusts the valve opening time based on real-time pressure sensor feedback, allowing the valve to adapt its operation to varying pressure conditions while maintaining simple hardware architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter (valve opening time) based on pressure conditions. By measuring pressure and calculating the appropriate opening time using flow curves, the system compensates for pressure variations to maintain precise flow control without changing the physical valve structure.
2Measurement precision
If flow meters are added to measure actual water dispensed, then flow measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity and susceptibility to contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing a flow meter directly in the water path (which risks contamination), the system uses pressure sensors as intermediaries. By measuring pressure and using pre-stored flow curves as lookup tables, the system indirectly determines flow without introducing vulnerable components into the fluid path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical flow meters with an electronic control system that uses pressure sensing and computational algorithms. The controller calculates flow based on pressure measurements and flow curves, substituting mechanical measurement with electronic computation to avoid contamination issues.
3Measurement precision
If the valve opening time is extended to compensate for low pressure, then flow precision at low pressure improves, but the response time and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The valve opening time is dynamically adjusted based on real-time pressure conditions rather than using a fixed conservative value. The controller continuously monitors pressure and calculates the optimal opening time, allowing fast dispensing at high pressure and extended opening only when necessary at low pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the valve opening time parameter in real-time based on pressure measurements. By using flow curves that relate pressure to required opening time, the system optimizes the opening duration for each pressure condition, maintaining precision without unnecessary delays.
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 ensures precise water dispensing across a wide range of pressures, reducing the risk of over or under-dispensing and anticipating potential pipe failures by dynamically adjusting valve operation and integrating pressure changes during dispensing.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor to measure the water pressure
Implementation Method 2
solenoid actuated valves... An electronically controlled solenoid coil is attached to the exterior of the guide tube and provides the electromagnetic force necessary to move the armature within the guide tube
Data Source
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AI summary
A water valve having a housing defining an inlet and an outlet and a flow path extending therethrough, a pressure sensor configured to sense a water pressure at the inlet, a valve member situated within the flow path to open and close the flow path, a solenoid actuator, and a controller coupled to the pressure sensor to read the water pressure at the inlet and coupled to the solenoid to open and close the valve is provided. The controller determines an amount of time to hold the valve open in order to dispense an amount of water based on the water pressure. The controller commands the solenoid to open and close the valve to dispense the amount of water regardless of the water pressure. The controller is also configured to open the valve to reduce inlet pressure and prevent failure thereof.