Valve Linkage with Flexible Coupling for Stress-Tolerant Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current valve mechanical linkage systems in ethylene plants face high accuracy requirements, are susceptible to pipeline stress, and suffer from excessive wear, leading to instability and reduced service life due to rigid connections and complex path line geometries.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical linkage system featuring a rack-and-gear structure for the main valve and a cam mechanism for the auxiliary valve, connected by a flexible coupling, allowing for precise control and compensation of errors while avoiding pipeline stress effects, with the cam structure fixedly connected to the auxiliary valve and the rack-and-gear structure to the main valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a rigid integrated linkage member is used to connect main and auxiliary valves, then precise control of valve opening degree can be achieved, but the system becomes highly sensitive to installation errors and pipeline stress
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated linkage member is divided into a first linkage member connected to the main valve and a second linkage member connected to the auxiliary valve. These segmented members are connected through a flexible coupling, allowing each segment to independently accommodate installation errors and pipeline stress while maintaining precise control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupling introduces parameter changes by allowing relative displacement and angular deviation between the first and second linkage members. This flexibility compensates for installation errors and pipeline stress-induced deformations, maintaining the precision of valve opening degree control without rigid constraints.
2Manufacturing precision
If high machining accuracy is required for the path line and rotational axis, then transmission accuracy is improved, but design and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the linkage system into separate members connected by a flexible coupling, the system reduces the cumulative tolerance requirements. Each segment can be manufactured with standard tolerances, and the flexible coupling compensates for the accumulated deviations, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupling acts as an intermediary element that absorbs and compensates for manufacturing deviations. This mediator allows the use of standard machining tolerances for the linkage members while maintaining the required transmission accuracy through the coupling's flexibility.
3Device complexity
If the main and auxiliary valves are rigidly connected through an integrated linkage member, then structural simplicity is achieved, but excessive wear occurs on the transmission roller surface
Solution Approach 1:
Segmenting the linkage into separate members with a flexible coupling reduces the transmission forces and misalignment-induced stresses on the transmission roller. This segmentation allows for better force distribution and reduced contact pressure, decreasing wear rate and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupling changes the dynamic parameters of the linkage system by introducing compliance. This compliance reduces impact loads and friction forces during operation, thereby reducing wear on the transmission roller surface and extending its service life.
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 ensures smooth transmission, reduces wear, and enhances the service life of the system by decoupling the main and auxiliary valves, allowing for flexible stroke adjustments and improved design, machining, and installation accuracy, while maintaining precise control over valve operations.
Implementation Method 1
the first transmission mechanism has a rack-and-gear structure
Implementation Method 2
the second transmission mechanism is a cam
Implementation Method 3
The first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are connected by a flexible coupling, and a rotary force of the rotary reciprocating motion is transferred to the second transmission mechanism through the flexible coupling
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a valve mechanical linkage system. A valve comprises a main valve and a secondary valve; the system comprises a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism; the first transmission mechanism is connected with the main valve and used for converting the up-and-down reciprocating motion of the main valve into a rotational reciprocating motion; the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are connected by means of a coupling (4), and the rotational force of the rotational reciprocating motion is transferred to the second transmission mechanism by means of the coupling (4); the second transmission mechanism is connected with the secondary valve, and achieves on-off control on the secondary valve by converting the rotational reciprocating motion into the up-and-down reciprocating motion.