Pressure Reducing Valve Geometry for Low-Hysteresis Clean Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pressure reducing valves used in pipeline systems, especially for high-purity media, face contamination risks due to multiple parts and elastomer sealing elements, which cause abrasion and uneven pressure distribution, leading to reduced service life and increased hysteresis.

Innovation Solution

A pressure reducing valve design with a housing having a piston bore and a separating element, where the pressure chamber's surface is inclined relative to the separating element, optimizing pressure and flow distribution, reducing tilting moments, and using a membrane or piston section as the separating element to minimize components and contamination risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple individual parts and elastomer sealing elements are used in the pressure reducing valve, then the valve can achieve reliable sealing and pressure regulation, but the potential for contamination increases and service life is reduced due to abrasion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual parts into fewer integrated components. The piston is designed as a single piece with the separating element, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements attached to the piston. This reduction in part count directly reduces contamination risk while maintaining sealing functionality through the integrated design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter of the separating element from elastomer to membrane material. This parameter change eliminates the abrasion issues associated with elastomers while maintaining sealing capability, thereby reducing contamination risk and extending service life in high-purity media applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the pressure chamber has a flat bottom surface parallel to the separating element, then the construction is simple, but uneven pressure distribution occurs leading to increased hysteresis and reduced service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure chamber constructionVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces asymmetry by inclining the bottom surface of the pressure chamber relative to the separating element. This asymmetric geometry creates more uniform pressure distribution across the separating element surface, reducing tilting moments on the piston and minimizing hysteresis, thereby extending service life without significantly increasing construction complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 design achieves uniform pressure and flow conditions, reducing friction and hysteresis, extending the valve's service life and ensuring cleaner operation with high-purity media by minimizing contamination and optimizing flow rates.

Implementation Method 1

at least one inclined boundary surface of the pressure chamber results in a more uniform pressure build-up and overall pressure load on the separating element during operation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure distribution: Pascal's Law

Implementation Method 2

the inclination of a surface of the pressure chamber leads to an increase in the volume flow through the pressure chamber and, due to the improved, more uniform pressure distribution, allows for optimization of the velocity distribution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow velocity optimization: Bernoulli Effect

Implementation Method 3

The medium flowing into the housing has a high pressure, or pressure that is too high for further use. The desired outlet pressure can be set using the adjustment unit by pre-tensioning the spring accordingly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 4

reducing friction and hysteresis, extending the valve's service life

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3679446B1Pressure reducing valve for liquid and gaseous media
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 FRANK PLASTIC AG
  • EP3679446B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3679446B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3679446B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a pressure reducing valve (10; 100; 200; 300; 400; 500; 600) for liquid and gaseous media, in particular for regulating the pressure in pipeline systems, preferably in buildings, having a housing (12), wherein the housing (12) has a housing upper part (14), a housing middle part (16) and housing cover (18), wherein the housing middle part (16) has a piston bore (20), wherein the pressure reducing valve (10) further has a separating element (32; 132; 232; 332; 432; 532; 632) for dividing the housing (12) into a fluid-free area and an area through which fluid flows (48, 50), wherein the area through which fluid flows comprises at least one pressure chamber (22; 122; 222; 322; 422; 522; 622), which is delimited in part by the separating element (32; 132; 232; 332; 432; 532; 632), wherein the pressure reducing valve (10; 100; 200; 300; 400; 500; 600) also has a piston (24) which is movably guided in the piston bore (20), wherein one end of the piston (24) is connected to the separating element (32; 132; 232; 332; 432; 532; 632) and the other end of the piston (24) has a seat seal (34), wherein the pressure chamber (22; 122; 222; 322; 422; 522; 622) has a base (22a; 122a; 222a; 322a; 422a; 522a; 622a), which is disposed on the side of the pressure chamber (22; 122; 222; 322; 422; 522; 622) facing away from the separating element (32; 132; 232; 332; 432; 532; 632) and the surface of which facing the pressure chamber is, at least in part, at an angle relative to the separating element (32; 132; 232; 332; 432; 532; 632).