Thermostatic Control Valve Assembly for Solar Water Pasteurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal pasteurization systems for water treatment are inefficient in continuously maintaining high temperatures, leading to inconsistent pathogen inactivation and increased operational costs due to the need for frequent temperature adjustments in batch processes.
Innovation Solution
A solar fluid heating system with a control valve assembly that uses thermostatic control valves to maintain consistent fluid flow and temperature, ensuring pathogens are inactivated at optimal temperatures without the need for constant heating, and a degassing valve to manage pressure, allowing for continuous operation with minimal human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If batch thermal pasteurization processes are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but operational cost increases due to frequent temperature adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous flow-through thermal pasteurization system where water is constantly heated and treated, eliminating the need to stop and restart batches. This continuous operation maintains consistent temperature and reduces operational costs associated with frequent heating cycles, while still being manufacturable as a complete unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic control of water flow rate through the heated pipe to optimize pasteurization effectiveness. By adjusting flow velocity, the system maintains appropriate residence time at pasteurization temperatures without requiring frequent manual temperature adjustments, resolving the operational cost issue while keeping manufacturing simple.
2Productivity
If flow rate through the heated pipe is increased, then productivity is improved, but pathogen inactivation effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the flow rate parameter within a specific range (0.5-2.0 gallons per minute) to balance productivity and pathogen inactivation. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient residence time for effective pasteurization while maintaining high throughput, resolving the contradiction between speed and effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a heated pipe length that exceeds the minimum theoretical requirement, ensuring that even at higher flow rates, water receives sufficient thermal exposure for complete pathogen inactivation. This excessive action guarantees reliability while allowing flexible flow rate adjustments for productivity.
3Reliability
If thermostatic control valves are used to maintain consistent temperature, then pathogen inactivation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermostatic control valves are self-regulating, using the temperature of the water itself to control flow through wax pellets that expand and contract with temperature changes. This self-service mechanism maintains consistent pasteurization temperatures without requiring external control systems, processors, or power sources, thus improving reliability while minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wax pellets act as thermal intermediaries that translate temperature changes into flow rate adjustments. This intermediary mechanism provides automatic temperature compensation, ensuring reliable pathogen inactivation while keeping the control system simple and passive without electronic components.
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
The system effectively inactivates pathogens in water by maintaining consistent high temperatures, reducing operational costs and energy consumption while ensuring continuous operation without reliance on external power sources.
Implementation Method 1
a solar collector configured to heat the water in the pipe by a temperature differential between an inlet of the pipe and an outlet of the pipe
Implementation Method 2
The flow control assembly may include a plurality of thermostatic control valves disposed within the housing. Each thermostatic control valve may include a valve body, a valve inlet, a valve outlet, and a plunger arranged within the valve body between the valve inlet and the valve outlet. The plunger may include a temperature responsive element arranged at an upstream end of the plunger and a valve seat arranged at a downstream end of the plunger.
Implementation Method 3
The float valve may include a float arranged in the chamber and configured to articulate between an open position and a closed position within the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A control valve assembly may include a housing, an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of thermostatic control valves biased toward a closed position and arranged within the housing between the inlet and the outlet. The thermostatic control valves may each be associated with separate respective flow paths between the inlet and the outlet and have different operating temperatures. The valves may be configured to open at their respective operating temperatures and remain open unless the fluid falls below their respective operating temperature such that when multiple thermostatic control valves are open the amount of fluid flowing through the control valve is equal to the addition of the amount of fluid flowing through each valve. The operating temperatures and the flow rates of the thermostatic control valves may be selected to limit the passage of pathogens through the control valve assembly. A degassing valve may also be provided.