Shared Pump Plenum Pneumatic Distribution System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic pump systems lack efficient air pressure control and redundancy, leading to increased complexity, maintenance requirements, and potential failures in distributing compressed air to multiple destinations independently.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic distribution system with a shared pump plenum and multiple flow controllers that coordinate air pressure control across pneumatic chambers, allowing independent control of air pressure and providing redundancy through shared pump operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple pneumatic pumps are used to provide redundancy and independent control to multiple destinations, then system reliability and independent control capability are improved, but device complexity and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pneumatic pumps are merged into a single common plenum chamber, allowing them to share the same exhaust space. This consolidation reduces the number of separate pump outlets and associated control components needed, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining the redundancy and independent control capabilities provided by multiple pumps
Solution Approach 2:
The common plenum serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the exhaust chamber for multiple pumps, provides a shared distribution point for compressed air to multiple destinations, and enables independent flow control to each destination through separate flow controllers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function
2Reliability
If multiple pneumatic pumps are used to provide redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The common plenum consolidates multiple pump exhausts into a single shared space, reducing the total number of separate outlets, valves, and control components needed in the system. This merging effect reduces component count and associated costs while maintaining the redundancy provided by multiple pumps
3Device complexity
If a single pump is used to serve multiple destinations, then system complexity and cost are reduced, but the ability to independently control air pressure at multiple destinations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Flow controllers are introduced as intermediary devices between the common plenum and each destination. These flow controllers independently regulate the flow of compressed air from the shared plenum to each destination, enabling independent pressure and flow control at each outlet while still using a single pump source
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the flow control function by placing individual flow controllers at each destination outlet. This segmentation allows each destination to be independently controlled for air pressure and flow rate, even though they all receive air from the same pump through the common plenum
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
This configuration enables independent control of air pressure across multiple destinations, reduces system complexity and cost, enhances reliability, and provides redundancy in case of pump failure, resulting in a more efficient and reliable pneumatic system.
Implementation Method 1
Pneumatic pumps are compressors of air
Implementation Method 2
one or more flow controllers may be in fluid communication with the exhaust plenum of the pneumatic pump. Each of the one or more flow controllers may have a source port in fluid communication with the exhaust plenum
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a pneumatic distribution system having pneumatic pump that exhausts into a common plenum that is in fluid communication with a plurality of flow controllers. In an illustrative embodiment, a system controller may coordinate the operation of the one or more pneumatic pumps and the plurality of flow controllers to provide air pressure control to a system of pneumatic chambers. In some embodiments, one of the plurality of flow controllers may be configured to provide fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere so as to permit a fluid path from a pneumatic chamber connected to another flow controller to the ambient atmosphere via both flow controllers and the common plenum. In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller may advantageously control the air pressures in a plurality of pneumatic chambers independently of one another using coordinated control of the pump and flow controllers.