Water pipe with pipe fitting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe fittings with integrated angle variants face challenges such as reduced inner diameter due to lead-throughs, significant pressure losses, and inflexibility, making it difficult to accommodate internal circulation lines and achieve desired deflection angles without extensive inventory and complex assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A three-part pipe fitting design with rotatable parts allowing adjustable angular settings between 0° and 90°, featuring a middle part with a 45° deflection and end parts with 22.5° deflections, enabling flexible angle adjustments and internal circulation line installation without constriction, using connecting elements like union nuts or snap connections for secure assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional one-piece pipe fittings with integrated angle variants are used, then desired deflection angles are achieved, but inner diameter is reduced due to lead-throughs and pressure losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe fitting is divided into multiple separable parts (first part, second part, and intermediate part) that can be assembled in different configurations. This segmentation allows the circulation line to be installed without drilling lead-throughs, maintaining the full inner diameter and reducing pressure losses while still achieving the required deflection angles through proper arrangement of the segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation line is routed through the wall thickness dimension of the pipe fitting rather than creating lead-throughs in the flow path. By passing the circulation line through the wall of the intermediate part, the full circular cross-section for water flow is preserved, eliminating pressure losses associated with reduced inner diameter.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard pipe fittings are used, then assembly is simple, but flexibility in angle adjustments is limited and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe fitting system transitions from static, fixed-angle components to a dynamic configuration where the intermediate part can be rotated relative to the first and second parts. This allows the deflection angle to be adjusted after installation by rotating the intermediate part to different angular positions, providing flexibility without requiring multiple inventory items for different angle variants.
Solution Approach 2:
A single universal intermediate part design can be used with different first and second parts to achieve multiple deflection angles (e.g., 45°, 90°, 135°). This multi-functional approach eliminates the need to maintain separate inventory for each angle variant while maintaining assembly simplicity through standardized connection interfaces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If composite pipe technology with drilled lead-throughs is used, then circulation lines can be installed, but inner diameter is significantly reduced leading to pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation line is routed through the wall thickness dimension of the intermediate part rather than drilling lead-throughs in the flow path. This three-dimensional routing solution allows circulation line installation while preserving the full circular cross-section for main water flow, eliminating pressure losses associated with reduced inner diameter.
4Ease of manufacture
If pipe fittings are designed for fixed angles, then manufacturing is simplified, but post-installation angle changes are not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe fitting system transitions from static, fixed-angle components to a dynamic configuration where the intermediate part can be rotated relative to the first and second parts. This allows the deflection angle to be adjusted after installation by rotating the intermediate part to different angular positions, providing flexibility without requiring multiple inventory items for different angle variants.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a pipe fitting (1) for the passage of a medium, comprising an inlet (2), at which the medium enters in a first direction (R1) perpendicular to an inlet cross-section (Q1), and an outlet (3), at which the medium exits in a second direction (R2) perpendicular to an outlet cross-section (Q2), wherein the two directions (R1, R2) enclose an angle (α). In order to develop a pipe fitting of this kind such that, particularly with the arrangement of an internal circulation line, improved assembly conditions can be achieved and better flow conditions through the fitting can be achieved, according to the invention the pipe fitting (1) consists of three parts (4, 5, 6), with two parts (4, 5, 6) butting against each other at a contact point (7, 8), wherein two parts (4, 5, 6) are rotatable at their contact point (7, 8) relative to one another around the axis of the flow direction (S1, S2) at the contact point (7, 8), in order to modify the angle (a), and the two contact points (7, 8) are arranged at a distance from one another in the flow direction.