Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dispensing Systems
By: Christopher J. Matice and Michael J. Swindemann
Stress Engineering Services, Inc.
Cincinnati, Ohio
FOCUS:
Introduction
Dispensing systems for consumer products packaging
are complex fluid-mechanical devices. These devices
include multiple flow passages with tight tolerances and
small cross-sectional areas, valves (both active and
passive), and one or more pistons. These pumps must
be capable of priming with as few strokes as possible,
must work with products having a variety of physical
properties, and must deliver consistent, reliable
performance over the life of the package.
3UHVVXUHLQ2XWOHW
)ORZ2XWRI3LVWRQ
%RUH3
&KDPEHU4
)ORZ2XW
3UHVVXUHLQ3LVWRQ
2ULILFH4
&KDPEHU3
)ORZ,QWR3LVWRQ
0RWLRQRI
&KDPEHU4
3LVWRQ[
0RWLRQRI%DOO
3UHVVXUHLQ&KHFN
&KHFN9DOYH[
%DOO&KDPEHU3
9HQW$LU)ORZ4
3UHVVXUHLQ
)ORZ8S'LS
7XEH4
%RWWOH3
Figure 1
Trigger Sprayer Geometry
and Critical Variables
valve prevents liquid from flowing back into the dip tube
while the pump is dispensing. The performance of the
ball check valve determines how many strokes are
required to prime the pump since it both stops liquid
from flowing back into the dip tube and also creates
drag on the liquid flowing up into the pump. The second
valve is in the spray nozzle itself. This valve works in
opposition to the ball check valve, allowing flow during
the dispensing portion of the stroke and closing during
the suction portion of the stroke. This combination of
opposed upstream and downstream check valves is
typical of all piston-type pumps. The third valve in the
system governs the venting of the package. This valve
is built into the piston such that as the piston reaches the
end of its stroke the outer piston seal is broken, opening
an airflow path between the bottles head space and
the outside atmosphere. Because fluid has been
withdrawn from the bottle during the suction stroke, the
pressure in the bottle is negative when the vent is opened.
It is important to relieve this negative pressure in order
to preserve the shape of the package (to avoid paneling)
and insure the consistent functioning of the pump.
)ORZ2XW
3UHVVXUHLQ2XWOHW
2ULILFH4
%RUH3
)ORZ2XWRI3LVWRQ
0RWLRQRI
&KDPEHU4
3LVWRQ[
3UHVVXUHLQ3LVWRQ
&KDPEHU3
3UHVVXUHLQ&KHFN
)ORZ,QWR3LVWRQ
%DOO&KDPEHU3
&KDPEHU4
9HQW$LU
0RWLRQRI%DOO
)ORZ4
&KHFN9DOYH[
3UHVVXUHLQ
)ORZ8S'LS
%RWWOH3
7XEH4
Figure 2
Block Diagram of Trigger Sprayer Model
(1)
3RXW
3LQ
Figure 3
Fluid Flow Element
2
4RXW
3
4 LQ
Figure 4
Fluid Volume Element
The fluid volume element shown in Figure 4 is used to
compute the change in pressure P through the equation
dP/dt = (/V) (Qin Qout),
(2)
(3)
)VHDW
:EDOO
)ORZ
Figure 5
Check Valve Element
Figure 6
Dimensions and Property Inputs
3
N3D
of the pump over the first four strokes and the pressure
in the bottle just after closure of the air vent. This figure
shows that the pump requires three strokes to prime,
which is in agreement with tests on actual sprayers. The
figure also shows that the pressure in the bottle
decreases with each stroke. This effect is illustrated in
more detail in Figure 8, which provides a graph of the
piston motion and the pressure in the bottle over the
first five strokes. The graph shows that during each
stroke the bottle pressure decreases as liquid is drawn
up through the dip tube, holds steady once the check
valve is seated, and then recovers once the vent opens
during the last 10% of the stroke. However, the pressure
does not recover completely and over several strokes
a significant vacuum begins to develop in the bottle. This
vacuum will cause the bottle sides to collapse (panel),
impairing the esthetics of the package.
N3D
6WURNH
6WURNH
N3D
N3D
6WURNH
6WURNH
Figure 7
Priming of Sprayer
program. A number of user-defined inputs are available
describing the geometry of the bottle and the designcritical components of the sprayer. At the bottom of
the list is the air vent area. As a first guess we set this
value at 0.07 mm2 which corresponds to small but
reasonable dimensions for an opening through the piston
seal.
3LVWRQ'LVSODFHPHQWFP
7LPHVHF
3UHVVXUHLQ%RWWOHN3D
3UHVVXUHLQ%RWWOHN3D
3LVWRQ'LVSODFHPHQWFP
7LPHVHF
Figure 8
Simulation Results for Original Design
Figure 9
Simulation Results for Improved Design
4