US-12625509-B2 - Fluid flow regulator

US12625509B2US 12625509 B2US12625509 B2US 12625509B2US-12625509-B2

Abstract

A fluid flow regulator ( 10 ) comprising: a valve chamber ( 12 ) having a fluid inlet ( 14 a ) and a fluid outlet ( 14 b ); and a valve member ( 16 ) inside the valve chamber ( 12 ), the valve member ( 16 ) moveable inside the valve chamber ( 12 ); wherein the valve member ( 16 ) is concave in the direction of the fluid inlet and convex in the direction of the fluid outlet.

Inventors

Stijn Van der Upwich

Assignees

HAGEPE INTERNATIONAL B.V.
Cenergist Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20200710
Priority Date: 20190712

Claims (20)

1 . A fluid flow regulator comprising: a valve chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and a valve member inside the valve chamber, wherein the valve member is moveable inside the valve chamber relative to a valve seat defining a flow opening there between, wherein at least in a resting position, a distance between a first edge of the valve member and the valve seat is different from a distance between a second edge opposite the first edge of the valve member and the valve seat, said opposite edges being defined as being on opposite sides of a line of substantial mirror symmetry of the respective valve seat.
2 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member is concave.
3 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the valve seat comprises at least one protrusion arranged to limit the movement of the valve member towards the valve seat.
4 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein a lowermost surface of the valve member has an asymmetrical height distribution relative to the valve seat.
5 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a tab for locating the valve member inside the chamber, the tab being locatable with a portion of the valve chamber.
6 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 5 , wherein seen in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a line between an outermost surface of the tab and an opposing outmost edge of the valve member, at least in the resting position, a lowermost surface of the valve member has an asymmetrical shape relative to the valve seat.
7 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein seen in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a line between an outermost surface of the tab and an opposing outmost edge of the valve member, at least in the resting position, a distance between the first edge portion of the valve member and the valve seat is different from a distance between the second edge portion opposite the first edge portion of the valve member and the valve seat.
8 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein a height difference between the lowermost surface of the valve member at the first edge and the second edge opposite the first edge is 0.005 to 0.1 mm.
9 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member is deformable, such that in use the shape of the valve member is changeable.
10 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 1 , wherein a first edge of the valve member is located out of a plane of a second edge opposite the first edge of the valve member, wherein the plane is disposed at a distance from the valve seat.
11 . A fluid flow regulator comprising: a valve chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and a valve member inside the valve chamber, wherein the valve member is moveable inside the valve chamber relative to a valve seat defining a flow opening there between, wherein the valve member is concave towards the fluid inlet, wherein the valve seat comprises at least one protrusion arranged to limit the movement of the valve member towards the valve seat and prevent full closure of the flow opening, and wherein the valve member is comprised of steel.
12 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is substantially circular.
13 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 12 , wherein a radius of the valve member is from 3.5 to 10 mm.
14 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve seat has a width of from 1.75 to 2.25 mm.
15 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is deformable, such that in use the shape of the valve member is changeable.
16 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is concave such that the perpendicular distance from a line parallel with a lowermost surface of the convex side of the valve member and an uppermost edge of the concave side of the valve member is from 0.005 to 0.1 mm, more than an average thickness of the valve member.
17 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 16 , wherein the valve member comprises a tab for locating the valve member inside the chamber, the tab being locatable with a portion of the valve chamber and the lowermost surface of the valve member is at a mid-point between an outermost surface of the tab and an opposing outmost edge of the valve member.
18 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is convex in a direction of the fluid outlet.
19 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is shaped concave prior to arranging said valve member in said valve chamber, such that said valve member is not flat.
20 . The fluid flow regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member is movable under the influence of pressure of the fluid inside the valve chamber to and from the valve seat, defining the flow opening there between, and arranged to adjust the size of the flow opening in dependence of the pressure of the fluid and/or flow rate.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid flow regulator, normally a fluid flow regulator for regulating the flow of water. To reduce water consumption, many water utility companies in Europe have been and are still reducing the pressure of mains water supplies. By doing so they reduce water and energy consumption and reduce leakage from pipes. At the same time the pressure of water flowing into buildings may be reduced by the demands on the system at any given time. It is particularly difficult to regulate fluid flow over a range of different pressures. Many existing fluid flow regulators do not function properly over a range of different pressures, resulting in fluid flows that vary too much to be effective. In view of the need to reduce water consumption and regulate fluid flow, the inventor of the present invention has invented an effective fluid flow regulator. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid flow regulator comprising: a valve chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; anda valve member inside the valve chamber, the valve member moveable inside the valve chamber;wherein the valve member is concave. The valve member is normally concave in the direction of and/or adjacent to the fluid inlet and/or convex in the direction of and/or adjacent to the fluid outlet. The fluid flow regulator may reliably and/or reproducibly regulate fluid flow when the pressure of fluid supplied to the fluid inlet is from 1.5 to 10 bar. In use, the variation in flow rate of fluid passing out the fluid outlet should preferably (on average) be less than 2%, more preferably less than 1%, at varying fluid pressures and/or flow rates of fluid supplied to the fluid inlet. Also, when increasing the pressure of fluid supplied to the fluid inlet when cycling from a minimum to a maximum and back to the minimum working pressure, the variation in flow rate of fluid passing out the fluid outlet on a first, increasing part of the cycle, should preferably (at any given pressure in the pressure range) be less than 5%, when compared to the flow rate of fluid passing out the fluid outlet on a second, decreasing part of the cycle. In other words, the flow regulator should preferably operate with this very low hysteresis; preferably operate with substantially no hysteresis. As said, the variation in flow rate of fluid passing out the fluid outlet at any given fluid pressure should thus preferably be less than 5% when fluid pressure is increasing when compared to when fluid pressure is decreasing. The variation in flow rate of fluid passing out the fluid outlet is more preferably less than 2%, even more preferably less than 1%, when the fluid pressure is cycling between its upper and lower working pressure limits and vice versa. An upper limit may be a relatively high pressure, for example be 5 bar or 10 bar or anything in between. A lower limit may be a relatively low pressure, for example be 1.5 bar or 2 bar or anything in between. The fluid flow regulator may thus reliably and/or reproducibly regulate fluid flow when the pressure of fluid supplied to the fluid inlet is preferably from 1.5 to 10 bar. Pressures referred to herein are typically also referred to as dynamic fluid pressures and/or working fluid pressures. That is the pressures referred to herein are typically dynamic fluid pressures not static fluid pressures. As said, dynamic fluid pressure may be referred to as working pressure. It is typically the concave and/or convex shape of the valve member that contributes to the abovementioned relatively small variation in fluid flow rate compared to known fluid flow regulators. The relatively small variation in fluid flow rate may be an extremely small variation in fluid flow rate. The concave and/or convex shape of the valve member is major contributor for an increased pressure range across which the fluid flow regulator can provide at least substantially pressure-independent fluid flow. The at least substantially pressure-independent fluid flow may be practically pressure-independent fluid flow. The concave valve member may be and/or may be referred to as one or more of dished (i.e. dish shaped); curved; depressed; sunken; indented; recessed; or not flat. The valve member is thus shaped to be concave in a position (i.e. state) at rest, i.e. when the fluid flow regulator is not in use. In this position at rest, the valve member is thus concave in its initial, undeformed state. By arranging the valve member moveable inside the valve chamber, it is arranged to adjustably restrict the flow of fluid through the valve chamber. In use the valve chamber defines a flow path and/or boundary between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The fluid flow regulator may for instance comprise a housing provided with the inlet and the outlet and the valve chamber there between. The valve member is preferably arranged in the housing and is movable to and from a valve seat, defining a flow opening ther