Water Meter Valve With Backpressure Air Bubble Collapse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water meters inaccurately measure water flow due to gas/air bubbles, leading to higher water bills as they read increased volume, and this inaccuracy also causes wear and tear, reducing the meter's lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A water flow valve is installed between the water meter and the building, creating back pressure to collapse air bubbles before they reach the meter, ensuring accurate readings and reducing wear on the meter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a water meter measures water flow directly without preprocessing, then the measurement process is simple, but air bubbles cause inaccurate readings and higher water bills
Solution Approach 1:
The valve performs preliminary action by collapsing air bubbles in the water flow before the water reaches the meter. The non-linear passageway creates back pressure that forces air bubbles to collapse, removing the harmful effect before measurement occurs, thereby improving reading accuracy without requiring complex post-processing or meter modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body with its non-linear internal passageway acts as an intermediary device between the water source and the meter. It modifies the water flow characteristics by creating back pressure and collapsing air bubbles, serving as a mediator that prepares the water for accurate measurement without directly altering the meter itself
2Measurement precision
If air bubbles are present in the water line, then the water flow is natural and unobstructed, but the meter reads higher volume than actual water received
Solution Approach 1:
The valve converts the harmful effect of air bubbles into a beneficial outcome by using the back pressure created in the non-linear passageway to collapse the air bubbles. The same pressure that could be considered obstructive is actually utilized to eliminate the air bubbles, transforming them from a harmful factor into a mechanism for improving measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The valve changes the pressure parameter of the water flow by creating back pressure in the non-linear passageway. This pressure change causes air bubbles to collapse and reduces their volume, thereby changing the physical state of the water flow to eliminate measurement interference
3Measurement precision
If the valve creates back pressure to collapse air bubbles, then measurement accuracy improves, but the valve structure becomes more complex with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The valve merges multiple functions into a single integrated body: the non-linear passageway structure combines flow direction control, back pressure generation, and air bubble collapse into one component. The blocking member, spring, and cap work together as an integrated assembly that automatically responds to flow conditions, reducing the need for separate complex mechanisms
4Duration of action of stationary object
If air bubbles pass through the meter, then the water delivery system is simple, but the meter experiences wear and tear reducing its lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The valve performs preliminary protection by collapsing air bubbles before they reach the meter, preventing the mechanical stress and wear that air bubbles would otherwise cause to the meter's internal components. This pre-treatment extends the meter's operational life without requiring modifications to the meter itself
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 valve provides more accurate water meter readings, reducing water bills and extending the meter's lifespan by eliminating the impact of air bubbles and minimizing mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
the air is compressed through the creation by the valve of back pressure in the water line. With this increase pressure, the air bubbles in the water begin to collapse and occupy less space
Implementation Method 2
the novel valve compresses the air/air bubbles into the water preferably at the point where the water enters the meter causing the bubbles to collapse
Data Source
AI summary
A water flow valve positioned within a waterline preferably just past a building's water meter. The valve compresses air bubbles into the water at the point where the water enters the meter, thus improving the accuracy of the meter reading. The internal passageway of the valve is non-linear and causing the water traveling therethrough to go through a plurality of turns. A blocking disk and spring are used to close off communication between a first portion of the internal passageway and a second portion of the passageway in a valve closed position. With enough water flow pressure the spring is compressed which causes the blocking disk to retract and allow water to travel through the passageway, while creating the backpressure in the waterline to collapse the air bubbles prior to the bubbles being read by the water meter. A laminar flow for the water can also be created which can reduce the wear and tear on the water meter possibly extending the useful life for the water meter.