Resilient Valve Flow Limiter for Pressure-Independent Water Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow limiters fail to maintain a consistent and accurate flow rate across varying pressure conditions, leading to inefficiencies in water usage and increased costs in managing peak demands, particularly in applications like showers and industrial settings.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-independent flow limiting device with a housing and partition having multiple openings, featuring a resilient valve element that maintains a constant flow rate by adjusting to pressure changes, and an adjustable injection-moulded design allowing precise dimensioning and adaptation of flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flow limiters are used, then flow rate limitation is achieved, but flow rate consistency across varying pressure conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limiter employs a resilient valve element that dynamically adjusts the flow passage cross-section in response to pressure changes. The resilient material allows the valve to deform elastically under varying pressure conditions, automatically maintaining consistent flow rate by compensating for pressure fluctuations without external control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the valve element from rigid to resilient, allowing it to undergo elastic deformation. This parameter change enables the valve to adapt its geometry continuously in response to pressure variations, thereby maintaining stable flow characteristics across a wide pressure range.
2Measurement precision
If precise flow rate control is implemented, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limiter is designed to determine peak water usage automatically without external intervention. The resilient valve element self-regulates the flow rate based on pressure conditions, and the device provides built-in flow measurement capabilities through its structured flow passages, eliminating the need for separate measurement instruments or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the flow limitation function, flow measurement capability, and pressure compensation mechanism into a single integrated device. The housing contains both the flow-limiting resilient valve and the structured flow passages that enable peak usage determination, combining multiple functions that would traditionally require separate components.
3Productivity
If flow limiters are deployed at many locations to determine peak load, then cost savings increase, but installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limiter is designed as a universal device that can be installed at multiple locations within a water distribution system to determine peak load. The standardized housing and resilient valve configuration allow the same device to be deployed across different installations, enabling aggregate peak usage analysis while maintaining ease of installation through consistent design.
Solution Approach 2:
The device segments the water flow into measurable sections through its internal structured flow passages and multiple valve elements. This segmentation allows the device to accurately determine peak usage by analyzing flow characteristics through divided pathways, while the modular segmented design also facilitates easier installation and maintenance.
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 device ensures a precise and constant flow rate across a wide range of pressures, reducing energy consumption and costs by accurately determining peak water usage, and enabling flexible application in various fields.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient plate-like valve element which is mounted in the housing and which can substantially close the throughflow opening by resilient movement in the direction of a valve seat
Data Source
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AI summary
A flow limiting element, comprising: a housing provided with an inlet, an outlet and a throughflow opening; and a resilient plate-like valve element mounted in the housing and configured to substantially close the throughflow opening by resilient movement in a direction of a valve seat arranged in the housing adjacently of the throughflow opening, wherein the resilient plate-like valve element is fixed on one side at a fixation point and the resilient plate-like valve element can move resiliently on an opposite side in the direction of the valve seat, wherein the valve seat includes cam parts configured to limit a stroke of at least a part of a freely moving part of the resilient plate-like valve element, and wherein a distance of the cam parts from the fixation point differs.