Development of new pressure regulator with flowrate-amplification using vacuum ejector

Abstract

The pressure regulator is a critically important element in a pneumatic system. It reduces the pressure of a high-pressure air source to the required level for a given pneumatic load and maintains it at a steady level. However, the pressure reduction between the inlet and outlet of a pressure regulator results in a significant power loss, especially when the pneumatic load requires only a low pressure but a large flowrate. In this paper, a design for a new pressure regulator that is capable of reducing this power loss is proposed. Compared to a traditional regulator, the new regulator design adds a component (a vacuum ejector) to draw in additional gas, resulting in an entrainment ratio. This entrainment ratio can reduce the flowrate through the inlet of a regulator. Thus, the power loss incurred by our new regulator is much smaller than that of a traditional design. This paper describes the design and operating principle of the new regulator in detail and evaluates its performance in terms of suction flow, energy-saving, and pressure-stabilization, etc.