Flow Control Valve With Spiral-Driven Teeth for Symmetrical Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control valves suffer from asymmetrical flow regulation, leading to increased hydraulic resistance, energy losses, limited speed, and rapid wear due to complex structural elements and inefficient flow directionality, particularly in gas applications.
Innovation Solution
A flow control valve with a composite housing and a drive disc featuring Archimedes spiral and evenly spaced, streamlined teeth for symmetrical motion transmission, reducing structural complexity and energy dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a V-shaped narrowed passage is used in the ball-type butterfly gate, then flow control is achieved, but hydraulic resistance increases due to asymmetrical flow regulation and significant compression and expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it uses symmetrical design to eliminate the harmful asymmetry in conventional V-shaped passages. The streamlined teeth are arranged symmetrically around the central axis, creating equal flow paths that maintain flow axisymmetry and reduce hydraulic resistance while still achieving effective flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses curved streamlined surfaces instead of sharp V-shaped edges. The teeth have rounded contours that guide flow smoothly, eliminating sudden compression and expansion. This curvature principle reduces flow separation and turbulence, thereby decreasing hydraulic resistance and energy losses.
2Ease of operation
If saddle-type regulators are used for flow regulation, then flow control is achieved, but flow discontinuity increases due to passage shape change and multiple structural elements
Solution Approach 1:
The regulation function is segmented into multiple streamlined teeth that can independently guide flow. Instead of one large moving passage, multiple smaller streamlined elements work together to maintain flow continuity, reducing turbulence and improving flow stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The streamlined curved surfaces of the teeth maintain smooth flow paths during regulation, avoiding the sharp angle changes in saddle-type regulators. This curvature ensures continuous, uniform flow throughout the regulation process.
3Ease of operation
If a piston-based regulating mechanism is used, then flow control is achieved, but operation speed is limited due to shock wave occurrence and rate response time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the piston and complex transmission mechanism from the flow path, replacing it with a direct-acting streamlined gate. This eliminates the shock waves and response time delays associated with piston movement, enabling faster operation speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex mechanical piston transmission system is replaced with a simpler streamlined gate mechanism that responds more directly to control inputs, reducing mechanical inertia and improving response speed.
4Ease of operation
If the regulating part is located in the middle of the flow, then flow control is achieved, but flow deformation occurs due to disruption of uniform flow
Solution Approach 1:
The streamlined curved surfaces of the teeth are designed to maintain flow uniformity even when the regulating element is positioned in the flow path. The smooth contours guide flow around the regulating structure, minimizing deformation and turbulence.
5Ease of operation
If multiple seals and gear transmission are used in the piston mechanism, then motion transmission is achieved, but structural complexity increases and wear increases due to influence of working medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the piston, gear transmission, and multiple seals from the mechanism, replacing them with a simpler streamlined gate structure. This extraction eliminates unnecessary complexity and reduces the number of components exposed to the working medium, thereby reducing wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of motion transmission and flow control are merged into a single streamlined gate structure, eliminating the need for separate transmission mechanisms and reducing overall structural complexity.
6Ease of operation
If the gas flow changes direction multiple times around the working mechanism and through perforation, then flow control is achieved, but energy loss increases by at least 30%
Solution Approach 1:
The streamlined curved surfaces guide flow in smooth, continuous directions rather than sharp angle changes. This reduces flow separation and turbulence, minimizing energy losses associated with direction changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The design maintains continuous, smooth flow paths without abrupt interruptions or direction changes. The streamlined teeth guide flow continuously through the regulation process, preventing energy losses from flow detachment and turbulence.
7Ease of operation
If all structural elements are exposed to the flow, then flow control is achieved, but durability decreases due to rapid wear-out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary structural elements that are exposed to flow and cause wear. The streamlined gate design minimizes the number of components in the flow path, reducing the total surface area subject to erosion and wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The streamlined curved surfaces reduce flow separation and turbulence, minimizing erosive effects on the structural elements. The smooth contours distribute flow more evenly, reducing localized wear and extending service life.
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
Enhances valve operation speed, reduces energy losses, and increases durability and maintainability by ensuring symmetrical flow regulation and minimizing structural wear.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral surface of drive disc is provided with Archimedes spiral
Data Source
AI summary
The flow control valve has a drive, a housing with a regulating member provided with inlet and outlet fittings with passages and movable and fixed regulating teeth. The flow control valve comprises a composite housing having an upper and lower parts mounted on a support. The lateral surface of the drive disc is provided with Archimedes spiral, the regulating member is provided with evenly spaced projections in the central portion forming the fixed teeth, the movable teeth are located in the spaces between the fixed teeth. All the teeth being formed in a streamlined shape ending with a wedge of the cross-section angle defined as 360/n, n is the number of movable teeth. For engagement between the movable teeth and the drive disc for transmission of motion, a counter plate with notches corresponding to the Archimedes spiral parameters on the drive disc is installed on the movable teeth.