1. Suzanne Lochert a1078416 Supervisors: Frank Wornle George Osborne
Design of a Miniature Pressure Regulator for use with a Pneumatically Actuated Artificial Arm
Suzanne Lochert a
Supervisors: Frank Wornle
George Osborne

2. Overview Introduction Aims of the Project
Current Limitations of Regulators
The Design
Benefits of the Design
Matlab Simulations
Future Work
Conclusions

3. Introduction A pressure regulator is used for Pneumatic applications
A regulator reduces pressure and also regulates it
For this application the pressure entering the Air Muscle needs to be controlled
Wide Variety of Pressure Regulators
Spring or Weight Loaded
Single or Multiple Diaphragms
Pilot operated pressure regulator
Popeck, 2001
Gas and Fuel corporation of Victoria (GFCV), 1976

4. Aims of the Project Create a miniature pressure regulator
This regulator is to be used with the Air Muscle to allow applications to be autonomous
This requires
a portable air supply
a small and lightweight regulator
The Air Muscle developed at the University of Adelaide, photo Suzanne Lochert, 2005

5. Current Limitations of Pressure Regulators
Size of Regulators
Inability to
Vary outlet pressure
Handle large pressures
Reduce the pressure sufficiently
Hence current regulators do not meet specifications for project
Photo Suzanne Lochert 2005, Regulator courtesy of Mick Irvine, Office of the Technical Regulator

6. The Design

7. Benefits of the Design Spring Loaded* Single diaphragm
Safety pressure relief*
Valve positioning system
Ease of Assembly
*Gas and Fuel corporation of Victoria (GFCV), 1976

8. Matlab Simulations
A static model of the system was created using an m-file and simulink to determine system parameters
A dynamic simulation of the system was then created using information from the static model and modelled in Simulink
Dynamic model of Regulator with no disturbance
Dynamic model of Regulator with a disturbance

9. Future Work The regulator once manufactured will be tested
These tests will be based on tests from Australian Standards
The regulator will then be utilised for applications using the Air Muscle

10. Conclusions
The Miniature Pressure Regulator has been designed by combining aspects of available regulators to be the optimal design for this application
The simulations performed using Matlab helped to optimise the design of the pressure regulator