Stacked Disk Check Valve Springless Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid valves, such as check valves, often experience issues with reverse fluid flow, vibration-induced chattering, and non-adjustable cracking pressures due to spring wear or fracture, particularly in high-vibrational applications like aerospace and cryogenic environments.
Innovation Solution
A fluid apparatus with a flow control member featuring multiple disks and an adjustable threaded head that engages a threaded inner wall of the valve body, allowing for preload adjustment without a spring, providing redundant sealing and improved resistance to vibration and cryogenic conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is employed to bias the ball valve into sealing engagement with the valve seat, then the valve can maintain sealing force and control cracking pressure, but the spring may wear or fracture due to cyclic fatigue or cryogenic shock, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component entirely from the valve mechanism. Instead of using a spring to bias the ball valve into sealing engagement, the invention employs a stacked disk assembly where disks are directly positioned against valve seats through adjustable preload mechanisms, eliminating the spring and its associated reliability issues in cryogenic and high-vibration environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the expensive and unreliable spring mechanism with a simpler, more durable disk assembly that can be easily adjusted or replaced. The stacked disks are designed to be straightforward mechanical components without moving parts that could fail, effectively treating the sealing mechanism as a simple, replaceable assembly rather than a complex spring-based system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spring is made adjustable to vary preload and adjust cracking pressure, then the desired cracking pressure can be set, but the spring may still wear or fracture under cyclic loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the spring component that requires adjustment, replacing it with an adjustable disk assembly where the preload can be varied by positioning the stacked disks at different heights or configurations. This maintains cracking pressure adjustability while removing the spring that would otherwise be subject to fatigue and fracture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the disk assembly that allows the preload to be varied without requiring a spring. The adjustable configuration enables the system to adapt cracking pressure settings while using static, non-fatiguing disk components instead of a dynamic spring system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If pressure changes across the orifice produce vibration at resonant frequency of the spring, then the spring may chatter, but the ball valve may dislodge and fall from the valve seat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component that is susceptible to resonant vibration and chattering. By replacing the spring with a stacked disk assembly, the system eliminates the elastic element that would resonate at specific frequencies, thereby preventing chattering and the associated risk of ball valve dislodgement in high-vibration environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple, non-resonating disk components instead of a spring that can chatter and fail. The disk assembly provides stable, vibration-resistant sealing without the complex dynamic behavior of springs, effectively replacing a potentially failing component with simpler, more reliable alternatives.
4Device complexity
If a springless check valve employs a flap that moves or deflects relative to a valve seat, then the valve can operate without a spring, but the cracking pressure may not be adjustable and the flap may chatter during high vibrational applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sealing function into multiple stacked disks that can be independently positioned and adjusted. Instead of a single flap that cannot be adjusted, the segmented disk assembly allows for precise control of preload and cracking pressure by adjusting the position or configuration of individual disks, while maintaining the springless design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements an adjustable mechanism for the disk assembly that enables dynamic control of cracking pressure without requiring a spring. The adjustable configuration allows the system to adapt to different operating conditions while using simple, non-chattering disk components instead of a single deflecting flap.
5Reliability
If conventional check valves use a ball valve with spring bias, then sealing engagement can be maintained, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component that adds weight to the valve assembly. By replacing the spring-biased ball valve with a stacked disk assembly, the system achieves sealing engagement through simpler, lighter disk components that can be directly positioned against valve seats without requiring additional spring weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the heavier ball valve and spring mechanism with lighter, simpler disk components. The stacked disks are easier and less expensive to manufacture than precision ball valves and springs, reducing both material costs and manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid flow passageway and a plurality of valve seats. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway of the valve body. The flow control member having a plurality of disks. A respective one of the disks moves relative to a respective one of the valve seats to control fluid flow through the valve body. The flow control member is adjustable relative to a longitudinal axis of the valve body to provide a preload to the disks. Each of the disks has a cracking pressure corresponding to the preload.