Automatic Venting Valve with Backup Hygroscopic Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic venting devices for central heating systems suffer from leakage, short lifespan, and inefficiency due to the use of hygroscopic materials that shrink and expand with water, leading to poor sealing and frequent manual adjustment requirements, especially in high-pressure systems, and fail to maintain system pressure, causing boiler shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
An automatic venting apparatus with a primary hygroscopic valve and a secondary backup valve using hygroscopic materials that exhibit hysteresis, maintaining the primary valve's seal through pressure application and acting as a safety cap, along with a check valve to prevent system pressure drops and atmospheric pressure issues, ensuring a positive seal and extended lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If hygroscopic materials are used in automatic venting devices, then automatic venting function is achieved, but the materials shrink and expand with water causing poor sealing and short lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two independent valve mechanisms: a primary automatic venting valve and a secondary backup valve. Each valve has its own hygroscopic washers and sealing system. This segmentation allows the backup valve to take over when the primary valve fails, thereby improving overall reliability while maintaining automatic venting function.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary backup valve is pre-configured and positioned to automatically activate when the primary valve fails to close properly. This beforehand cushioning ensures that sealing failure or washer degradation in the primary valve does not lead to system leakage, as the backup valve is ready to compensate immediately.
2Extent of automation
If hygroscopic washers are used to seal the passageway, then automatic closing upon water contact is achieved, but the washers compress over time causing permanent shrinkage and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented between two independent valve mechanisms. The primary valve performs the automatic closing function initially, while the secondary valve serves as a backup that activates when the primary valve's washers degrade. This segmentation extends the overall operational duration of the venting device.
Solution Approach 2:
The hygroscopic washers in both valves are designed as consumable components that will eventually degrade. By having two sets of washers in sequence (primary then backup), the system accepts that each individual washer set has limited lifespan, but the overall valve assembly maintains extended service life through the backup mechanism.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If manual adjustment is provided to compensate for washer shrinkage, then valve life is extended, but device complexity increases and manual intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary backup valve automatically activates when the primary valve fails, without requiring any manual adjustment or intervention. The system self-monitors and self-corrects by switching from the degraded primary valve to the fresh secondary valve, eliminating the need for manual complexity while extending service life.
4Reliability
If high pressure is applied to keep washers closed, then sealing is improved, but washer compression accelerates causing faster degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The high-pressure sealing function is segmented between two valve mechanisms. The primary valve handles the high-pressure sealing demand initially, but when its washers degrade from compression, the secondary valve takes over the sealing function. This segmentation allows sustained high-pressure operation over extended periods without accelerating degradation of a single washer set.
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
The apparatus effectively maintains a positive seal, reduces leakage, and extends the lifespan of the valve by using hysteresis in the secondary washers to apply increased pressure, preventing boiler shutdowns and maintaining system pressure, while also acting as a safety cap to compensate for primary valve failure.
Implementation Method 1
first valve means comprising a hygroscopic material, the first valve means being moveable between a first configuration in which the passageway is closed at a first location and a second configuration in which the passageway is open at the first location, with movement from the second configuration to the first configuration occurring when the hygroscopic material expands upon contact with liquid
Implementation Method 2
wherein the apparatus further comprises at a second location second valve means comprising hygroscopic material, the second valve means being moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration with movement from the second configuration to the first configuration occurring when the hygroscopic material expands upon contact with liquid, wherein movement of the second valve means from its second configuration to its first configuration acts to apply pressure to the first valve means for maintaining the first valve means in its first configuration
Data Source
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AI summary
Automatic venting apparatus for venting gas from a system containing a liquid, comprising; a body (1) having an inlet (12) and an outlet (16), with a passageway therebetween for venting gas received at the inlet through the body to the outlet; valve means located in the passageway between the inlet and the outlet, the valve means comprising a hygroscopic material (2) and being moveable between a first configuration in which the passageway is closed and a second configuration in which the passageway is open, with movement from the second configuration to the first configuration occurring when the hygroscopic material (2) expands upon contact with liquid; wherein the valve means further comprises a substantially water-impermeable valve member (3) located in the passageway between the inlet (12) and the hygroscopic material (2), the valve member (3) being moveable with the hygroscopic material (2) and configured to engage a valve seat formed in the passageway when the valve means is in the first configuration.