Serviceable Laminar Flow Element for Precision Fluid Control Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-precision laminar flow elements in systems like spacecraft fluid processing are difficult to maintain or repair due to their precise nature, which can lead to reduced functionality from contamination or damage, especially in extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
Serviceable laminar flow elements with a flow sleeve, laminar flow rod, mounting plug, index cap, and seals that allow for secure installation and replacement within a manifold assembly, enabling precise control and maintenance of laminar flow without requiring complete system reassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high precision laminar flow elements are used for fine mixture control, then fluid control precision is improved, but serviceability and ease of repair deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The laminar flow element is divided into separable components: a flow sleeve and a laminar flow rod that can be independently removed and replaced. This segmentation allows the precision components to be serviced separately without replacing the entire assembly, resolving the contradiction between maintaining precision and enabling repairability.
Solution Approach 2:
The laminar flow rod is nested within the flow sleeve, with the rod fitting precisely inside the sleeve to maintain the required gap for laminar flow. This nested configuration allows the inner rod to be removed and replaced while the outer sleeve remains in place, enabling serviceability without compromising the precision geometry.
2Reliability
If high precision structures are used for fine mixture control, then functionality is improved, but vulnerability to contamination and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the precision structure into removable rod and sleeve components, the system allows for inspection and replacement of contaminated parts without compromising the entire system's functionality. The precision gap can be maintained while replacing only the affected component.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables discarding or replacing contaminated precision components (laminar flow rod or sleeve) and recovering the clean components for continued use. This extends system life and maintains reliability by allowing replacement of degraded precision surfaces.
3Manufacturing precision
If high precision manufacturing is used for laminar flow elements, then flow control accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The precision manufacturing requirements are segmented between the flow sleeve and laminar flow rod components. Each component can be manufactured to precision standards independently, and their assembly creates the laminar flow geometry without requiring the entire assembly to be manufactured as a single precision piece, reducing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Serviceable laminar flow elements are described. The serviceable laminar flow elements includes a flow sleeve, a laminar flow rod installed within the flow sleeve, a mounting plug arranged at a first end of the flow sleeve configured to fixedly secure the laminar flow rod within the flow sleeve at the first end, and an index cap arranged at a second end of the flow sleeve configured to fixedly secure the laminar flow rod within the flow sleeve at the second end. A laminar flow path is defined by a gap between an interior surface of the flow sleeve and an exterior surface of the laminar flow rod.