Spring-Biased Flow Control Valve for Shaft-Stable Metering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow control valves in water supply systems are inefficient in preventing the inclusion of air and water vapor, leading to inaccurate water meter readings and increased utility bills, and often suffer from radial movement issues that can cause shaft bending and breakage.
Innovation Solution
A flow control valve design featuring a spring-biased valve head that remains closed until a predetermined pressure is reached, with a guide assembly to constrain radial movement and a removable wear cap, utilizing a housing with a valve seat and a valve plug that engages the seat to prevent fluid flow until the pressure is sufficient, thereby compressing entrained air and vapor and reducing inaccuracies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a spring-biased valve head is used to prevent air and water vapor passage, then measurement precision of water meter is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The guide assembly is integrated with the valve body, combining the guidance function and structural support into a single component. The guide rails are positioned within the valve body housing, eliminating the need for separate external guide mechanisms and reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining the pressure-activated sealing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body serves multiple functions: it houses the spring mechanism, provides the flow passage, incorporates the guide assembly for radial constraint, and supports the valve head assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If a guide assembly is added to constrain radial movement of the valve head, then reliability of the valve is improved by preventing shaft bending and breakage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide assembly is merged with the valve body structure, where guide rails are positioned within the existing housing. This integration allows the guide function to be provided without adding completely separate external components, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rails act as intermediary elements between the valve head and the valve body housing. These rails provide the necessary radial constraint and shaft protection function, serving as a mediator that improves reliability without requiring fundamental redesign of the entire valve assembly structure.
3Measurement precision
If the valve head is biased closed by spring force, then measurement precision is improved by compressing air and vapor, but the force required to open the valve increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve head is designed to be dynamically responsive to pressure changes. The spring provides a biasing force that is overcome when inlet pressure exceeds a threshold, allowing the valve to automatically transition from closed to open state. This dynamic operation ensures accurate compression of air and vapor while allowing easy opening when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring force parameter is carefully selected to create a specific opening pressure threshold. By adjusting spring characteristics, the valve can be tuned to open at the desired pressure point, balancing the need for sufficient closing force (to compress air and vapor accurately) with the need for reasonable opening force (to allow flow when pressure is sufficient).
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
The solution effectively increases the accuracy of water meter readings by compressing air and vapor, reducing unnecessary water consumption estimates and minimizing repair costs associated with shaft damage from radial movement.
Implementation Method 1
a spring retained within the housing, the spring biasing the valve head to the closed position and configured to maintain the valve head in the closed position until a predetermined pressure is applied to the valve head from fluid at the inlet
Implementation Method 2
a valve head positioned in the flow passage and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the valve head engages the valve seat in the closed position to seal the flow passage
Implementation Method 3
a guide assembly extending along at least a section of the flow passage, the guide assembly configured to engage the valve head to constrain radial movement of the valve head
Implementation Method 4
a predetermined pressure is applied to the valve head from fluid at the inlet
Data Source
AI summary
Flow control valves may be positioned downstream of water meters to increase pressure and compress entrained water vapour passing through the meters. However, turbulence within such valves can cause the valve's head to move radially, bending a shaft within the valve which may break. Accordingly, there is provided a flow control valve comprising: a housing having a flow passage; a valve seat defined within the flow passage; a valve head moveable to a closed position to engage the valve seat and seal the flow passage; a shaft secured to the valve head; a support slidingly mounting the shaft within the housing; a spring biasing the valve head to the closed position and configured to maintain the valve head in the closed position until a predetermined pressure is applied; and a guide assembly extending along at least a portion of the flow passage to constrain radial movement of the valve head.