Propane Tank Valve Tapered Plug for Controlled Flow Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Propane gas flow limiting devices often trigger unnecessarily when initially opening the valve of a propane tank, causing difficulties in resetting the gas flow to a cooking station and potentially leading to safety issues due to sudden flow rate changes.
Innovation Solution
A propane tank valve assembly with a tapered plug and handle configuration that minimizes gas flow through a flow limiting device by forming a gap between the tapered surface of the plug and the internal surface of the valve passageway, preventing the tripping of the blocking component and maintaining gas flow below a predetermined rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flow limiting device is installed in the propane gas line, then gas flow safety is improved, but the device triggers unnecessarily when initially opening the valve
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered plug performs a preliminary action by initially minimizing gas flow when the valve is first opened, preventing the flow limiting device from triggering unnecessarily. This preliminary flow control allows the system to stabilize before full flow is established, resolving the contradiction between safety and operational time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug geometry is designed to dynamically change the flow parameters during valve opening. The tapered portion creates a progressive opening that transitions the flow rate from minimal to full, allowing the flow limiting device to remain inactive during normal operation while maintaining safety functionality when needed.
2Productivity
If the valve is opened quickly to establish gas flow, then productivity is improved, but the flow limiting device triggers due to sudden flow rate changes
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered plug design performs a preliminary flow control action during valve opening, establishing a gradual flow increase rather than a sudden surge. This preliminary control prevents the flow limiting device from triggering while still allowing quick establishment of gas flow, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug geometry creates a dynamic flow control system where the effective opening area changes progressively as the valve opens. This dynamic adjustment of flow parameters allows the system to maintain high productivity while avoiding sudden flow rate changes that would trigger the safety device.
3Reliability
If a tapered plug is used to control initial gas flow, then unnecessary triggering is prevented, but the valve assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered flow control feature is merged directly into the plug component itself, rather than being a separate mechanism. This integration combines the sealing function and the flow control function into a single element, preventing unnecessary triggering while minimizing the increase in overall assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug geometry incorporates a tapered portion with specific dimensional parameters that control the initial flow rate. By optimizing these parameters, the design achieves reliable flow control stability without requiring additional components, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a propane tank valve are provided. In one embodiment, the propane tank valve includes a plug with a tapered portion, the plug moveable between closed and open positions relative to a valve passageway. Upon the plug being in the closed position, the tapered portion of the plug is positioned within the valve passageway. Upon the plug being initially moved from the closed position to the open position, the tapered portion of the plug is sized and configured to initially minimize the gas flow from the valve passageway and through a flow limiting device configured to be coupled to the propane tank valve such that movement of the tapered portion from the closed plug position initially forms a gap between a tapered surface of the tapered portion and an internal surface of the valve passageway.