Tapered Flow Regulating Valve for Precise Low-to-High Hydrogen Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow rate regulating valves struggle to achieve precise control at small flow rates while also meeting the demand for high flow rates during hydrogen filling in fuel cell vehicles, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A flow rate regulating valve with a small-diameter flow path, tapered flow path, and a shaft with a small-diameter tip and tapered portion, combined with a conversion mechanism that adjusts the axial movement of the shaft to fine-tune the flow rate by varying the length of the gap through which hydrogen flows, allowing for precise control of hydrogen flow rates from small to large.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the valve body separates from the valve seat to open the flow path, then the flow rate increases rapidly, but the cross-sectional area suddenly increases making it difficult to control small flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into three distinct sections: small-diameter flow path (3A), tapered flow path (3AT), and large-diameter flow path (3B). This segmentation allows the flow to progress through progressively larger cross-sections, enabling gradual flow rate increase from small to large while maintaining control precision throughout the transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dimensional transition through the tapered flow path (3AT) which connects the small-diameter and large-diameter sections. This tapered section provides a gradual dimensional change in cross-sectional area, allowing smooth transition from small to large flow rates while maintaining control precision that would be impossible with abrupt area changes.
2Reliability
If a ball screw mechanism is used to convert rotational motion to linear motion, then opening/closing control is reliable at high pressure, but the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is segmented into functional modules: the conversion mechanism (5) that converts rotational motion to linear motion, the shaft (1) with small-diameter tip (1A) and tapered portion (1AT), and the opening adjustment rotating member (4). This modular segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while simplifying the overall structure compared to a complete ball screw system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the essential motion conversion function from a complete ball screw mechanism. Instead of using a full ball screw system, only the necessary thread engagement between the conversion mechanism (5) and shaft (1) is implemented to achieve linear motion from rotation, eliminating unnecessary complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If the flow path cross-sectional area suddenly increases, then large flow rates are achieved, but precise control at small flow rates becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft (1) is designed to be movable in the axial direction, allowing dynamic adjustment of the gap (δ) between the small-diameter tip (1A) and the small-diameter flow path (3A). This dynamic adjustment enables precise control of small flow rates by varying the gap size, while still allowing large flow rates when the gap is increased, thus resolving the contradiction between small and large flow rate control.
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 and reliable control of hydrogen flow rates, preventing damage and ensuring efficient filling by gradually increasing the flow rate from small to large, while safely reducing the flow rate when switching to an ultra-high-pressure tank.
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
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
[OBJECT] 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. [SOLUTION] 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.