Valve Body Thermal Passages for Uniform Fluid Conditioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow control devices, such as valves and manifolds, often face challenges in achieving uniform heating or cooling due to the difficulty in achieving intimate contact between steam/coolant lines and the device body, leading to issues like cold spots, freezing, and undesirable fluid viscosity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating internal thermal conditioning passages within the body of flow control devices, such as valves, that allow for the close proximity of thermal conditioning fluids like steam or coolant to the system fluid, enabling effective heating or cooling by disconnecting these passages from the flow passages and configuring them in U-shaped or serpentine paths to enhance heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If steam lines or coolant lines are used for heating or cooling flow control devices, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but intimate contact with the device body is difficult to achieve, resulting in non-uniform heating/cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conditioning passage is nested within the valve body, with the passage wall positioned in close proximity to the flow passage. This nesting arrangement allows the thermal conditioning fluid to be in intimate contact with the valve body internal surfaces, achieving uniform heating or cooling without requiring external steam lines or coolant lines to conform to complex valve geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage wall acts as an intermediary between the thermal conditioning fluid and the valve body. It transfers thermal energy from the conditioning fluid to the valve body and flow passage, enabling efficient and uniform thermal conditioning while maintaining structural integrity and facilitating ease of manufacture.
2Device complexity
If external steam/coolant lines are used, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal conditioning effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to achieve close proximity to system fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conditioning passage is merged with the valve body structure, integrating the thermal conditioning function into the existing device. This eliminates the need for separate external steam lines or coolant lines while ensuring close proximity to the flow passage, thereby maintaining thermal conditioning effectiveness and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conditioning passage is nested within the valve body, positioning the passage wall in close proximity to the flow passage. This nested configuration enables effective thermal conditioning by maintaining intimate contact with the system fluid path while keeping the overall device structure compact and integrated.
3Manufacturing precision
If thermal conditioning passages are integrated within the valve body, then thermal conditioning uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conditioning passage is configured with specific local features including circumferential portions that extend around the flow passage, axial portions that connect different circumferential sections, and U-shaped bends that optimize heat transfer. These localized structural variations ensure uniform thermal conditioning across different regions of the valve body while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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 provides more uniform thermal conditioning, reduces the risk of freezing, improves device performance, extends the lifespan of the valve, and decreases costly unscheduled repairs and shutdowns by ensuring consistent fluid temperature and viscosity.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal conditioning fluid may be provided in close proximity to the system fluid passing through the fluid system component
Implementation Method 2
steam tracing or coolant treatment, such that the thermal conditioning fluid may be provided in close proximity to the system fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A flow control device includes a body and a flow control element. The body includes a thermal conditioning passage disposed within a side wall, disconnected from a flow passage, and extending between a first conditioning port and a second conditioning port. The thermal conditioning passage has a first portion extending circumferentially around a first circumferential portion of the interior surface of the flow passage, a second portion axially spaced from the first portion by a first axial U-shaped bend and extending circumferentially around the first circumferential portion and a second circumferential portion of the interior surface of the flow passage to form a first circumferential U-shaped bend, and a third portion axially spaced from the second portion by a second axial U-shaped bend and extending circumferentially around the second circumferential portion of the interior surface of the flow passage. The thermal conditioning passage further including a radial passage connecting a central portion of the first circumferential U-shaped bend with one of the first and second conditioning ports.