Device for charging pressurized systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods face difficulties in injecting a secondary fluid into a pressurized fluid system, especially when the pressure is high, as the operator struggles to overcome the force exerted by the primary pressurized fluid, making it hard or impossible to operate mechanical devices that move the piston.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing device with a dispensing cylinder containing a secondary fluid and a propellant fluid, where the propellant fluid has a higher pressure than the primary fluid, is used. The device includes a filler valve and a connection hood that allows direct connection to the primary fluid system, with a mechanism to move the obturator element and facilitate the exit of the secondary fluid, utilizing the propellant fluid's pressure to overcome the primary fluid's pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a mechanical system is used to operate the piston and multiply the manual force, then the force exertion is improved, but the device complexity increases and the ease of operation deteriorates when pressure is significantly higher than natural pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical piston system with a fluid pressure system. Instead of using a mechanical pump or lever system to multiply force, the invention uses a propellant fluid under high pressure (P2) to directly push the secondary fluid through the filler valve into the pressurized system. This substitution of mechanical force multiplication with fluid pressure transmission simplifies the operation while maintaining the ability to overcome high primary fluid pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pneumatic principles by using a propellant fluid (typically a gas like nitrogen or compressed air) stored at high pressure P2 in the dispensing cylinder. This propellant fluid acts on the secondary fluid to expel it through the filler valve. The pneumatic pressure system allows easy operation since the propellant fluid automatically provides the necessary force to overcome the primary fluid pressure P1 without requiring manual mechanical force multiplication.
2Productivity
If direct connection to the pressurized system is made, then the productivity is improved, but the difficulty of overcoming the primary fluid pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The propellant fluid serves as an intermediary between the operator and the high-pressure primary fluid system. Instead of the operator directly confronting the high primary pressure P1 to force the secondary fluid into the system, the propellant fluid at pressure P2 acts as a mediator that automatically provides the necessary driving force. The operator simply needs to activate the filler valve, and the propellant fluid handles the pressure overcoming task, enabling both direct connection and easy operation.
3Ease of operation
If the propellant fluid pressure is significantly higher than the primary fluid pressure, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of uncontrolled injection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filler valve is designed with dynamic control characteristics that allow it to respond precisely to operator activation. The valve includes a movable obturator element that can be positioned to open or close the filler duct as needed. This dynamic control mechanism ensures that even though the propellant pressure P2 is much higher than P1, the injection process remains controllable - the operator can initiate, pause, or stop the injection by controlling the valve position, preventing uncontrolled injection while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides inherent feedback through the pressure balance relationship. As secondary fluid is injected into the pressurized system, the primary fluid pressure P1 resists the injection. When the injection rate causes the system pressure to rise or the propellant pressure to drop, this pressure feedback automatically modulates the injection flow rate. The filler valve design also allows the operator to sense the injection progress and control it accordingly, ensuring reliable control despite the high propellant pressure P2.
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
Enables efficient injection of the secondary fluid into the pressurized system, even at high pressures, by leveraging the propellant fluid's pressure to push the secondary fluid into the system, simplifying the operation and ensuring the secondary fluid can be introduced without direct manual force against the primary fluid's pressure.
Implementation Method 1
The cylinder contains, besides the secondary fluid for charging, a propellant fluid, such as nitrogen, having a second pressure P2, greater than the pressure P1 of the primary fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A device for charging a primary fluid system, such as an air-conditioning or cooling system, closed and at a first pressure (P1), with a secondary fluid, comprises a dispensing cylinder of the secondary fluid, said cylinder containing the secondary fluid and a propellant fluid having a second pressure (P2) greater than said first pressure. Said cylinder further comprising a filler valve operable to allow/block the exit at least of the secondary fluid from the cylinder. A connection hood is partially superposed over the dispensing cylinder, fitted with connections means suitable for fluidically connecting said filler valve directly to said primary fluid system or to a connection pipe to said system.