CPC无泄漏连接器的6个特点 - CPC 6 traits of non-spill connectors
Posted by Connector Tips Editor on Tuesday, February 3, 2015
By Grant Wilhelm, Senior Design Engineer, CPC (Colder Products Co.)

How quick disconnect connectors evolved for low-pressure fluid handling
用于低压流体处理的快速断开连接器是如何发展的

在讨论联轴器时，术语“无泄漏”描述了一种特定类型的连接器，旨在在断开连接时将泄漏量减少到接近零。这通常是通过设计容纳在连接器主体内的阀门来实现的。无泄漏初设计为用于高压工业液压应用的重型金属接头，现已发展成为一类塑料和金属连接器，适用于需要少泄漏和空气夹杂的各种流体处理应用。The term non-spill, when discussing couplings, describes a specific type of connector meant to reduce spillage to near zero whenever it is disconnected. This is often achieved through the design of the valves housed within the connector body. Originally designed as heavy-duty metal couplings for high-pressure, industrial hydraulic applications, non-spill has evolved into a category of plastic and metal connectors suitable for a variety of fluid-handling applications requiring minimal spillage and air inclusion.

图 1：专为电子冷却而开发的防溢漏连接器，例如 CPC 的 LQ 系列，即使在长时间连接后也能提供超可靠、无滴漏的断开连接。Figure 1: Non-spill connectors developed specifically for electronic cooling, such as CPC’s LQ Series, provide ultra-reliable, drip-free disconnections even after long periods of connection.

Shift to low-pressure
转向低压

初用于高压应用的无泄漏快速断开连接器是由机加工黄铜、镀锌钢、不锈钢和铝制成的球和套筒耦合器组件。由于液压应用中常见的高压 - 高达 15,000 psi (1,030 bar) - 金属是唯一能承受这种压力的合理材料。塑料材料的使用是因为它们提供了低压应用所需的强度。塑料降低了连接器的成本和重量，并解决了与化学兼容性相关的问题。The original non-spill quick disconnects for high-pressure applications were ball and sleeve coupler packages made from machined brass, zinc-plated steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Because of the high pressures common in hydraulic applications — up to 15,000 psi (1,030 bar) — metals were the only logical material to contain such pressures. Plastic materials came into use because they provide the strength required for lower-pressure applications. Plastics reduce the cost and weight of connectors and answer concerns related to chemical compatibility.

从设计角度来看，无泄漏快速断开装置的传统特性包括齐平阀设计、金属结构和承受高压额定值的能力。平面阀设计可大限度地减少每次断开连接时的溢出量，因此可作为非溢出连接器的参考。减少溢出是保持环境清洁、控制有害液体和保护工人的关键。From a design perspective, the traditional characteristics of a non-spill quick disconnect include a flush-face valve design, metal construction and the ability to withstand high pressure ratings. The flush face valve design minimizes the amount of spillage each time it is disconnected, thus the reference as a non-spill connector. This reduced spillage is key to maintaining a clean environment, containing harmful fluids, and protecting workers.

colder-soft-touch-overmold
图 2：柔软触感包覆成型通过更好的人体工程学和颜色编码增强了用户体验。
Figure 2: Soft-touch overmold enhances user experience through better ergonomics and color coding.

The need to evolve
发展的需要

一段时间以来，低压流体处理应用一直使用初为高压环境设计的无泄漏快速断开装置。然而，随着无泄漏连接器的更多低压用途的出现，很明显，高压接头在低压应用中用于连接柔性、半刚性和增强管的过度设计——当然也很昂贵。For some time, low-pressure fluid-handling applications have used non-spill quick disconnects originally designed for high-pressure environments. However, as more low-pressure uses for non-spill connectors emerged, it became clear that high-pressure couplings were over-engineered — and certainly costly — for connecting flexible, semi-rigid and reinforced tubing in low-pressure applications.

为了精确满足低压流体应用的无泄漏要求，一种新型接头已经发展：低压、占用空间小的热塑性塑料和金属快速断开设计，可保持无泄漏性能特征。以下六个特性描述了为低压环境量身定制的无泄漏连接器的演变。
To precisely meet the non-spill requirements of low-pressure fluid applications, a new category of couplings has evolved: low-pressure, small- footprint thermoplastic and metal quick disconnect designs that maintain non-spill performance characteristics. The following six traits describe the evolution of the non-spill connector tailored for low-pressure environments.

1. Maintenance of flush-faced valves
平面接头的的维护

无溢流阀技术的设计并不新鲜；新的是齐平阀向用于低压应用的挠性管的连接器的迁移。在低压环境中的连接和断开历来是使用提升式阀门完成的（见图 3）。这种阀门类型将液体截留在阀门密封件外侧的阀腔中。尽管阀门已经关闭了流量，但剩余的流体量可能会从连接器“溢出”。相比之下，齐平阀（见图 3），由于其设计，只允许在阀门表面涂上一层液体，从而几乎消除溢出并确保重复无滴漏连接和断开。夹杂物，或在每次连接期间进入流体系统的空气，也通过齐平阀设计大大减少。从医疗器械和设备到化学品处理，接近零溢出和包含的好处在许多应用中变得非常重要。

The design of non-spill valve technology is not new; what is new is the migration of the flush-faced valve to connectors for flexible tubing used in low-pressure applications.Connecting and disconnecting in low-pressure environments was historically accomplished with a poppet-style valve (see figure 3). This valve style traps liquid in the valve cavity on the external side of the valve seal. Though the valve has shut off the flow, this remaining volume of fluid can “spill” from the connector. In contrast, the flush-face valve (see figure 3), due to its design, allows no more than a coating of liquid on the valve surfaces, thereby nearly eliminating spillage and ensuring repeated dripless connections and disconnections. Inclusion, or the air put into the fluid system during every connection, is also drastically reduced with flush-face valve design. The benefits of near zero spillage and inclusion have become important in many applications, from medical devices and equipment to chemical handling.

colder-poppet-valves

图 3：提升阀（左）凭借其设计，可以截留液体并具有更高的溢出量，而齐平阀（右）可大限度地减少断开连接时的溢出量。
Figure 3: Poppet valves (left) by virtue of their design, can trap liquid and have a higher volume of spillage, while flush-faced valves (right) minimize the volume of spillage at disconnect.

2. Switch from metal to engineered polymers
从金属转向工程聚合物

由于液压应用的压力要求，初选择金属外壳和内部阀门用于防溢漏接头。低压环境不一定需要金属外壳和内部阀门的性能属性。只考虑金属高压联轴器替代方案的设计工程师可能在重量、封装尺寸、流动性能，尤其是成本的可用选择方面受到限制。不锈钢提供广泛的化学兼容性，但也是昂贵的金属选择。

作为替代方案，工程聚合物在金属作为行业标准的应用中获得了实质性的立足点。减轻重量、高强度和刚度以及实现复杂零件几何形状的能力都是工程聚合物的优点。与金属断开产品相比，选择聚合物连接器可以节省 50% 到 75%。一些防溢漏连接器还采用了触感柔软的包覆成型技术，以实现更好的人体工程学和颜色编码（见图 2）。其他产品采用玻璃填充聚丙烯主体，具有耐化学性和更高的耐用性（见图 4）。

Metal housings and internal valves were originally chosen for non-spill couplings due to the pressure demands of hydraulic applications. Low-pressure environments do not necessarily require the performance attributes of metal housings and internal valves. Design engineers looking only at metal high-pressure coupling alternatives may be limited in the available selection of weight, package size, flow performance and, in particular, cost. Stainless steel offers the widest chemical compatibility, but is also the most expensive metal choice.

As an alternative, engineered polymers have gained a substantial foothold in applications where metal had been the industry standard. Reduced weight, high strength and rigidity and the ability to achieve complex part geometries are all benefits of engineered polymers. Choosing polymer connectors can provide savings of 50 to 75% compared to metal disconnect products. Some non-spill connectors also incorporate a soft-touch overmold for better ergonomics and color coding (see figure 2). Others feature a glass-filled polypropylene body that offers chemical resistance and increased durability (see figure 4).

CPC-NonSpill-Connector

图 4：通过玻璃填充的聚丙烯主体实现了耐化学性和更高的耐用性。Figure 4: Chemical resistance and increased durability are attained through a glass-filled polypropylene body.

3. Low-pressure environments, minimal pressure drop
低压环境，小压降

在低压流体处理应用中，系统通常在真空至 120 psi (83 bar) 的压力范围内运行。使用专为在 10,000 psi 范围内运行的应用而设计的无泄漏快速断开连接是过大的。专为低压流体处理应用而设计的快速断开装置可以提供低溢出、低空气夹杂和小压降的所有理想特性。通过利用塑料和先进制造技术的使用以及高效、高流量阀门设计获得的设计灵活性，低压快速断开与金属对应物相比提供更高的流量和更低的压降。

In low-pressure fluid-handling applications, systems typically operate in the pressure range of vacuum to 120 psi (83 bar). The use of non-spill quick disconnects designed for applications operating in the 10,000 psi range is overkill. A quick disconnect designed specifically for low-pressure fluid-handling applications can deliver all the desirable features of low spillage, low air inclusion and minimal pressure drop. Low-pressure quick disconnects provide higher flow and lower pressure drop compared to their metal counterparts by leveraging the design flexibility gained through the use of plastics and advanced manufacturing techniques, as well as their efficient, high-flow valve design.

4. Compact design
紧凑设计

许多需要无泄漏连接器的低压应用也需要紧凑的设计，因为管径较小，并且内部或难以接近的位置应用了许多无泄漏连接器。例如，用于液体冷却的服务器机架或内部体外诊断设备的无泄漏设计需要尽可能紧凑，以大限度地减少使用的产品空间，并为技术人员提供连接和断开它们的空间。当今日益紧凑的连接器部分是通过其内部设计实现的。一些制造商提供无泄漏连接器，可以连接内径小至 1?16 英寸或更小的管道（见图 5）

Many low-pressure applications requiring a non-spill connector also demand a compact design, due to both smaller diameter tubing sizes and the interior, or hard-to-access locations, where many non-spill connectors are applied. For instance, non-spill designs used in server racks for liquid cooling or inside in vitro diagnostic equipment need to be as compact as possible to minimize product real estate used and to allow room for technicians to connect and disconnect them.

Today’s increasingly compact connectors are achieved partially through their internal design. Some manufacturers provide non-spill connectors that can connect tubing with an inside diameter as small as 1?16 in. or less (see figure 5).

CPC-NonSpill-Connectors

图 5：对于需要特别紧凑设计的应用，今天的防溢漏接头可以连接小至 1?16 英寸的管道。拇指锁扣便于操作员使用，并提供连接已建立的声音确认。Figure 5: For applications requiring especially compact designs, today’s non-spill couplings can connect tubing down to 1/16 in. Thumb latches ease operator use and provide audible confirmation that connection has been established.

5. Ease of use
易于使用

高压接头的一个持久特性是用户在连接和断开接头时可能会遇到物理困难。连接耦合器时，该过程可能需要很大的力。这种用户不便在一些低压快速断开装置的设计中得到了解决，引入了符合人体工程学的拇指闩锁，使断开连接的过程变得更加容易。一些新的无泄漏连接器为用户提供的另一个好处是在建立安全连接时发出“咔哒”声，这向操作员确认已建立连接（见图 5）。

An enduring characteristic of high-pressure couplings is the physical difficulty users can have in connecting and disconnecting the couplers. When connecting the couplers, the process can require significant amounts of force. This user inconvenience is addressed in the design of some low-pressure quick disconnects with the introduction of an ergonomic thumb latch that makes the process of disconnecting much easier. Another user benefit provided by some new non-spill connectors is an audible “click” that sounds when a secure connection is made, which confirms for operators that a connection has been made (see figure 5).

6. Chemical compatibility
化学兼容性

对于某些低压流体处理应用，需要考虑流体与连接器或其部件的化学兼容性。与液压应用（流体和金属不会相互反应）不同，低压流体处理应用可能涉及与金属发生反应的介质。为了解决这一潜在问题，连接器设计人员使用聚丙烯（对许多流体具有耐化学性）或其他工程热塑性塑料。

某些应用还需要无金属流路。实现此目的的一种方法是通过使用 O 形圈将弹簧与流路隔离。这确保了流体和任何金属之间的一定程度的分离。O 形圈密封将流体流与阀门驱动弹簧分开，从而确保高纯度流路非常适合半导体制造等应用。在一些无泄漏连接器中，涂层弹簧在流体和金属之间提供了第二级分离。

实际应用

无泄漏连接器的许多实际应用都是从它们的高压起源发展而来的。下面是几个例子：

医疗器械和体外诊断设备 — 医疗器械的许多流体处理应用需要少的空气混入，以确保准确性和程序效率。一些设备还需要能够在不滴漏或溢出的情况下断开管道，以防止接触危险流体并保持安全和清洁的环境。用于实验室或患者护理设施诊断的分析设备需要相同的无滴漏断开连接，以保持介质完整性、防止接触生物危害并保持安全的工作环境。

墨水管理 — 无论墨水是水基、溶剂基还是 UV 固化，任何溢出都是一个问题。与水性油墨一样，溶剂型油墨会留下一团糟，但也可能产生有毒烟雾。因为 UV 墨水只有在暴露于紫外线下才会变干，所以用抹布擦去的少量溢出物在清理后仍会保持湿润很长时间。防溢出连接器有助于将墨水保持在系统中——从源头消除混乱——因此墨水永远不会与用户或设备组件接触。

电子产品的液体冷却 — 无泄漏连接器非常适用于液体冷却应用。通过将水或冷却剂的溢出减少到接近零，服务器机架技术人员可以放心地连接和断开它们，而不必担心滴水会损坏或破坏设备。颜色编码有助于防止热线和冷线之间的错误连接（见图 1）。新的设计特点确保了适应长时间静态连接的长期功能。

用于低压应用的无泄漏快速断开连接器的范围不断扩大，从封装尺寸越来越小的玻璃填充聚丙烯连接器到专为液体冷却应用设计的镀铬黄铜无泄漏连接器。前面的六个演变特征解释了为什么以及如何设计今天的无泄漏连接器以满足低压流体处理环境的独特要求。初作为高压防溢漏接头的产品已经超出了液压的范围，为许多行业带来了防溢漏性能，而且很可能为今天在 CAD 程序屏幕上成型的未来产品带来了好处。

For certain low-pressure fluid-handling applications, the chemical compatibility of the fluid and the connector, or its parts, needs to be considered. Unlike hydraulic applications—where fluid and metal do not react with each other—low-pressure fluid-handling applications can involve media that reacts with metal. To address this potential concern, connector designers use polypropylene (which offers chemical resistance to many fluids) or other engineered thermoplastics.

Some applications also require a metal-free flow path. One method to achieve this is to isolate the springs from the flow path through the use of an O-ring. This ensures a degree of separation between the fluid and any metal. The O-ring seals separate fluid flow from the valve actuation springs, thereby ensuring high-purity flow paths well suited to applications such as semiconductor manufacturing. In some non-spill connectors, coated springs give a second degree of separation between fluid and metal.

Real-world applications
Many real-world uses of non-spill connectors have evolved from their high-pressure origins. Below are a few examples:

Medical devices and in vitro diagnostic equipment — Many fluid-handling applications for medical devices require minimal air inclusion for accuracy and procedural efficacy. Some devices also require the ability to disconnect tubing without drips or spillage to prevent contact with hazardous fluids and to maintain a safe and clean environment. Analytical equipment used for diagnostics in laboratory or patient care facilities requires the same drip-free disconnect to maintain media integrity, prevent contact with biohazards and maintain a safe working environment.

Ink management — Whether ink is water-based, solvent-based or UV curable, any spillage is a problem. Like water-based inks, solvent-based inks leave a mess, but can also have noxious fumes. Because UV inks only dry under exposure to UV light, small spills wiped up with rags continue to stay wet long after cleanup. Non-spill connectors help keep ink in the system—eliminating the mess at the source—so ink never comes into contact with users or equipment components.

Liquid cooling of electronics — Non-spill connectors are ideal for use in liquid cooling applications. By reducing spillage of water or coolant to near zero, server rack technicians can confidently connect and disconnect them without fear of drips that can damage or destroy equipment. Color coding helps prevent misconnection between hot and cold lines (see figure 1). The latest design features ensure long-term functionality that accommodates prolonged static connections.

The range of non-spill quick disconnects for low-pressure applications continues to grow, from glass-filled polypropylene connectors in increasingly small package sizes to chrome-plated brass non-spills specifically designed for liquid cooling applications. The preceding six evolutionary traits explain why and how today’s non-spill connectors have been designed to meet the unique requirements of low-pressure fluid-handling environments. What started as a high-pressure non-spill coupling has expanded beyond the scope of hydraulics to bring non-spill performance to many industries—and very likely, to products of the future taking shape on CAD program screens today.

Terminology defined
术语定义

出于本次非泄漏技术讨论的目的，经常使用以下术语。与任何技术主题一样，理解和使用通用参考术语很重要。
For the purposes of this non-spill technology discussion, the following terminology is frequently used. As with any technical subject matter, it is important to understand and use common reference terminology.

溢出：每次断开连接器时阀面之间释放的液体体积。一滴水 = 0.05 毫升。传统的带阀的 3?8 英寸耦合器每个连接周期有 ~ 1 至 3 毫升或更多的溢出；CPC 无泄漏技术在低压下，在相同的 3?8 英寸流动面积的情况下，每个连接周期将泄漏量减少到 0.01 至 0.03 毫升。
Spillage: The volume of liquid between the valve faces released every time the connector is disconnected. One drop of water = 0.05 ml. A traditional valved 3?8 in. coupler has ~ 1 to 3 ml or more spillage per connection cycle; CPC non-spill technology reduces this volume to 0.01 to 0.03 ml spillage per connection cycle with the same 3?8 in. flow area, at low pressures.

包含：每次连接连接器时进入系统的空气量。传统的带阀 3?8 英寸耦合器在每个连接周期中含有约 2 毫升或更多的杂质；CPC 无泄漏技术在相同的 3?8 英寸流动面积下，将每个连接周期的体积减少到 ~ 0.4 毫升。
Inclusion: The volume of air put into a system every time the connector is connected. A traditional valved 3? 8 in. coupler has ~ 2 ml or more inclusion per connection cycle; CPC non-spill technology reduces this volume to ~ 0.4 ml inclusion per connection cycle with the same 3?8 in. flow area.

泄漏：连接或断开连接时从连接器中泄漏的介质。在设计良好的连接器中，无论其溢出量规格如何，都不应出现泄漏。
Leakage: Media that leaks out of the connector while connected or disconnected. In a well-designed connector, regardless of its spillage volume specifications, there should be no leakage.

流动面积：流体或气体介质流经的面积。用于指定接头尺寸以满足管道尺寸、压降、流速等要求。
Flow Area: The area through which the fluid or gas media travels. Used to specify coupling size to meet requirements of tubing size, pressure drop, flow rate, and so on.

key words: colder-non-spill-connectors

CPC (Colder Products Co.)