Simple Regulator

[Flash]

Based on my corrected knowledge of pressure and force, I designed an easy to build regulator. Most parts can be bought at a regular Home Depot or Lowe's.



It works based on the fact that force increases with surface area. The front side has a large dimple drilled onto it, increasing surface area like a golf ball. The side where unregulated air comes in is flat. When the pressure in the firing chamber reaches a certain point the piston is pushed back until it seals the threaded nipple. The greater force on the air chamber side prevents the piston from releasing air until the pressure in the air chamber drops.

The use of a threaded nipple allows me to quickly adjust the pressure to which th eair will be regulated by simply twisting it.

[clide]

It works based on the fact that force increases with surface area. The front side has a large dimple drilled onto it, increasing surface area like a golf ball. The side where unregulated air comes in is flat...

The force due to pressure acts perpendicular to the surface, so while you will have more surface area by changing the shape of a piston face, the component of that force acting in the axial direction will not be changed. Basically if you have a flat face on one side of a piston and some other shaped face on the other side it won't move in any direction with equal pressure on each side.

I'm tired right now and I'm not sure if that fact affects your design or not, but I just thought I would point that out.

[psycix]

LoL that wont work.
Because the force works perpendicular on the surface there will still be exactly as much force on both sides.
The force you win by using the dimple surface directs the force a little bit to the outside, neutralizing itself and thus you will only get effect from the horizontal component of the force, wich is still exactly the same.

[Flash]

LoL that wont work.
Because the force works perpendicular on the surface there will still be exactly as much force on both sides.
The force you win by using the dimple surface directs the force a little bit to the outside, neutralizing itself and thus you will only get effect from the horizontal component of the force, wich is still exactly the same.

Thanks for the heads up. But if the force will only act on the horizontal areas, wouldn't there be less surface area because the only flat surfaces are the small circle inside the dimple and the area outside the dimple? Or does the dimple provide some horizontal surface area that is equal to the area on the opposite side?

[Novacastrian]

I don't think you get it, look at a hydraulic ram, they are flat- if any gain could be made by changing this design it would have been done long ago.

[iknowmy3tables]

the dimple adds some force outward (example a balloon or diaphragm), that outward force that does not affect the piston's movement to slide so only area perpendicular to the sliding direction affects the sliding movement,

sorry man you made the diagram and everything, I you want I can show you the vector math

[Flash]

Oh okay. So it adds only a little outward force? Can someone show me a link of someplace where I can learn a bit more about this, like a wikipedia article? I don't take physics until next year so most of this stuff is new to me.

[psycix]

Yup only some outward force
But because your dimple is omni-symmetrical it neutralizes completely.
If the dimple would be assymetrical you would have your piston to get pushed against the side of the wall of the piston housing.