MIAM GmbH receives funding for the project "Development of a functionally and structurally novel valve for use in water hammer with pressure surge, short title: Piston Valve" from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the State of Saxony-Anhalt.
"Water hammer" or "hydraulic shock" is usually understood to be a physical effect where a strong pressure surge is generated, typically during the transport of an incompressible medium, by the rapid closing of a pipeline valve. This physical effect can be approximately calculated using the Joukowsky equation. This pressure surge must be avoided in pipeline systems with pumps and valves, as the significant pressure increases can lead to the destruction of the system.
The equation is as follows:
The hydraulic ram (hydraulischer Widder) is a known technical application where the pressure surge is used to lift a portion of the water to a higher level by suddenly closing an impulse valve.
In hydraulic downhole hammers (Hydraulikstoßhämmer), a continuous connection between the supply and the drill bit is open, allowing for a continuous flow of the working fluid. By rapidly closing this connection, the inertia of the water column can be used to generate a hydraulic shock (water hammer) to drive a mechanism. This allows for the use of significantly higher volumetric flow rates, but the relationship between flow rate and piston movement is much more complex and dynamic. It is precisely this shock effect that makes calculation and simulation considerably more complex.Water Hammer) genutzt werden, um einen Mechanismus an zu treiben. Dies kann genutzt werden um wesentlich höhere Volumenströme zu verwenden, jedoch sind die Zusammenhänge zwischen Volumenstrom und Kolbenbewegung wesentlich komplexer und dynamischer. Eben dieser Stoßeffekt macht eine Berechnung und Simulation wesentlich aufwändiger.
The idea of the MIAM company is to replace the ball valves for the rapid discharge of water from the hydraulic hammer's storage tank with a functionally novel operating principle: a communicating, double-acting, centrally guided disc with outlet openings and spring relief, and to secure this structural solution with intellectual property rights (a patent).