Suction Valve With Dual Inlets for Low-Level Liquid Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suction valves are unable to effectively suck liquid from the bottom of a vessel when it is almost empty, leading to residual liquid in industrial-scale food handling vessels.
Innovation Solution
A suction valve with a concentrically arranged outer and inner body, where a spring forces the inner body to seal the suction inlet in a closed state, transitioning to an open state when the suction force exceeds the spring's force, and an intermediate state allowing liquid suction from the bottom by retracting the end sealing surface while maintaining lateral sealing, enabling efficient liquid removal at low liquid levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional suction valve with a single suction inlet is used, then the structure is simple, but the valve cannot effectively suck liquid from the bottom of the vessel when it is almost empty
Solution Approach 1:
The suction inlet is divided into two separate inlets: a lateral suction inlet positioned higher on the valve body and an end suction inlet positioned at the bottom end of the valve. This segmentation allows the valve to suction liquid from different heights, enabling effective emptying of the vessel even when liquid level is low, as the end suction inlet can reach the bottom while the lateral inlet handles higher liquid levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve transitions from a single-point suction (one-dimensional) to a multi-point suction system by adding both a lateral dimension (side inlet) and an end dimension (bottom inlet). This dimensional expansion allows the valve to access liquid at different spatial locations within the vessel, solving the problem of ineffective bottom suction.
2Productivity
If the inner body is retracted to allow end suction inlet operation, then bottom liquid suction is enabled, but the lateral suction inlet must be sealed to prevent air intake
Solution Approach 1:
The inner body is designed to be dynamically movable along the longitudinal axis, transitioning between different positions based on operational needs. When the valve is pressed against the vessel bottom, the inner body retracts to expose the end suction inlet for bottom liquid suction. When returning to normal position, the spring pushes the inner body forward to seal the end inlet while opening the lateral inlet. This dynamic positioning enables reliable sealing at different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable inner body acts as an intermediary sealing element that selectively covers or uncovers the suction inlets. This intermediary component mediates between the conflicting requirements of sealing the end inlet when not in use and opening it for bottom suction, ensuring that only the intended inlet is active at any given time, thus preventing air intake.
3Ease of operation
If a spring is used to bias the inner body towards the closed position, then the valve automatically closes when suction force decreases, but the spring force must be carefully balanced to enable both closed and open states
Solution Approach 1:
The spring force parameter is carefully selected and adjusted to create distinct force thresholds. The spring biasing force is set to be sufficient to keep the valve closed under normal conditions but insufficient to prevent opening when adequate suction force is applied. This parameter optimization enables automatic operation: the valve closes automatically when suction decreases (spring dominates) and opens automatically when suction exceeds the spring force threshold, providing reliable automatic control without complex mechanisms.
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
Enables effective suction of liquid from the bottom of a vessel even when it is almost empty, preventing air from being sucked along with the liquid and maintaining high suction capacity by allowing liquid to flow through both end and lateral inlets.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is arranged to exert a force on the inner body to press the inner body in a direction towards the suction inlet
Implementation Method 2
The inner body is arranged to move in a direction away from the suction inlet when a suction force applied by the conduit is larger than the force exerted by the spring
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 1e
Figure 2a~2d
AI summary
A suction valve (100) for sucking liquid from a vessel. The suction valve (100) comprises an outer body (102) comprising a suction inlet (111), an inner body (104) movably arranged within the outer body (102), and a spring (106) arranged to force the inner body (104) in a direction (-Y) towards the suction inlet (111) such that the inner body (104) seals the suction inlet (111). The inner body (104) is movable in a direction (Y) away from the suction inlet (111) when a suction force (195) applied by a conduit (190) connected to the suction valve (100) is larger than the force exerted by the spring (106), to thereby open the suction valve (100) and allow liquid to be sucked through the suction inlet (111).