A Review of Capillary Pressure Control Valves in Microfluidics

Microfluidics offer microenvironments for reagent delivery, handling, mixing, reaction, and detection, but often demand the affiliated equipment for liquid control for these functions. As a helpful tool, the capillary pressure control valve (CPCV) has become popular to avoid using affiliated equipment. Liquid can be handled in a controlled manner by using the bubble pressure effects. In this paper, we analyze and categorize the CPCVs via three determining parameters: surface tension, contact angle, and microchannel shape. Finally, a few application scenarios and impacts of CPCV are listed, which includes how CPVC simplify automation of microfluidic networks, work with other driving modes; make extensive use of microfluidics by open channel, and sampling and delivery with controlled manners. The authors hope this review will help the development and use of the CPCV in microfluidic fields in both research and industry.

Asymptotic analysis of self-excited and forced vibrations of a self-regulating pressure control valve

Pressure vibrations in hydraulic systems are a widespread problem and can be caused by external excitation or self-exciting mechanisms. Although vibrations cannot be completely avoided in most cases, at least their frequencies must be known in order to prevent resonant excitation of adjacent components. While external excitation frequencies are known in most cases, the estimation of self-excited vibration amplitudes and frequencies is often difficult. Usually, numerical studies have to be executed in order to elaborate parameter influences, which is computationally expensive. The same holds true for the prediction of forced oscillation amplitudes. This contribution proposes asymptotic approximations of forced and self-excited oscillations in a simple hydraulic circuit consisting of a pump, an ideal consumer and a pressure control valve. Two excitation mechanisms of practical interest, namely pump pulsations (forced vibrations) and valve instability (self-excited vibrations), are analyzed. The system dynamics are described by a singularly perturbed third-order differential equation. By separating slow and fast variables in the system without external excitation, a first-order approximation of the slow manifold is computed. The flow on the slow manifold is approximated by an averaging procedure, whose piecewise defined zero-order solution maps the valve’s switching property. A modification of the procedure allows for the asymptotic approximation of the system’s forced response to an external excitation. The approximate solutions are validated within a realistic parameter range by comparison with numerical solutions of the full system equations.

Analysis and treatment of jitter for 300MW steam turbine high-pressure control valve

The high-pressure control valve of Weifang power generation Co. LTD unit one turbine happens to jitter during operation, especially in the low opening action, the jitter is more frequent. This situation is serious for the safety and stability of generating unit. This paper analyzes the cause of the high-pressure control valve jitter and formulates effective reconstruction plans. After the reform of the high-pressure control valve, it can maintain stable and normal regulation to ensure the safety and stability of the generating unit.

Design of direct acting differential pressure control valve test bench

This article aims to acquaint readers with a designed test bench for direct acting differential pressure control valves. These control valves are used in district heating systems. The conformity of the construction of the test bench with the international standard IEC 60534-2-3:2015 is evaluate and the results of an experimental study of the control valve AVPB DN20 Kvs 6.3 PN16 are present.