Vibration Damper with Polymer Jacket for Sanitary Fluid Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Direct-operated fluid pressure regulators in sanitary applications face instability and fluctuation issues due to diaphragm exposure to turbulent flow, and existing vibration dampers either require lubricants that hinder cleaning or have temperature-dependent damping characteristics, making them unsuitable for high-temperature and sanitary environments.
Innovation Solution
A vibration damper apparatus featuring a guide ring with a compliant ring that frictionally engages a piston, surrounded by a polymer jacket to provide constant friction over a wide temperature range, eliminating the need for lubricants and ensuring stable pressure regulation, and includes a lip for secure clamping and a stop to limit diaphragm movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the diaphragm is completely exposed to the flow path to facilitate cleaning, then ease of cleaning is improved, but the diaphragm becomes overly responsive to flow turbulence causing pressure instability
Solution Approach 1:
The diaphragm is segmented into two zones: an exposed portion that contacts turbulent flow and a protected portion that is shielded by a flow divider. This segmentation allows the exposed portion to facilitate cleaning while the protected portion maintains pressure stability by being isolated from turbulence.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow divider is introduced as an intermediary element between the turbulent flow and the diaphragm. The flow divider directs flow away from the protected portion of the diaphragm, mediating the interaction between flow turbulence and diaphragm response to achieve both cleanability and stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a vibration damper with frictional engagement is used to reduce pressure fluctuations, then pressure stability is improved, but the use of lubricants is required which hinders cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration damper is designed to be self-lubricating through material selection (e.g., PTFE-coated surfaces) rather than requiring external lubricants. This self-service approach provides the necessary frictional engagement for vibration damping while maintaining surface properties that facilitate easy cleaning without lubricant contamination.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a vibration damper with frictional engagement is used to reduce pressure fluctuations, then pressure stability is improved, but the damping characteristics vary significantly with temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration damper employs materials with stable friction characteristics across a wide temperature range, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coatings. This parameter change in material selection ensures that the damping characteristics remain consistent despite temperature variations, resolving the temperature dependence issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration damper utilizes composite material construction, combining base materials with PTFE coatings or other temperature-stable friction surfaces. This composite approach maintains consistent damping performance across varying temperatures while enabling easy cleaning without lubricants.
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 solution effectively reduces or eliminates undesirable pressure fluctuations and oscillations in fluid control devices, maintaining stable output pressure across varying temperatures without the issues associated with lubricants, ensuring cleanliness and accuracy in sanitary applications.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration damper disposed between the guide ring and the piston to frictionally engage the outer circumferential surface of the piston
Implementation Method 2
surrounded by a polymer jacket to provide constant friction over a wide temperature range
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A vibration damper apparatus for use with fluid control devices is disclosed. An example fluid control device includes a housing and a piston having an outer circumferential surface and configured to be responsive to pressure within the housing to control the position of a fluid flow control member within the housing. The example fluid control device also includes a guide ring coupled to the housing and having an opening configured to receive at least a portion of the piston, and a vibration damper disposed between the guide ring and the piston to frictionally engage the outer circumferential surface of the piston.