Tri-Clamp Hose Barb Flow Insert and Collimator for Axial Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sterile flange fittings in fluid processing machinery face challenges with cumbersome gasket installation, potential contamination, and flow issues due to tapered chambers and radial fluid spread, which affect pressure handling and flow characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly featuring a flow reducer insert with channels and a collimator to provide a columnated flow path, reducing fluid pressure and turbulence, and a gasket with a central hole for secure positioning, minimizing manual handling and enhancing flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flat rubber gasket is placed between flange faces for connection, then the connection can be made, but the installation process becomes cumbersome and prone to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is nested within the connector body during manufacturing, specifically positioned within a recess or cavity formed in the connector. This integration eliminates the need for separate gasket handling during installation, as the gasket is already in its correct position when the connector is assembled. The nested configuration allows the gasket to be compressed between flange faces automatically when the connector is tightened, simplifying the connection process while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the fluid conduit includes a tapered chamber, then the connector can be manufactured, but pressure increases as fluid flows through which causes flow spread and turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the fluid conduit by replacing the traditional tapered chamber design with a chamber that has a different profile. This parameter change in the chamber geometry allows the fluid to maintain more controlled flow characteristics, reducing the radial spread and turbulence that would otherwise occur. The modified chamber shape optimizes the pressure distribution and flow velocity profile, eliminating the harmful flow patterns while preserving the manufacturing simplicity of the connector.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a main body having a fluid conduit extending therethrough. The connector assembly further includes a flow reducer insert positioned in the fluid conduit, and the flow reducer insert includes a plurality of channels defining flow paths through the conduit. The connector assembly further includes a collimator coupled to the main body, and the collimator includes a plurality of holes configured to provide a substantially columnated flow path.