Valve Manifold with Dedicated Flushing Channel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning valve manifolds require disassembly, leading to liquid residue loss and excessive consumption, as the entire system must be flushed, resulting in inefficient and wasteful rinsing processes.
Innovation Solution
A valve manifold design with a central mixing chamber and lateral surface connections that allow independent flushing of the mixing chamber and drain without disassembly, utilizing channels with gradients to ensure self-draining and minimize liquid waste, while maintaining other channels and valves filled with mixed liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire valve manifold is flushed by removing connections, then residues are removed, but liquid consumption increases and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve manifold is divided into segments (mixing chamber and other channels) that can be flushed independently. The flushing connection provides selective access to the mixing chamber, allowing it to be cleaned without flushing the entire system, thus reducing liquid consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The external flushing connection is extracted as a separate access point on the valve manifold housing. This allows the mixing chamber to be flushed independently through this dedicated connection without requiring removal of process connections, enabling targeted cleaning that reduces liquid waste.
2Reliability
If the entire valve manifold is flushed by removing connections, then residues are removed, but cleaning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve manifold is divided into segments (mixing chamber and other channels) that can be flushed independently. The flushing connection provides selective access to the mixing chamber, allowing it to be cleaned without flushing the entire system, thus reducing cleaning time while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The external flushing connection is extracted as a separate access point on the valve manifold housing. This allows the mixing chamber to be flushed independently through this dedicated connection without requiring removal of process connections, enabling targeted cleaning that reduces cleaning time.
3Reliability
If channels are designed with gradients for self-draining, then liquid residues are prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gradient is applied locally only to the flushing channel and mixing chamber bottom, not to the entire valve manifold. This localized application ensures self-draining capability where needed while keeping the rest of the manifold geometry simple and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The gradient in the flushing channel enables self-draining functionality, allowing liquid and residues to flow automatically to the drainage connection without requiring additional pumps or active drainage mechanisms. This passive self-service approach simplifies the overall system while ensuring reliable residue removal.
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
Facilitates faster, more efficient cleaning by allowing the mixing chamber and drain to be flushed independently, preventing residue contamination in subsequent mixing processes and significantly reducing liquid waste.
Implementation Method 1
The channel, which is fluidically connected to the external connection, is inclined to this plane, so that a liquid introduced at the external connection flows automatically into the mixing chamber, following gravity.
Implementation Method 2
the bottom of the mixing chamber has a gradient towards the first opening of the first valve connection with respect to a plane arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing. A flushing medium introduced into the mixing chamber thus automatically flows out of the mixing chamber
Implementation Method 3
the channels that are fluidically connected to an outflow also have a gradient from the inflow to the respective opening of the valve connection in relation to a plane arranged perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the housing. This ensures that the node is not only completely self-emptying after flushing, but also when flushing through one of the other connections.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
In a valve node (10) with a housing, wherein the housing has a central mixing chamber and a lateral surface, and wherein at least two valve connections (20, 40) for a valve are provided on the lateral surface of the valve node (10), wherein the first valve connection (20) has three openings (22, 24, 26), and the further valve connections (40) have at least two, preferably three openings (42, 44, 46), wherein a first opening (22, 42) of the valve connections (20, 40) is fluidically directly connected to the central mixing chamber, and the second and third openings (24, 26, 44, 46) of the valve connections (20, 40) are each fluidically connected via a channel (32, 36, 52, 56, 72, 76) with an inlet or outlet (34, 38, 54, 58, 74, 78) is connected, it is provided that an external connection (80) is provided which is directly connected to the mixing chamber via a channel (82) in terms of flow technology.