Rotary Valve Flow Passage Design for Compact High-Flow Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary valves for cooling water in small engines face challenges in achieving high flow rates while maintaining a compact size, as they require larger diameters and volumes to accommodate increased flow rates, making them difficult to integrate into limited spaces.
Innovation Solution
A rotary valve design featuring a cylindrical rotor with a rotor outer circumferential opening and blocking surface, and a casing with strategically positioned inflow and outflow openings, allowing for high flow rates without enlarging the rotor's diameter, by utilizing the space between the rotor and casing for fluid flow and minimizing the rotor's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the diameter of the flow passage is enlarged to increase the flow rate, then the flow rate is improved, but the diameter of the rotor becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the radial dimension by forming a groove-like flow passage on the outer circumferential surface of the rotor. This allows the flow passage to extend in the radial direction rather than only increasing the rotor diameter, enabling high flow rates while maintaining a compact rotor size. The flow passage connects the inflow port to the outflow port through the rotor thickness, effectively using the third dimension to resolve the contradiction between flow rate and rotor diameter.
2Productivity
If two flow passages are separately and independently provided in the rotor, then the flow rate is improved, but the diameter of the rotor becomes further larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple flow passages into a single integrated groove-like flow passage structure on the rotor surface. Instead of providing separate independent flow passages that would require more rotor diameter, the invention uses a continuous groove that efficiently guides fluid flow from the inflow port through the rotor to the outflow port, achieving high flow rates with a compact rotor design.
3Productivity
If the diameter of the rotor is increased to ensure high flow rate, then the flow rate is improved, but the occupied volume of the rotary valve becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs the radial depth of the rotor to create the flow passage instead of increasing the rotor diameter. The groove-like flow passage is formed by machining or casting a deep groove on the outer circumferential surface, allowing fluid to flow radially through the rotor. This dimensional approach enables high flow rates while keeping the overall valve volume compact, as the flow capacity is achieved through radial depth rather than radial width.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary valve that includes a rotor and a casing which rotatably accommodates the rotor. The casing includes an inflow side opening through which a fluid flows in from the outside to the rotor accommodating space and two outflow side openings through which the fluid flows out from the rotor accommodating space to the outside, at a position opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the rotor. The rotor is formed in a cylindrical shape having an internal space. An end surface of the rotor is provided with an end surface side opening which communicates with the internal space. The outer circumferential surface of the rotor is provided with a rotor outer circumferential opening and a rotor outer circumferential blocking surface which are configured to open and close the outflow side openings of the casing.