Tapered Flow Regulating Valve for Precise Low Hydrogen Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow rate regulating valves struggle to achieve highly accurate control at small flow rates while also meeting the demand for large flow rates of gaseous fuel, particularly in hydrogen filling applications for fuel cell vehicles, where precise control is needed to balance filling speed and pressure resistance.
Innovation Solution
A flow rate regulating valve design featuring a small-diameter flow path with a tapered extension, a shaft with a small-diameter tip and tapered portion, and a conversion mechanism that adjusts the axial position of the shaft to fine-tune the flow rate by varying the gap length through which hydrogen flows, allowing for precise control of flow resistance and transition between small and large flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cross-sectional area of the flow path is suddenly increased when the valve body separates from the valve seat, then the flow rate increases rapidly, but it becomes difficult to control the valve opening and flow rate precisely at small flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a shaft with variable cross-sectional area that can be positioned at different axial locations within the flow path. By dynamically adjusting the axial position of the shaft, the effective flow path cross-sectional area is continuously variable rather than sudden, enabling precise control at small flow rates while maintaining the capability for large flow rates when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the flow path by using a shaft with varying cross-sectional area along its length. As the shaft moves axially, it presents different cross-sectional areas to the flow path, thereby continuously changing the flow resistance and enabling precise flow rate control across the entire range from small to large flow rates
2Measurement precision
If the flow path cross-sectional area is restricted to control flow rate precisely, then small flow rates can be controlled accurately, but the filling speed decreases and large flow rates cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft's axial position is made dynamically adjustable, allowing the system to transition from a restricted flow path configuration (for precise small flow rate control) to an open flow path configuration (for high-speed filling). This dynamic reconfiguration enables the system to adapt to different operational requirements in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path control is segmented into multiple zones along the axial direction by the shaft's varying cross-sectional area. Different segments of the shaft correspond to different flow resistance characteristics, allowing the system to select appropriate flow control characteristics by positioning the shaft at different axial locations
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 precise control of hydrogen flow rates from small to large, reducing pressure increase in the small flow rate region to prevent damage and meeting the demand for high-speed filling by adjusting the axial position of the shaft within the valve, ensuring safe and efficient hydrogen supply.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded portion 5A between a female thread 4C formed on the opening adjustment rotation member 4 and a male thread 1C formed on the shaft 1
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a flow rate regulating valve that is capable of highly accurate control when a flow rate is small, and supplying gaseous fuel at a large flow rate. A flow rate regulating valve 30 according to the present invention includes: a main body 2 having a small-diameter flow path 3A, a tapered flow path 3AT continuous with the small-diameter flow path 3A, and a large-diameter flow path 3B continuous with the tapered flow path 3AT; a shaft 1 having a small-diameter tip 1A that can be inserted into the small-diameter flow path 3A from the large-diameter flow path 3B side of the main body 2, and a tapered portion 1AT continuous with the small-diameter tip 1A; an opening adjustment rotating member 4; and a conversion mechanism 5 that converts rotation of the opening adjustment rotating member 4 into movement in an axial direction of the shaft 1, wherein when the small-diameter tip 1A of the shaft 1 is inserted into the small-diameter flow path 3A of the main body 2, a gap δ is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter tip 1A and an inner circumferential surface of the small-diameter flow path 3A, and an outer circumferential surface of the tapered portion 1AT of the shaft 1 is configured to be engageable with an inner circumferential surface of the tapered flow path 3AT of the main body 2.