Float-Controlled Suction Pipe Evacuation for Seal Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evacuation devices for suction lines often result in liquid coming into contact with seals, leading to seal impairment, especially when handling turbid or aggressive liquids.
Innovation Solution
A simple and low-maintenance evacuation device design featuring a housing with a chamber and valves that allows air to be evacuated from the suction line, using a float to close the valve before the liquid reaches the seal, maintaining a significant distance to prevent contact and incorporating a check valve to manage flow direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the suction line is evacuated using a conventional evacuation device, then air can be removed from the suction line, but liquid comes into contact with the seals of the evacuation device causing seal impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a float as an intermediary element that responds to liquid level changes and actuates a valve to close the evacuation passage. This mediator mechanism prevents direct liquid contact with seals by automatically closing the passage before liquid reaches the seal area, thus resolving the contradiction between evacuation effectiveness and seal protection
Solution Approach 2:
The float-actuated valve performs preliminary action by closing the evacuation passage in advance before liquid reaches the seal area. The float rises with the liquid level and triggers valve closure proactively, preventing liquid contact with seals before it occurs, thereby maintaining seal reliability while completing the evacuation function
2Productivity
If the evacuation device is designed to handle aggressive liquids, then the suction line can be evacuated effectively, but the seals are impaired by contact with the aggressive liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The float mechanism serves as an intermediary that detects liquid presence and triggers valve closure, preventing aggressive liquid from contacting the seals. This allows the evacuation device to maintain productivity by effectively evacuating the suction line while protecting seals from harmful aggressive liquid contact through the mediating float-actuated valve system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of aggressive liquid into a beneficial signaling mechanism. The aggressive liquid's presence causes the float to rise, which automatically triggers the valve to close, transforming the potential harm into a useful automatic protection mechanism that maintains both evacuation effectiveness and seal integrity
3Device complexity
If the float is positioned close to the valve seat, then the evacuation device structure is compact, but the liquid may contact the seal during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the spatial conflict by introducing a vertical dimension for float movement and valve actuation. The float moves vertically in response to liquid level, and this vertical motion is transferred to actuate the valve closure, separating the float's operational space from the valve seat area and preventing liquid contact while maintaining compact horizontal footprint
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
Effectively evacuates the suction line without liquid contact with seals, ensuring reliable operation even with turbid or aggressive liquids, and allows for easy maintenance by maintaining a safe distance between the liquid and sealing components.
Implementation Method 1
The first valve (30) includes a float (36) located in the chamber (15)... the floating float closes the first valve (30)... the liquid level rises, causing the float to float
Implementation Method 2
An evacuation line (13) can be connected to this evacuation connection (13). This evacuation line (13) in turn leads to a compressor (18)... air to be evacuated from the housing (5) via the evacuation port (17)
Implementation Method 3
The second valve (50) is designed in such a way that it opens when there is a flow in the direction of flow from the chamber (15) in the direction of the connection (13). If the flow breaks off in this direction or the pressure difference is not large enough, the second valve (50) closes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an evacuation device for a suction line, comprising a housing with a chamber for connection to a suction line, with an evacuation port for an evacuation line and with a through-opening between the chamber and the port, a first valve with a first valve seat at the through-opening, with a first closing part for closing the first valve seat and with a float in the chamber which is connected to the first closing part, so that the floating float closes the first valve, a second valve, designed as a check valve, between the through-opening and the port, wherein the second valve opens in a flow direction from the first chamber to the port.