Stamped Valve Assembly for Lightweight Exhaust Flow Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Valve assemblies in exhaust gas heat recovery systems face challenges with complex geometry designs that increase cost and weight, and the use of wire mesh gaskets held by rivets, which complicates assembly and adds cost.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly design featuring a monolithic valve body with a stamped or deep-drawn construction, incorporating a valve seat with a rectangular bore and trunnions for reduced complexity and weight, and eliminating the need for rivets by using a stamped component with integrated sealing surfaces and washers to secure the valve shaft and bushings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cast component is used to form complex contours in the valve body, then sealing performance is improved, but cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into multiple components: a housing formed by stamping or deep-drawing operations, a separate valve plate with integrated sealing features, and distinct end members. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, achieving sealing performance without requiring a heavy monolithic cast structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Complex contours and sealing surfaces are localized to specific areas where needed, such as the valve plate and sealing surfaces of the housing, rather than requiring the entire valve body to be cast with complex geometry. This localized approach reduces overall weight while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a cast component is used to form complex contours in the valve body, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into multiple components: a housing formed by stamping or deep-drawing operations, a separate valve plate with integrated sealing features, and distinct end members. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, achieving sealing performance without requiring a heavy monolithic cast structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Complex contours and sealing surfaces are localized to specific areas where needed, such as the valve plate and sealing surfaces of the housing, rather than requiring the entire valve body to be cast with complex geometry. This localized approach reduces overall weight while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
3Reliability
If wire mesh gaskets are held together by rivets, then leakage prevention is improved, but assembly difficulty and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wire mesh gasket is integrated with the valve plate through welding, merging two previously separate components into a unified assembly. This eliminates the need for separate rivets and holding plates, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining effective leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical fastening system (rivets and holding plates) is replaced with a welding process that directly attaches the wire mesh gasket to the valve plate. This substitution eliminates the complexity of mechanical fasteners while achieving reliable leakage prevention.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly includes a valve body. The valve body includes a valve seat. The valve seat defines a bore therethrough. The valve body also includes a pair of end members connected to the valve body at opposing sides of the valve body. Each of the pair of end members includes a trunnion. The valve assembly further includes a valve shaft received in the trunnion of each of the pair of end members. The valve assembly includes a valve plate connected to the valve shaft. The valve plate is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The valve plate is adjacent to the valve seat when the valve assembly is in the first position.