Valve optimized for acoustic signature

Abstract

Shut-off body (10) for a valve, wherein the shut-off body (10) has a first opening and a second opening, wherein the shut-off body (10) has a first channel (20) between the first opening and the second opening, wherein the shut-off body (10) has at least one second channel (30), wherein the maximum cross-section of the second channel (30) is smaller than the minimum cross-section of the first channel (20), wherein the second channel (30) has a secondary opening (31), wherein the secondary opening (31) is either arranged next to the first opening or adjoins the first channel (20) adjacent to the first opening, wherein the first channel (20) has a first main flow direction at the secondary opening (31), wherein the second channel (30) has a first secondary flow direction at the secondary opening (31), wherein the first main flow direction and the first secondary flow direction have an angle of less than 45° to each other.wherein the second channel (30) has a secondary outlet (32), wherein the secondary outlet (32) is arranged at the end of the second channel (30) opposite the secondary opening (31), wherein the secondary outlet (32) opens into the first channel (20) within the shut-off body, wherein the first channel (20) has a second main flow direction at the secondary outlet (32), wherein the second channel (30) has a second secondary flow direction at the secondary outlet (32), wherein the second main flow direction and the second secondary flow direction have an angle of more than 90° to each other, characterized in that the shut-off body (10) has at least one third channel (40), wherein the third channel (40) has a further secondary opening (41),wherein the further secondary opening (41) is either arranged next to the second opening or in the first channel (20) adjacent to the second opening and at an acute angle of less than 45° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the third channel (40) at the location of the secondary opening (41), such that the first channel (20) and the third channel (40) flow through the second secondary opening (41) in the same direction, wherein the third channel (40) has a further secondary outlet (42), wherein the further secondary outlet (42) is arranged at the end of the third channel (40) opposite the further secondary opening (41), wherein the further secondary outlet (42) opens into the first channel (20), wherein the third channel (40) is arranged at an angle of more than 90° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the third channel (40) at the location of the further secondary outlet (42),so that the flow direction of the third channel (40) is at least partially opposite to the flow direction of the first channel (20) at the location of the further secondary outlet (42).

Description

The invention relates to a valve which has a particularly low acoustic signature when opened.Valves are used to block or release fluid flows. For this purpose, a shut-off body is often used, which is moved in the valve in order to close, open or direct the flow. For example, a shut-off body can be a rotatable tap, for example spherical or conical. Alternatively, the shut-off body can also be moved perpendicular to the fluid direction. In addition to pure shut-off valves, however, multiway valves can also be used, as for example a three-way valve. For example, T-shaped connections are provided with a valve in order to control the fluid flow direction between the connections in a targeted manner. At the base of the T (bottom), there is for example a switching device or the like, somewhat into which the fluid is required, many times out. On one side of the T-beam there is an inlet, on the opposite side the outlet. In this example, a valve with a rectangular opening is then used to selectively connect the device to the inlet or outlet. At the moment the valve is opened and a flow begins, the pressure wave of the fluid generates a pressure shock and thus a noise during the deflection.Usually, such a shut-off body for such a valve is produced by inserting the two arms of the right angle into the shut-off body by drilling.However, such transients are to be avoided on board a submarine in order to keep the acoustic signature as low as possible and thus minimize the risk of discovery.U.S. Pat. No. 1,329,559 A discloses the so-called Tesla valve, which acts as a quasi diode or check valve and allows fluid flows to pass only in one direction.It is an object of the invention to provide a valve which has a significantly reduced signature during opening.This object is achieved by the shut-off body having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous refinements emerge from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.The shut-off body according to the invention has a first opening and a second opening. The openings serve to allow the fluid to flow through the shut-off body in the correct switching position. The shut-off body has a first channel between the first opening and the second opening. The fluid thus flows, for example, through the first opening into the shut-off body and the first channel, flows through the channel and leaves the first channel and thus also the shut-off body through the second opening. By rotation, the shut-off body can be switched between an open and a closed position and thus either allow fluid to pass through or shut off.According to the invention, the shut-off body has at least one second channel. The maximum cross section of the second channel is smaller than the minimum cross section of the first channel. As a result, more fluid flows through the first channel than through the second channel when the shut-off body is fully opened. The second channel has a secondary opening. Further, the second channel has a sub-outlet. The second channel thus extends from the auxiliary opening to the auxiliary outlet and can thus guide fluid between them. In a first alternative, the secondary opening is arranged next to the first opening. In this embodiment, the first opening and the secondary opening can be arranged next to one another on the surface and preferably close to one another. Preferably, the secondary opening is located upstream of the first opening in the opening direction of the shut-off body. In a second alternative, the secondary opening opens into the first channel, namely adjacent to the first opening. A partial flow of the entire fluid flow flowing through the shut-off body is thus separated off and flows through the second channel, wherein this branched partial flow is smaller due to the smaller cross section. The second channel is thus a secondary channel to the first channel. The first channel has a first main flow direction at the secondary opening, the second channel has a first secondary flow direction at the secondary opening. The first main flow direction and the first secondary flow direction have an angle of less than 45° to one another. The first channel and the second channel are flowed through substantially in the same direction as in the region of the secondary opening. The second channel has a secondary outlet. The auxiliary outlet is arranged at the end of the second channel opposite the auxiliary opening. The second channel thus leads from the auxiliary opening to the auxiliary outlet. The secondary outlet thus opens into the first channel within the shut-off body. The first channel has a second main flow direction at the secondary outlet, the second channel has a second secondary flow direction at the secondary outlet. The second main flow direction and the second secondary flow direction have an angle of more than 90° with respect to one another. As a result, the flow at the merging is at least partially opposed. This in turn has the result that when the valve is opened, there is no pressure surge which generates a noise during the next fluid deflection, in particular within the shut-off body.As stated above, the maximum cross section of the second channel is smaller than the minimum cross section of the first channel. In this context, it is meant in particular that the maximum cross section of the second channel is only a fraction of the minimum cross section of the first channel. In particular, the maximum cross section of the second channel is at most 1⁄2, preferably at most 1⁄2, particularly preferably at most of the minimum cross section of the first channel. Naturally, the cross section of the second channel is always greater than zero.Whereas in the Tesla valve a series of such counter-directed flows is used in order to allow a fluid to flow only in the opposite direction and thus to act like a blocking diode, according to the invention there is a flow through precisely in the "blocking direction", but only one stage is realized, so that when the valve is open the fluid can still flow through the blocking body and only slightly braked. Although this flow resistance is disadvantageous, it is accepted in order to significantly reduce the acoustic signature when it is opened and thus to reduce the risk of discovery and thus to increase the survivability.The invention is thus realized completely in the shut-off body and thus a shut-off body according to the invention can also be subsequently integrated into an existing valve. The valve body, which is necessary for the functioning of the valve and in which the shut-off body is arranged movably, is therefore not an obligatory constituent part of the invention.In a further embodiment of the invention, the shut-off body has at least two second channels. Further second channels can also be provided. Here, there are two arrangements for two or more second channels. In the first arrangement form, these second channels are arranged on the same side of the first channel, namely on the side through which flow takes place first when the shut-off body is opened, that is to say is opened first. As a result, the shut-off body has a clear working direction. In a second arrangement form, the two second channels are arranged opposite one another, so that, depending on the direction of rotation, one of the two second channels is arranged in front of the first channel in the opening direction of the shut-off body. As a result, the shut-off body can be operated independently of the direction of rotation and exhibits the effect according to the invention independently of the direction of rotation. In this case, a plurality of second channels can have different cross sections, in particular different cross-sectional areas. In particular, the second channel situated in front of the first channel in the direction of rotation can have the largest cross-sectional area, while the second channels situated next to the sides have ever smaller cross-sectional areas.In a further embodiment of the invention, the secondary opening is arranged next to the first opening in such a way that the secondary opening is closed again when the shut-off body is fully opened. This has the advantage that the braking effect occurs only during the opening, i.e. at the moment at which the pressure gradient of the fluid can generate a particularly strong transient as a result of the inflow. When the opening is complete, the flow resistance in the shut-off body is then minimal again.In a further embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary opening has an acute angle, namely at an angle of less than 45° between the axis of the first channel and the axis of the second channel at the location of the auxiliary opening. As a result, the flow through the first channel and the second channel at the secondary opening is in the same direction. The auxiliary outlet opens into the first channel in such a way that the second channel has an angle of more than 90° between the axis of the first channel and the axis of the second channel at the location of the auxiliary outlet. This has the result that the flow direction of a fluid flowing through the second channel from the auxiliary opening to the auxiliary outlet is at least proportionally opposed to the flow direction of the fluid flowing through the first channel at the location of the auxiliary outlet.In a further embodiment of the invention, the shut-off body has at least one third channel. The third channel is arranged analogously to the second channel, only on the opposite side of the first channel. The third channel has a further secondary opening. The further auxiliary opening is arranged either next to the second opening. Alternatively, the further secondary opening can open into the first channel adjacent to the second opening and be arranged at an acute angle of less than 45° between the axis of the first channel and the axis of the third channel at the location of the secondary opening, so that the flow through the first channel and the third channel at the further secondary opening is in the same direction. The third channel has a further secondary outlet. The further auxiliary outlet is arranged at the end of the third channel opposite the further auxiliary opening. The further secondary outlet opens into the first channel. The third channel is arranged at an angle of more than 90° between the axis of the first channel and the axis of the third channel at the location of the further auxiliary outlet, so that the flow direction of the third channel is at least proportionally opposed to the flow direction of the first channel at the location of the further auxiliary outlet. Thus, the third channel functionally corresponds to the second channel, but is arranged at the other end of the first channel and thus enables the effect according to the invention in the opposite flow direction. This allows the shut-off body to be opened in both flow directions. This is preferred, for example, if the valve is T-shaped in order to convey a fluid into a device and out again.In a further embodiment of the invention, the shut-off body has at least two third channels. The same applies to the discussion given for a plurality of second channels.In a further embodiment of the invention, the further secondary opening is arranged next to the second opening in such a way that the further secondary opening is closed again when the shut-off body is fully opened. This has the advantage that the braking effect occurs only during the opening, i.e. at the moment at which the pressure gradient of the fluid can generate a particularly strong transient as a result of the inflow.Preferably, the second channel and the third channel are mirror-symmetrical to each other.In a further embodiment of the invention, the first channel has a cross-sectional widening in the region of the secondary outlet. As a result, the flow conditions can be optimized when the opposite flow is supplied.In a further embodiment of the invention, the shut-off body has a round cross section. For example, the shut-off body is of spherical or conical design. Preferably, the first channel runs around the center of the shut-off body by more than 180°. As a result, the installation space in the interior of the shut-off body can be optimally utilized, even if the flow resistance is increased overall as a result by the longer first channel.In a further embodiment of the invention, the shut-off body is produced by means of additive manufacturing technologies. Production in the additive production process makes possible internal structures which cannot be achieved with abrasive processes. Therefore, the additive manufacturing method for the second channels and third channels is particularly advantageous. An optimum utilization of the space in the shut-off body by an extension of the first channel is thus also easier to realize. It is therefore not the additive manufacturing method per se which gives the shut-off body new properties, but rather it enables the complex structures within the shut-off body.In a further embodiment of the invention, the valve is a ball valve with a ball shut-off body according to the invention. As an alternative to another valve, the shut-off body in the tap can also be formed, for example, in the shape of a cylinder or truncated cone.In a further embodiment of the invention, the valve has a valve body and a shut-off body arranged in the valve body, wherein the secondary opening is arranged next to the first opening. The valve body has a main body outlet which, in the open state, is brought into register with the first opening. Furthermore, the valve body has a secondary body outlet which can be brought into register with the secondary opening. The valve body includes a first body channel and a second body channel, the first body channel being connected to the main body outlet and the second body channel being connected to the sub-body outlet. The second body channel opens into the first body channel at the end opposite the secondary body outlet. Preferably, the secondary body outlet and the secondary opening are aligned only in the partially opened state, are not aligned in the fully opened state and thus the flow through the second body channel and the second channel is prevented. In particular, only one connection exists between the secondary body outlet and the secondary inlet only in a region of the shut-off body position in which the through-flow opening of the first channel is opened between 0% and 75%, preferably between 0% and 50% or particularly preferably between 0% and 25%, based on the widest possible opening of the first channel.A further aspect of the invention relates to a submarine with a shut-off body according to the invention.The shut-off body according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a shut-off body-prior art FIG. 2 shows a first example FIG. 3 shows a second example FIG. 4 shows a third example FIG. 5 shows a fourth example FIG. 6 shows a fifth example FIG. 7 shows a sixth exampleLike components are provided with like reference numerals in the different embodiments.FIG. 1 shows a shut-off body 10 according to the prior art. A deflection of 90° is shown between the first opening 21 and the second opening 22, In addition, a further inlet or outlet could be arranged on the left, so that the shut-off body 10 can be switched between three positions. This applies analogously also to the following examples.FIG. 2 shows a first example. Adjacent to the first opening 21, a second channel 30 branches off at the secondary opening 31, which channel is flowed through like the first channel. At the end, the second channel 30 turns so that the auxiliary outlet 32 guides the fluid stream flowing through the second channel 30 at least proportionally in the opposite direction to the main fluid stream through the first channel 20. On the opposite side of the first channel 20, a third channel 40 is arranged in an analogous manner. The further secondary opening 41 is arranged adjacent to the second opening. The third channel 40 also makes a turn at the end, so that the further secondary outlet 42 guides the fluid stream flowing through the third channel 40 at least partially in the opposite direction to the main fluid stream through the first channel 20. Due to the mirror-symmetrical embodiment, switching according to the invention can take place in both rotational directions and independently of the prevailing fluid flow direction.The second example shown in FIG. 3 differs from the first example shown in FIG. 2 in that the secondary inlet 31 is arranged next to the first opening 21 and the further secondary inlet 41 is arranged next to the second opening 22. The third example shown in FIG. 4 again differs therefrom in that the secondary inlet 31 is arranged next to the first opening 21 in such a way that the secondary inlet 31 is no longer flowed through when the shut-off body 10 is fully open. Analogously, the further secondary inlet 41 is arranged next to the second opening 22 in such a way that the flow through the further secondary inlet 41 is no longer the case when the shut-off body 10 is fully open.FIG. 5 shows a cross section through the first opening 21 and thus a fourth example. The fourth example has five secondary inlets 31, wherein the central secondary inlet 31 situated in front of the first inlet 21 in the direction of rotation has a larger cross section and the secondary inlets 31 become slightly smaller towards the outside.FIG. 6 shows a cross section through the first opening 21 and thus a fifth example. The fifth example has a sub-inlet 31 disposed in a recess in the first opening 21.In order to further increase the symmetry and thus the independence from the direction of rotation, the sixth example shown in FIG. 7 has in the direction of rotation a respective second channel 30 in front of or behind the first opening 21 and in an analogous further respective third channel 40 in front of or behind the second opening 22. This sixth example is thus made even more independent of the direction of flow of the fluid and the direction of rotation.Reference numerals denote reference numerals10 Shut-off body 20 first channel 21 first opening 22 second opening 30 second channel 31 secondary opening 32 secondary outlet 40 third channel 41 further secondary opening 42 further secondary outletReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedU.S. Pat. No. 1,329,559 A

[0005]

Claims

A valve obturator (10), the obturator (10) having a first opening and a second opening, the obturator (10) having a first channel (20) between the first opening and the second opening, characterized in that the obturator (10) has at least one second channel (30), the maximum cross-section of the second channel (30) being smaller than the minimum cross-section of the first channel (20), the second channel (30) having a secondary opening (31), the secondary opening (31) being either arranged next to the first opening or adjoining the first channel (20) next to the first opening, the first channel (20) having a first main flow direction at the secondary opening (31), the second channel (30) having a first secondary flow direction at the secondary opening (31), wherein the first main flow direction and the first auxiliary flow direction have an angle of less than 45° with respect to one another, wherein the second channel (30) has an auxiliary outlet (32), wherein the auxiliary outlet (32) is arranged at the end of the second channel (30) opposite the auxiliary opening (31), wherein the auxiliary outlet (32) opens into the first channel (20) within the shut-off body, wherein the first channel (20) has a second main flow direction at the auxiliary outlet (32), wherein the second channel (30) has a second auxiliary flow direction at the auxiliary outlet (32), wherein the second main flow direction and the second auxiliary flow direction have an angle of more than 90° with respect to one another.Shut-off body (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the shut-off body (10) has at least two second channels.Shut-off body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary opening (31) has an acute angle of less than 45° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the second channel (30) at the location of the secondary opening (31), wherein the second channel (30) has an angle of more than 90° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the second channel (30) at the location of the secondary outlet (32).Shut-off body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shut-off body (10) has at least one third channel (40), wherein the third channel (40) has a further secondary opening (41), wherein the further secondary opening (41) is arranged either next to the second opening or is introduced into the first channel (20) adjacent to the second opening and at an acute angle of less than 45° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the third channel (40) at the location of the secondary opening (41), such that the first channel (20) and the third channel (40) are flowed through in the same direction at the further secondary opening (41), wherein the third channel (40) has a further secondary outlet (42), wherein the further secondary outlet (42) is arranged at the end of the third channel (40) opposite the further secondary opening (41), wherein the further secondary outlet (42) opens into the first channel (20), wherein the third channel (40) is arranged at an angle of more than 90° between the axis of the first channel (20) and the axis of the third channel (40) at the location of the further secondary outlet (42), such that the flow direction of the third channel (40) is at least proportionally opposed to the flow direction of the first channel (20) at the location of the further secondary outlet (42).Shut-off body (10) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the shut-off body (10) has at least two third channels.Shut-off body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first channel (20) has a cross-sectional widening in the region of the secondary outlet (32).Shut-off body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first channel (20) runs around the centre point of the shut-off body (10) by more than 180°.Shut-off body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shut-off body (10) is produced by means of additive manufacturing technologies.

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