Uniform Valve Drive Series for Safe Closure Across Valve Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve series for gas valves require multiple valve drives of different strengths and sizes, leading to increased technical effort and complexity due to varying friction and detent torques, which complicates maintenance and increases the risk of errors during drive exchanges.
Innovation Solution
A valve series with uniformly designed valve drives and interchangeable components, where the closing springs apply different forces in the closed position but equal forces in the open position, ensuring consistent holding torque and closing speed across various valve sizes, using a stepper motor with a reduction gear and capacitive damping circuit to manage closing speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If different valve drives of different strengths are used for valves of different sizes, then the closing spring can overcome friction and detent torques safely, but the device complexity and technical effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A single uniform valve drive design is used for all valve types in the series, regardless of size. The drive includes a motor, control circuit, and gear mechanism that can reliably close valves of different sizes by overcoming their respective friction and detent torques, eliminating the need for multiple drive variants
Solution Approach 2:
The closing spring force is varied across different valve types to compensate for differences in friction and detent torques. By adjusting the spring force parameter rather than the drive mechanism, the system achieves reliable closure for all valve sizes using the same drive design
2Force
If different valve drives are used for different valve sizes, then the closing force requirement is met, but the ease of operation and maintenance difficulty increase due to non-interchangeable components
Solution Approach 1:
The valve drive is designed as a universal component that can be interchangeably installed on all valve types in the series. The motor, control circuit, and gear mechanism are standardized, allowing maintenance personnel to replace drives without needing to match specific drive types to valve sizes, significantly simplifying maintenance operations
3Device complexity
If uniform valve drives are used for all valve types, then the device complexity is reduced and interchangeability is achieved, but the closing spring must be designed to provide sufficient force for the largest valve while not overloading seals on smaller valves
Solution Approach 1:
Different closing spring characteristics are selected for different valve types based on their specific requirements. Smaller valves use springs with higher force characteristics to avoid seal overloading, while larger valves use springs with lower force characteristics. This localized adaptation of spring properties allows uniform drives to work effectively across all valve sizes
4Strength
If different closing spring forces are used for different valve sizes, then the seals are not overloaded, but the uniform drive must provide sufficient holding torque for all valve types in the open position
Solution Approach 1:
The closing spring force parameter is optimized for each valve type to balance seal protection with drive capability. By carefully selecting spring characteristics, the system ensures that the motor can provide sufficient holding torque in the open position for all valve types while preventing seal overloading during closure
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
This solution simplifies the production and maintenance of valve series by allowing all valve types to share the same drive components, reducing errors and ensuring consistent closing speed and force across different sizes, while maintaining safe closure and reduced logistical complexity.
Implementation Method 1
A closing spring biases the valve closure member in the closing direction, whereby the closing spring must apply sufficient force to overcome all frictional torques of the reduction gear and the rolling or cogging torque of the servomotor
Implementation Method 2
The valve drive can have a stepper motor as a motor, which is connected to the valve closure member via a reduction gear and a traction means
Implementation Method 3
The valve drive can have a stepper motor as a motor, which is connected to the valve closure member via a reduction gear and a traction means
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The valve series of the invention comprises multiple valve types (A, B, C) with valves of different sizes and structures; several valve types (A, B, C) of the valve series (11), preferably all of them, have uniform valve drives (21), the valve closing members (19) of the valves (10, 12, 13) performing the same lift even though they can be designed differently and especially can have different diameters. Furthermore, the closing springs (20) of the different valve types (A, B, C) can have different spring load deflection characteristics and different stiffnesses.