EP4200484A1

EP4200484A1 - Disconnector (backflow prevention device)

Info

Publication number: EP4200484A1
Application number: EP21858740.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mustafa Serdar Tütek
Original assignee: Serdar Plastik Sanayi Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Serdar Plastik Sanayi Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2020-08-21
Filing date: 2021-08-20
Publication date: 2023-06-28
Also published as: WO2022039710A1; CN116324244A; TR202013269A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices. It is defined by it is a disconnector product having a double check valve that prevents passage of system water into mains water anda discharge system. The valve has a seamless body structure with a compact size, made of a thermoplastic material, and resistant to high levels of temperature and pressure. Aggressive outer ribs thereof provide an aesthetic appearance. It is a backflow preventer used for protecting both usersand the system in combi boilers and similar devices. The backflow preventer is a double check valve component that does not allow the passage of used water back into the mains water system.Its operating mechanism is configured to ensure the discharge of outlet water without passing into the feed water if the outlet check valve /one-way valve fails for some reason when the outlet pressure is greater than the supply pressure. The solution aimed with the backflow preventer, which is the subject matter of the invention, is to prevent the contamination of drinking water by preventing the installation water from mixing with the mains water in combi boilers and similar devices.

Description

Disconnector (Backflow Prevention Device)

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices. It is defined by it is a disconnector product having a double check valve that prevents passage of system water into mains water and a discharge system. The valve has a seamless body structure with a compact size, made of a thermoplastic material, and resistant to high levels of temperature and pressure. Aggressive outer ribs thereof provide an aesthetic appearance. It is a backflow preventer used for protecting both users and the system in combi boilers and similar devices. The backflow preventer is a double check valve component that does not allow the passage of used water back into the mains water system. Its operating mechanism is configured to ensure the discharge of outlet water without passing into the feed water if the outlet check valve /one-way valve fails for some reason when the outlet pressure is greater than the supply pressure. The object is to prevent the passage of system water into mains, thereby avoiding the contamination of potable water in combi boilers and similar devices.

Technical Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a component for flow control, which manages the passage of water and similar fluids in combi boilers and similar devices. Such a passage control and discharge valve is an inlet and outlet element that opens and closes depending on certain conditions in fluid-containing systems. It is used to isolate the pressure difference created by the fluid in one pipe from the pressure created by the fluid in the other pipe within the same system. It is a backflow preventer used for protecting both users and the system from a contamination in combi boilers and similar devices. Approval for Potable Hot Water from KTS in Germany or WRAS in the UK is intended to feed closed circuits as well as to prevent mixing of potable water with contaminated water in such water systems.

State of the Art

[0003] The invention relates to a valve having a seamless body structure which is made of a thermoplastic material with a light and compact size, and resistant to high levels of temperature, corrosion, chemicals and pressure, and controls the flow of water and similar fluids, and which is designed to enable flowing in combi boilers and similar devices.

[0004] Metal valves and honeycomb heating systems, which are generally used in combi boilers and similar devices cause rusting and getting difficult to control over time. They also have a heavier body than thermoplastic valves. Thermoplastic disconnector units of a backflow preventer are lighter without any risk of corrosion. However, tolerance precision is less than their metallic counterparts, thus making their production and design processes more challenging. The device of the invention is, by its design, a leading-edge product that is mounted using an engagement system, and having resistance to high pressures; wherein tolerance-related problems have been eliminated using static sealing members, and wherein friction-related problems in sealing members have been overcome using tapered contact systems.

[0005] The device of the invention not only regulates fluid transfer by controlling the flow of water, but also prevents backflow for the protection of users and the system in combi boilers and similar devices. The system consists of a body that includes the fluid passage system where opening, closing and evacuation take place, check valve systems and moving elements, and 2 interface parts that connect the fluid with the surrounding elements. It provides a one-way controlled flow as long as the supply pressure is greater than the outlet pressure. On the other hand, it blocks backflow if the outlet pressure is greater than the supply pressure. It also prevents the contamination of the feed water by evacuating the outlet pressure to the atmosphere even if the outlet check valve that prevents backflow fails.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The invention can be described by a disconnector product having a double check valve that prevents passage of system water into mains water and a discharge system. In summary, the system is operated on the principle of controlling the flow of the incoming fluid with a certain pressure in the feed pipe and ensuring that the water advancing towards the device passes to the outlet, thanks to the closing of the discharge by the check valves and static sealing elements. If the outlet check valve fails to function even after loss of supply pressure, the backflow valve prevents backflow and evacuates the fluid safely. The device of the invention thus protects users, the system and the environment from contaminated fluids.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0007] The invention relates to a valve having a seamless body which is made of a thermoplastic material with a light and compact size, and resistant to high levels of temperature, corrosion, chemicals and high pressures, and controls the flow of water and similar fluids in combi boilers and similar devices. The valve unit consists of 4 parts: an inlet, an outlet, a disconnector and a discharge group. The structure is formed by mounting different types of inlet and outlet fittings on the body containing discharge and disconnector sections. The disconnector section consists of check valve groups with static sealing elements configured on a flexible membrane and dynamic sealing elements configured in the latter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES [0008] [Fig-1] is a front view of the disconnector (backflow preventer)

[0009] [Fig.2] is a rear view of the disconnector (backflow preventer)

[0010] [Fig.3] is a side view of the disconnector (backflow preventer)

[0011] [Fig.4] is a top view of the disconnector (backflow preventer)

[0012] [Fig.5] is a bottom view of the disconnector (backflow preventer) [0013] [Fig.6] is a cross-section view of the disconnector (backflow preventer) NUMERICAL REFERENCES

[0014] 1-Inlet interface part

[0015] 2-Membrane

[0016] 3-Inlet valve body

[0017] 4-O-ring

[0018] 5-Inlet valve

[0019] 6-Inlet valve spring

[0020] 7-O-ring

[0021] 8-Inlet valve cap

[0022] 9-Body

[0023] 10-O-ring

[0024] 11-Outlet valve

[0025] 12-Outlet valve spring

[0026] 13-O-ring

[0027] 14-Outlet interface part

[0028] 15-Discharge channel

[0029] The first part of the disconnector body section is formed by squeezing a static sealing membrane (2) placed in the main body between the inlet piece and the body part (3). The second part is formed by placing the inlet check valve group into the membrane (2) in this group. In addition, there is an O-ring that presses a tapered surface inside the body, providing dynamic sealing on the disconnector valve group that separates this group from the discharge section. This group not only allows one-way movement of the fluid from the inlet to the outlet and prevents backflow of the fluid, but also ensures the discharge of the contaminated fluid in case of a supply pressure drop and outlet check valve failure. Thanks to its bellows design, the special membrane (2) can operate even at a lower pressure difference compared to known techniques.

[0030] By means of the special membrane (2) design with its own O-ring, it does not require an additional sealing element on the inlet interface part (1). In order for the dynamic O- rings to provide perfect contact and sealing with all surfaces, the corresponding contact surfaces are shaped in a completely anti-frictional tapered structure. It provides a longer lasting and reliable sealing as it works without friction. Thanks to the low friction of the sealing elements, a much more sensitive disconnector that can react to lower pressure differences is obtained.

[0031] The input interface piece (1) is attached in front of the body part. In this way, it can easily adapt to different systems.

[0032] The outlet section, on the other hand, is formed by placing at the inlet a check valve that ensures one-way water passage and attaching an interface piece to the outlet.

[0033] Opposite angles (undercuts) refer to the figures on the axis perpendicular to the mold separation line in the molds of plastic parts. Cores refer to the mold elements that are operated with different kinds of movements in order to mold the undercuts in the mold.

[0034] The parts of the interface (1) attached to the inlet and the interface (14) attached to the outlet are the parts that are produced in the production mold without the need for an additional core and have a flexing claw locking system. In this way, it can be grouped without any additional parts (such as washers) without torsion in the sealing elements and without any screwing. By changing the front (1) and rear (14) interface parts, new valve groups with low cost can be created that provide fast and economical solutions to different devices and different applications without affecting the main system.

[0035] The object of this product is to prevent the mixing and contamination of the outlet water with the inlet water by providing the discharge of the outlet water in case of a malfunction in the outlet check valve (for cases where the outlet pressure is higher than the inlet pressure).

[0036] The check valves in the product have a one-piece structure since they make use of the body parts as bearing and sealing elements of the inlet-outlet. Thanks to the functional parts within the body, the disconnector (backflow preventer) is grouped from fewer parts. The sealing surfaces of the inlet (1) and outlet (14) interface parts are shaped without a mold joint surface. Thus, no sealing problem is guaranteed in these areas.

[0037] The operating mechanism of disconnector (backflow preventer) of the present application can be defined under two main headings: filling and evacuation stages.

[0038] Filling process;

[0039] In the first stage, since the pressure applied by the mains water to the inlet side of the disconnector (1) increases enough to push the inlet membrane (2), the membrane (2) becomes flexible and pressing to close the discharge inlet/channel which opens into the inner section of the disconnector body by means of the O-ring (7) located outside the inlet check valve body (3). Thus, the discharge channel (15) is closed. The middle section becomes isolated. In the second stage, when the mains pressure increases enough to overcome the force of the inlet check valve spring (6), it pushes the inlet check valve torpedo (5) back and thus the water fills the middle section. At the same time, the O-ring (7) outside the inlet check valve body (3) continues to block the discharge outlet (15). For this reason, the water is not discharged out since this section is isolated. When the water pressure in the middle section increases enough to overcome the force of the outlet check valve torpedo (11), it pushes the outlet check valve torpedo (11) back and the mains water flows into the system piping.

[0040] Discharge process;

[0041] If the outlet check valve (11) cannot close the passage for any reason (failures) when the system pressure is greater than “0” bar, and at the same time, if the mains pressure is lower than the system pressure for any reason, the inlet check valve body (3) and the membrane (2) are stretched back and move towards the system side due to the reverse pressure difference created. In this way, the O-ring (7) on the inlet check valve (3) is separated from the inner surface of the body and opens the discharge channel. Since no line remains blocking the water on the mains side, water flows through the mains side discharge section (15) until the system pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. Exceptionally, if the downstream outlet check valve (11) fails, the drain valve opens to drain the contaminated fluid. This device is built as a positive-effect device and the disconnector provides a high level of safety in any circumstances.

Claims

6 Claims

[Claim 1] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, it is a disconnector product having a double check valve that prevents the passage of system water into mains water and a discharge system.

[Claim 2] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, the front inlet (1) and rear outlet connection interface parts (14) have a flexible claw locking system produced in the mold without the need for an additional core.

[Claim 3] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, by changing the front inlet (1) and rear outlet interface (14) parts, new valve groups can be created with the front inlet (1) and rear outlet interface (14) for different devices and different applications without affecting the main system.

[Claim 4] A valve of the present invention that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, the corresponding contact surfaces are shaped in a completely anti-frictional tapered structure so that the dynamic O- rings can contact all surfaces smoothly and provide sealing.

[Claim 5] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, it operates much more sensitively by reacting to lower pressure differences, by means of the fact that the sealing elements work with low friction.

[Claim 6] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, the membrane (2) can operate at much lower pressure differences than known techniques, by means of the bellows structure thereof.

[Claim 7] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized by a body structure thereof that does not require an additional sealing element on the side of the inlet interface part (1) by means of its self-O-ring and bellows membrane (2) design.

[Claim 8] A valve that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, it 7 has a one-piece structure since the check valves in the product use body parts as bearing and sealing elements of the inlet (3) - outlet (11).

[Claim 9] A valve of that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that the sealing surfaces of the inlet (1) and outlet (14) interface parts are shaped without a mold joint, and thus providing sealing at these areas.

[Claim 10] A valve of that controls the passage of fluids and their pressure-related directions in combi boilers and similar devices, characterized in that, it is a valve that is made of a thermoplastic material with a light and compact size, and resistant to high levels of temperature, corrosion, chemicals and high pressures.