CN-122003650-A - Flow regulating assembly and flow regulating device

Abstract

A flow regulating device for regulating a flow of fluid therethrough, wherein the flow regulating device includes a regulator inlet for fluid flow into the flow regulating device, a regulator outlet for fluid flow out of the flow regulating device, a fluid passage extending from the regulator inlet to the regulator outlet, and a flow regulating element disposed in the fluid passage to regulate a flow of fluid through the regulator outlet. The flow regulating device may further comprise a flow guiding mechanism arranged for inducing a vortex in the fluid around a central axis of the fluid channel between the flow regulating element and the regulator outlet. In addition, a flow regulating assembly is disclosed that includes an outer housing that encloses a regulator housing of the flow regulating device.

Inventors

• A. R. Fan virtue. Erpovich

Assignees

• 塔拉控股荷兰有限公司
• 维他普拉斯荷兰有限公司
• 亚历山大控股荷兰有限公司
• 波比控股荷兰有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20240809

Priority Date

20230811

Claims (20)

1. 1. A flow regulating device for regulating a flow of a fluid therethrough, wherein the flow regulating device comprises a regulator inlet for fluid to flow into the flow regulating device, a regulator outlet for the fluid to flow out of the flow regulating device, a fluid passage extending from the regulator inlet to the regulator outlet, and a flow regulating element disposed in the fluid passage for regulating a flow of the fluid through the regulator outlet, wherein the flow regulating device defines a through-flow opening in the fluid passage, wherein the flow regulating element is configured to adjust a size of the through-flow opening in accordance with a pressure of the fluid flowing through the fluid passage to regulate a flow of the fluid flowing through the regulator outlet, wherein the flow regulating device further comprises a flow guiding mechanism configured for inducing a vortex in the fluid between the flow regulating element and the regulator outlet about a central axis of the fluid passage.
2. 2. The flow regulating device of claim 1, wherein the flow directing mechanism comprises a helical structure disposed about a central axis of the fluid passageway between the flow regulating element and the regulator outlet, wherein the helical structure is configured to induce the vortex.
3. 3. The flow regulating device according to claim 2, wherein the inner side of the wall of the fluid channel is provided with the spiral structure.
4. 4. A flow regulating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the helical formation is a helical ridge or a helical groove extending across the inner wall.
5. 5. The flow regulating device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the spiral structure is formed smoothly with an inner wall.
6. 6. The flow regulating device of claim 3,4 or 5, wherein the spiral structure is integrally formed with the inner wall.
7. 7. A flow regulating device according to any of the preceding claims 2-6, wherein the spiral structure extends less than one complete spiral turn around the central axis of the fluid channel, and/or wherein the spiral structure extends at least half a complete spiral turn around the central axis of the fluid channel.
8. 8. A flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 7, wherein the distance between the spiral structure and the flow regulating element is smaller than the pitch or radius of the spiral structure.
9. 9. A flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 8, wherein the spiral structure is formed as a single spiral.
10. 10. A flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 9, wherein the spiral structure has a constant radius.
11. 11. A flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow regulating device comprises a valve seat, wherein the flow regulating element comprises a resilient plate-like valve element, wherein the valve seat and the valve element define the through-flow opening between the valve seat and the valve element, wherein the valve element is arranged to be movable towards and away from the valve seat under the influence of the pressure of the fluid flowing through the flow regulating device to regulate the size of the through-flow opening.
12. 12. The flow regulating device of claim 11, wherein the flow directing mechanism is disposed between the valve seat and the regulator outlet.
13. 13. Flow regulating device according to at least claims 2 and 12, wherein the spiral structure is arranged between the valve seat and the regulator outlet.
14. 14. A flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow regulating device is arranged to regulate fluid flowing through the regulator outlet to flow at a predefined flow rate.
15. 15. A flow regulating device according to claim 14, wherein the predefined flow is in the range of 1 to 5 litres/minute, preferably 2 to 3 litres/minute.
16. 16. A flow regulating device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein a central axis of the fluid passage extends in a straight line from the flow directing mechanism to the regulator outlet, wherein the regulator outlet is aligned with the central axis of the fluid passage.
17. 17. A method of regulating the flow of a fluid comprising the steps of providing a flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims, and providing the flow regulating device such that the fluid flows into a regulator inlet of the flow regulating device and out a regulator outlet of the flow regulating device.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of inducing a vortex in the fluid about a central axis of the fluid passage between the flow regulating element and the regulator outlet with the diversion mechanism.
19. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid flow through the regulator outlet is substantially laminar.
20. 20. A flow regulating assembly for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, wherein the flow regulating assembly comprises a flow regulating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 16, wherein the flow regulating assembly further comprises an outer housing surrounding a regulator housing of the flow regulating device.

Description

Flow regulating assembly and flow regulating device Technical Field The present invention relates to a flow regulating assembly for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough. The invention further relates to a fluid flow system provided with such a flow regulating assembly, a method of regulating a fluid flow using such a flow regulating assembly and a method of retrofitting an existing fluid flow system using such a flow regulating assembly. The invention further relates to a flow regulating device for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough and to a method of regulating the flow of fluid using such a flow regulating device. Background Clean drinking water is a scarce resource in many parts of the world and therefore requires efficient use and careful regulation and control of its supply. In the western world, a great deal of clean drinking water is wasted by individuals bathing or showering. Although many measures have been taken in western countries, the amount of energy involved in showering or bathing continues to increase relatively. To save clean drinking water, it is known to include flow regulating devices (also known as restrictors) in the water piping system to reduce the amount of water used (e.g., to reduce the amount of water used in a shower or bath). Marketing of pressure independent flow regulators or restrictors has been very successful, especially in the united kingdom and other countries. Such restrictors are described, for example, in European patent 1 131 687 and Netherlands patent 1010592. The above known restrictors are significantly improved compared to restrictors of other manufacturers, which typically use rubber rings or the like, because they are capable of providing a precise flow rate (in the (dynamic) pressure interval of 2.5-10 bar) of e.g. 7.8 (+/-0.1) Liters Per Minute (LPM) over a period of years. In practice, the constancy and accuracy of the flow rate produced by the existing restrictors of other manufacturers are much lower, especially in the case of pressure losses (pressure drops), which is particularly undesirable for shower and the like and for comfort water purposes. Known flow regulators/restrictors are typically inserted into a faucet, shower head, or pipe associated therewith to maintain water flow substantially constant regardless of water pressure. In the hotel, cruise ship and (e.g. petrochemical and/or agricultural) industries, restrictors are also required to limit the force of the liquid flow and/or keep it constant. In order to limit the flow of liquid and/or to keep it constant over a greater range, for example in the hotel, cruise and (petrochemical) industries, it is known to provide a system for limiting or regulating the amount of fluid passing therethrough comprising a housing containing a front chamber and a rear chamber, a baffle plate provided in the housing and provided with two or more openings, and a restrictor provided in one or both openings. Such a system is described in International patent application WO 2015/069114. By varying the number and/or type of restrictors within the housing of the system, the flow of water through the system can be precisely adjusted to meet specific needs. The known restrictor is manufactured by injection moulding. It is important for the operation of many injection molded products that the articles be sized to meet the desired specifications. Especially in case the restrictor is intended to be independent of pressure, the dimensioning of the different components is critical for obtaining an efficient operation. Disclosure of Invention Among other things, a first object of the present invention is to further improve the known flow regulator, in particular to enable the known flow regulator to be used over a larger range of flow variations. A second object of the present invention is, among other things, to provide a further improved flow regulating device, in particular a flow regulating device which is especially capable of producing a smooth outlet flow, especially at low flow rates. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flow regulating assembly for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, wherein the flow regulating assembly comprises a flow regulating device comprising a regulator housing provided with a regulator inlet for fluid flow into the flow regulating device and a regulator outlet for fluid flow out of the flow regulating device, a fluid passage extending through the regulator housing from the regulator inlet to the regulator outlet, and a flow regulating element disposed in the fluid passage for regulating the flow of fluid through the regulator outlet, wherein the flow regulating assembly further comprises an outer housing surrounding the regulator housing. That is, the outer housing preferably has an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the regulator housing at least at the regulator inlet and the regulator outlet. Thus, if the outer di