Thermostatic Slide Valve Bypass Duct Reduces Pressure Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Thermostatic slide valves in lubrication circuits of internal combustion engines introduce significant pressure losses when bypassing the cooler, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced mechanical efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A modified thermostatic slide valve with a parallel bypass duct that allows the mobile shutter to be bypassed during retraction, minimizing pressure losses by creating a separate path for the fluid when the shutter blocks the cooler outlet, and using a helical spring to reset the shutter position when temperature drops below the threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thermostatic slide valve is used to bypass the cooler, then the lubricating oil temperature can be maintained at optimal levels, but significant pressure losses occur leading to increased fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is segmented into multiple flow paths: a first flow path through the cooler and a second flow path bypassing the cooler. The mobile shutter divides and directs the lubricating oil flow between these paths, allowing selective routing to optimize both temperature control and pressure loss reduction
Solution Approach 2:
A parallel bypass duct is introduced that develops in a direction parallel to the valve development axis, creating a three-dimensional flow configuration. This allows the lubricating oil to bypass the mobile shutter entirely during retraction, reducing pressure losses while maintaining temperature control capability
2Temperature
If a slide valve blocks the cooler outlet to bypass the cooler, then temperature control is achieved, but pressure losses increase due to flow restriction through the valve
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful flow restriction effect is extracted and separated from the temperature control function. The parallel bypass duct provides a separate flow path that eliminates the pressure loss issue while the mobile shutter retains its temperature control function by blocking or opening the cooler inlet as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The parallel bypass duct acts as an intermediary flow path between the lubricating oil source and the engine components. It provides an alternative route that bypasses both the cooler and the mobile shutter when the shutter is retracted, mediating between the conflicting requirements of temperature control and pressure loss reduction
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 design minimizes pressure losses and maintains mechanical efficiency by reducing pumping losses and fuel consumption, while ensuring the lubricating oil reaches and maintains the optimal temperature effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor T (72) containing thermal material is also arranged inside the tubular body BV to be constantly lapped by the flow F of lubricating fluid to detect the temperature thereof and therefore operate the mobile shutter S (74)... When the flow of lubricating oil reaches the correct operating temperature, the sensor T (72) expands, bringing the mobile shutter S (74) to the closing position
Implementation Method 2
use a helical spring to reset the shutter position when temperature drops below the threshold
Data Source
AI summary
Bypass valve for a lubrication circuit of an internal combustion engine equipped with a cooler of a respective lubricating fluid, the valve comprising a tubular body, a first outlet opening, a second outlet opening and a movable shutter slidingly associated to the tubular body so as to define a slide valve, wherein the valve comprises a bypass duct having development parallel to said development axis and partially penetrating in the tubular body to bypass said shutter.