Control Device for Water System Noise and Flow Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control devices for flushing drinking and service water systems often fail to balance flushing efficiency with noise protection, leading to prolonged flushing times and potential insufficient cleaning due to low volume flows set for noise reduction.

Innovation Solution

A control device that determines the total volume flow of all flushing sections and compares it to a stored maximum value, adjusting control valves to ensure the volume flow does not exceed noise protection limits while maintaining effective flushing by allowing higher flows where possible, thereby optimizing scavenging without excessive noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the volume flow in flushing sections is limited for noise protection, then noise levels are reduced, but flushing efficiency decreases and flushing time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise levelVSAvoidflushing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device dynamically adjusts the volume flow in flushing sections based on real-time conditions. It determines a maximum permissible volume flow that varies depending on the operational state, allowing the system to optimize between noise reduction and flushing efficiency dynamically rather than using a fixed flow limit. This enables rapid flushing when needed while maintaining noise protection when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the flow rate parameter adaptively during the flushing process. The control device monitors flushing progress and adjusts the volume flow parameter to maintain optimal values that satisfy both noise protection requirements and flushing effectiveness, rather than maintaining a constant throttled flow rate throughout the entire process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the volume flow is statically throttled to a maximum value for noise protection, then noise levels are controlled, but flushing may be insufficient and flushing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise protectionVSAvoidflushing sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors the flushing process and adjusts the volume flow accordingly. By determining the actual flushing state and comparing it with target parameters, the system can increase flow rates when flushing is insufficient while maintaining noise protection when flushing is adequate, thus ensuring reliable flushing results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of static throttling, the system dynamically adjusts the volume flow based on real-time flushing conditions. The control device modifies the flow rate parameter during operation to maintain both noise protection and flushing sufficiency, adapting to changing conditions in the flushing sections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2993271B1Control device and drinking water and/or domestic water system with such a control device
Publication Date: 2019.11.06 GEBR KEMPER GMBH CO KG METALLWERKE
  • EP2993271B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2993271B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2993271B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a control device which is connected to control valves (4) assigned to flushing sections (2) of a drinking and/or process water system. To reduce noise during the discharge of flushing water, the control device (10) is configured to determine the total flow rate of all flushing sections (2) and compare it with a maximum flow rate stored in the control device (10). If the stored maximum flow rate is exceeded, the control valves (4) are actuated so that the total flow rate is below the stored maximum flow rate.The present invention further relates to a method for flushing a drinking and/or process water system with several flushing sections (2) in which water to be exchanged is contained, wherein, according to the invention, the discharge of the water to be exchanged into flushing sections (2) is controlled in such a way that the maximum volume flow of the discharged water of different flushing sections (2) does not reach a stored maximum volume flow.