3D-Printed Valve Maze Ribs for Rupture Disc Debris Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
High pressure pneumatic valves with bursting discs face issues where debris from the ruptured disc can be carried into the valve interior, affecting functionality and potentially causing damage to other parts of the system.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic valve design featuring a valve body with a maze-type rib pattern on its internal circumferential wall, which traps debris from the ruptured disc, combined with an engagement sleeve that controls the rupture of the disc, ensuring debris is directed away from critical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bursting disc is used as a pressure relief part, then pressure relief function is achieved, but debris from the disc can be carried into the valve interior affecting functionality
Solution Approach 1:
A debris trap chamber is introduced as an intermediary space between the bursting disc and the valve interior. This chamber captures and retains disc debris when the disc ruptures, preventing contamination of the valve's functional components while maintaining the pressure relief function.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is segmented into distinct functional zones: a debris trap chamber isolated from the main valve interior, connected through a restricted passage. This segmentation allows debris to be contained in one zone while protecting the other zone from contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If vertical grooves or radial holes are provided in the valve body, then debris path is restricted, but the solution requires complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating complex internal grooves or holes within the valve body, the solution extends the debris containment approach into a separate dimensional space by adding an external debris trap chamber. This simplifies manufacturing while achieving the same debris control function.
Solution Approach 2:
The debris trap chamber is merged with the valve body structure, combining two functions (pressure relief and debris containment) into a single integrated component, thereby simplifying the overall system while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Productivity
If the engagement sleeve is positioned to allow gas flow through the passageway, then gas flow is enabled, but debris can block the outlet
Solution Approach 1:
A restricted passage acts as an intermediary flow path between the debris trap chamber and the gas outlet. This passage allows gas to flow through while its restricted nature prevents large debris particles from reaching and blocking the main outlet.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the flow path have different quality characteristics: the debris trap chamber has a larger cross-section for capturing debris, while the restricted passage has a smaller cross-section that filters debris while allowing gas flow, and the gas outlet has optimal dimensions for productive flow.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A valve (6) is described herein comprising a valve body (12) having a gas inlet (22) and a gas outlet (24), the valve body (12) having an internal circumferential wall defining a gas passageway between the gas inlet (22) and gas outlet (24), wherein the inlet (22) of the valve body (12) is connectable to a source of pressurized gas (4); a rupture disc (32) provided adjacent said gas inlet (22), wherein the ruptured disc (32) is configured to prevent flow of gas through said inlet (22) when intact and to allow flow of gas through said inlet (22) when ruptured; and further comprising ribs (10) radially extending from the internal circumferential wall, said ribs (10) extending longitudinally in the direction to the gas outlet (24) and from the gas inlet (22) in a maze-type pattern (50). The ribs may be formed in a printed pattern to form a maze with dead-ends. A method for manufacturing such valves is also described.