Rotatable flashboard gate valve
By adding guide holes to the wedge gate and combining the design of the drive mechanism and guide components, the problem of the wedge gate valve being unable to pass the ball is solved, making cleaning easier and the sealing performance improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510987610.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-05
AI Technical Summary
Ordinary wedge-type gate valves cannot be equipped with diversion holes, resulting in the inability to pass the ball, increasing the labor intensity of workers and making cleaning inconvenient, and failing to take into account the functions of the ball valve.
A rotatable gate valve is designed. A guide hole is added to the wedge-type gate, and the rotation and lifting movement of the gate are realized through a driving mechanism. Combined with a guide component, the sealing surface is ensured to be aligned with the valve seat to achieve the functions of diversion and sealing.
The passage of the cleaning ball is realized, the labor intensity of workers is reduced, the labor-saving opening and closing characteristics of the wedge gate valve are retained, and the sealing performance and cleaning convenience are improved.
Smart Images
Figure CN120593062A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of valves, and in particular to a rotatable gate valve. Background Art
[0002] Gate valves are a widely used type of valve, available in a variety of configurations to suit different operating conditions. The most common structure is the wedge gate valve. Wedge gate valves feature a compact design with few parts. Their sealing surfaces are flat, simplifying manufacturing. The sealing surfaces of wedge gate valves have a wear allowance, resulting in a long service life and easy maintenance. Wedge gate valves open and close by leveraging the valve stem to move the wedge-shaped gate disc up and down along the valve seat sealing surface. The torque required for opening and closing is relatively low, making the operation more labor-efficient. Consequently, wedge gate valves are widely used in petrochemical and thermal power plant pipelines as opening and closing devices to connect or disconnect media.
[0003] However, because the two sealing surfaces of a conventional wedge-type gate valve are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, designing a diversion hole along the top edge would result in interference; designing a diversion hole along the bottom edge would create a large gap, making it impossible to install a diversion hole in a conventional wedge-type gate valve. Newly built petrochemical pipelines require regular cleaning with pigs to reduce labor intensity. This has led to wedge-type gate valves, which cannot pass balls, being replaced by ball valves on small and medium-diameter pipelines, and by flat gate valves with diversion holes on large-diameter pipelines. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In order to overcome the above shortcomings, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a rotatable gate valve, which has a wedge-type gate and can be provided with a guide hole, so that the gate valve can also take into account the function of a ball valve and is easy to clean.
[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a rotatable gate valve, comprising: a valve body, the valve body comprising a flow channel extending in a first direction in a horizontal plane and a valve chamber located above the flow channel and communicating with the flow channel; A wedge gate plate, comprising two sealing surfaces spaced apart along a first direction and abutting surfaces spaced apart along a second direction in a horizontal plane, wherein a guide hole is provided in the middle of the wedge gate plate and is coaxial with the flow channel along the second direction; A driving mechanism, the driving mechanism includes a valve stem and a driving assembly, the valve stem is fixedly connected to the wedge gate, the driving assembly is used to drive the valve stem to move back and forth in the vertical direction so that the wedge gate can switch between the flow channel and the valve chamber, and when the wedge gate is located in the valve chamber, the driving assembly can drive the valve stem to rotate around its axis. The beneficial effects of the present invention are: A diversion hole is added to the wedge gate, which allows a pig to pass through when the diversion hole is connected to the flow channel to clean the gate valve. At the same time, the characteristics of the wedge gate valve are retained, and the gate valve is opened and closed when the wedge gate moves up and down.
[0006] The wedge-shaped gate can be raised and lowered while rotating. When the sealing surface blocks the flow path, the gate valve is closed. When the gate moves inward into the valve chamber, the gate valve is fully open. To clean the gate valve, the gate is rotated within the valve chamber and the wedge-shaped gate is lowered until the guide hole and flow path are coaxial. This also opens the gate valve. The wedge-shaped gate can move up and down to open and close the flow path, and it can also rotate. The guide hole guides the pig, allowing the gate valve to both clean and pass the pig.
[0007] Furthermore, guide plates are fixed to the upper surface of the wedge gate plate, which are located on both sides of the valve stem and extend axially along the guide hole. The guide plates extend out of the wedge gate plate, and the portion extending out of the wedge gate plate is provided with a guide groove. A guide strip that can be embedded in the guide groove is provided on the inner wall of the valve chamber. A gap with a height greater than the thickness of the guide plate is left between the guide strip and the top of the valve chamber. The valve stem can only rotate when the guide plate moves into the gap. The guide groove and the guide bar form a guide assembly. Through the cooperation of the guide groove and the guide bar, the angle of the gate is limited, and the gate can only move up and down after it rotates to the sealing surface or the docking surface is aligned with the valve seat. Furthermore, the valve stem has a rotation angle of 90°, and the guide strips include two opening guide strips spaced apart along a first direction and two closing guide strips spaced apart along a second direction.
[0008] Specifically, the valve body includes a valve seat portion extending beyond the sidewall of the valve chamber in a first direction. A positioning projection is provided on the upper surface of the valve seat portion, positioned directly below the opening guide strip. When the mating surface and the end surface of the valve seat portion abut against each other, the positioning projection engages with the guide groove. When the mating surface and the end surface of the valve seat portion abut against each other, the positioning projection engages with the guide groove, thereby ensuring concentricity between the guide hole and the valve body flow channel when the gate valve is open.
[0009] Furthermore, the upper end of the guide bar is a necked structure, which facilitates the guide bar to enter and exit the guide groove. At this time, even if the position of the guide groove is slightly offset, the guide bar can enter the guide groove due to the necked structure, and then guide the wedge gate when the guide groove continues to move downward.
[0010] Furthermore, the sealing surface and the abutment surface are both inclined relative to the vertical direction, and both slope downward toward the interior of the wedge gate. This inclined surface structure allows the sealing principle to be consistent with the bending of a conventional wedge gate valve when the sealing surface and the valve seat abut. The torque required during opening and closing is relatively small, resulting in more labor-saving opening and closing operations, high torque control reliability, and excellent sealing performance.
[0011] Furthermore, a recessed portion is formed in the area where the inner surface of the flow channel communicates with the valve chamber. This recessed portion extends in a groove-like manner along the circumference of the flow channel. The width of the sealing surface in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the flow channel is greater than the width of the abutment surface. The recessed portion accommodates sealing and abutment surfaces of varying widths. When the sealing surface abuts the valve seat, it closes the gate valve, exerting greater pressure on the sealing surface. Therefore, the sealing surface is configured to be wider to meet sealing requirements.
[0012] Furthermore, the wedge gate is detachably connected to the valve stem via the connecting block. This detachable connection facilitates replacement of the valve stem or wedge gate. The connecting block is provided with a T-slot, and the valve stem includes a T-shaped connector that fits within the T-slot. The connection between the T-slot and the T-shaped connector prevents relative rotation between the valve stem and the connection while transmitting motion.
[0013] Specifically, the drive mechanism includes a nut seat rotatably connected to the valve body and located above the valve chamber. The valve stem passes through the nut seat and is threadedly connected to the nut seat. A handwheel located above the valve body is fixed to the nut seat. Rotating the nut seat with the handwheel drives the valve stem up and down, thereby switching the gate between the flow channel and the valve chamber.
[0014] Furthermore, the upper end of the valve stem extends out of the valve body and is fixed with a handle, and the valve body is provided with a mark indicating the position of the handle. The handle and the mark can ensure that the valve stem rotates at an angle of 90 degrees. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a gate valve in an open state according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a wedge gate located in a valve chamber in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the wedge gate in the valve chamber after rotating 90 degrees in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a gate valve in a closed state according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a wedge gate according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the valve body according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 It is a top view of the valve body in the present invention.
[0016] In the picture: 1. Valve body; 11. Valve body; 111. Guide strip; 1111. Opening guide strip; 1112. Closing guide strip; 112. Valve seat; 1121. Positioning bump; 12. Valve cover; 1a. Flow channel; 11a. Concave portion; 1b. Valve chamber; 11b. Gap; 2. Wedge gate; 21. Sealing surface; 22. Docking surface; 23. Diversion hole; 3. Valve stem; 31. T-type connector; 4. Drive components; 41. Nut seat; 42. Handwheel; 43. Handle; 44. Bearing; 45. Gland; 5. Guide plate; 51. Guide groove; 6. Connecting block; 61. T-slot; 7. Filler. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby making a clearer and more precise definition of the protection scope of the present invention.
[0017] It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component described must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0018] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.
[0019] In the following figures, the first direction is the X direction in the figure, the second direction is the Y direction in the figure, and the vertical direction is the Z direction in the figure.
[0020] A rotatable gate valve of the present invention is shown in the attached Figure 1 As shown, it includes a valve body 1, a wedge gate 2 and a driving mechanism.
[0021] The valve body 1 includes a flow channel 1a extending in a first direction in a horizontal plane and a valve chamber 1b located above the flow channel 1a and communicating with the flow channel 1a. Figure 5 As shown, the wedge gate plate 2 includes two sealing surfaces 21 spaced apart along a first direction and abutting surfaces 22 spaced apart along a second direction in a horizontal plane. A guide hole 23 is provided in the middle of the wedge gate plate 2 along the second direction and coaxial with the flow channel 1a. The drive mechanism includes a valve stem 3 and a drive assembly 4. The valve stem 3 is fixedly connected to the wedge gate plate 2. The drive assembly 4 is used to drive the valve stem 3 to reciprocate in the vertical direction to switch the wedge gate plate 2 between the flow channel 1a and the valve chamber 1b. When the wedge gate plate 2 is in the valve chamber 1b, the drive assembly 4 can drive the valve stem 3 to rotate about its axis.
[0022] In this embodiment, a guide hole 23 is added to the wedge gate 2. When the guide hole 23 is connected to the flow channel 1a, a pipe cleaning ball can pass through to clean the gate valve. At the same time, the characteristics of the wedge gate valve are retained, and the gate valve is opened and closed when the wedge gate 2 moves up and down.
[0023] In this embodiment, the wedge gate 2 can be raised and lowered while being able to rotate. The rotation angle of the wedge gate 2 is 90°. When the sealing surface 21 blocks the flow channel 1a, the gate valve is in a closed state. When the gate valve needs to be cleaned, the gate is rotated in the valve chamber 1b, and the wedge gate is moved down until the guide hole 23 is coaxial with the flow channel 1a. At this time, the gate valve is in an open state. When the wedge gate 2 is moved up into the valve chamber 1b, the gate valve is also in an open state, and the wedge gate 2 can be rotated. In the gate valve of this embodiment, the wedge gate 2 can move up and down to open and close the flow channel 1a, and can also rotate. The guide hole 23 guides the pipe cleaning ball, allowing the gate valve to have a cleaning function that allows the pipe cleaning ball to pass through.
[0024] See attached Figure 6 and attached Figure 7 As shown, the valve body 1 includes a valve seat portion 112 extending out of the side wall of the valve chamber 1b in a first direction. The sealing surface 21 and the abutting surface are both inclined relative to the vertical direction, and both the sealing surface 21 and the abutting surface are inclined from top to bottom toward the interior of the wedge gate 2. The surfaces of the valve seat portion 112 that abut against the sealing surface 21 and the abutting surface are also inclined in the same manner. The gate valve includes the characteristics of the wedge gate valve in the prior art and adopts a structure with inclined surfaces. When the sealing surface 21 and the valve seat portion 112 abut, the sealing principle is consistent with the bending of an ordinary wedge gate valve. The torque required during the opening and closing process is relatively small, so the opening and closing operation is more labor-saving, the torque control is highly reliable, and the sealing performance is good.
[0025] In one embodiment, a recess 11a is formed in the area where the inner surface of flow channel 1a communicates with valve chamber 1b. Recess 11a extends in a groove-like manner along the circumference of flow channel 1a. The width of sealing surface 21 in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axial direction of flow channel 1a is greater than the width of the abutment surface. The provision of recess 11a accommodates sealing surfaces 21 and abutment surfaces of varying widths. The width of recess 11a in the second direction is greater than the width of sealing surface 21.
[0026] When the sealing surface 21 abuts against the valve seat portion 112 , it closes the gate valve. At this time, the pressure on the sealing surface 21 is relatively large, so the width of the sealing surface 21 is set to be wider to meet the sealing requirements.
[0027] The flow guide hole 23 can only effectively ensure the passage of fluid when it is coaxial with the flow channel 1a. Therefore, the wedge gate 2 must be able to rotate at a certain angle. After the wedge gate 2 has rotated to a specified angle and the sealing surface 21 and the abutting surface 22 are aligned with the valve seat 112, the wedge gate 2 in the valve chamber 1b can be moved downward.
[0028] Therefore, it is also necessary to set a guide component to guide the lifting of the wedge gate 2. Figure 7 and attached Figure 5 As shown, the guide assembly includes guide plates 5, which are fixed to the upper surface of the wedge gate 2. The guide plates 5 are located on both sides of the valve stem 3 and extend axially along the guide hole 23. The guide plates 5 extend beyond the wedge gate 2, and the portion extending beyond the wedge gate 2 is defined by a guide groove 51. A guide bar 111 is defined on the inner wall of the valve chamber 1b, which fits into the guide groove 51. A gap 11b is left between the guide bar 111 and the top of the valve chamber 1b. The valve stem 3 can only rotate when the guide plate 5 moves upward into the gap 11b. Only when the guide plate 5 moves upward into the gap 11b can it rotate 90°. The gate plate can only be raised or lowered when the guide groove 51 and the guide bar 111 are aligned. The cooperation between the guide groove 51 and the guide bar 111 limits the angle of the gate plate, allowing the gate plate to rotate until the sealing surface 21 or the abutting surface 22 is aligned with the valve seat 112 before it can move up and down.
[0029] The height of the gap 11b is greater than the thickness of the guide plate 5, so that the guide plate 5 can rotate after entering the gap 11b.
[0030] Because the valve stem 3 rotates at an angle of 90°, the guide strips 111 include two opening guide strips 1111 spaced apart along a first direction and two closing guide strips 1112 spaced apart along a second direction. When the guide groove 51 moves downward along the two opening guide strips 1111, the abutting surface 22 and the valve seat portion 112 are aligned. When the guide groove 51 moves downward along the two closing guide strips 1112, the sealing surface 21 and the valve seat portion 112 are aligned.
[0031] In order to further improve the concentricity of the guide hole 23 and the flow channel 1a, see the attached Figure 6 As shown, the upper surface of the valve seat portion 112 is provided with a positioning protrusion 1121 located directly below the opening guide strip 1111. When the docking surface 22 and the end surface of the valve seat portion 112 abut against each other, the positioning protrusion 1121 engages with the guide groove 51, ensuring the concentricity of the guide hole 23 and the flow channel 1a of the valve body 1 when the gate valve is opened.
[0032] In one embodiment, the upper end of the guide bar 111 is a necked structure, which facilitates the guide bar 111 to enter and exit the guide groove 51. At this time, even if the position of the guide groove 51 is slightly offset, the guide bar 111 can enter the guide groove 51 due to the necked structure, and then guide the wedge gate 2 when the guide groove 51 continues to move downward.
[0033] The guide bar 111 below the necking structure is a rectangular parallelepiped, and the necking structure has two sides that tilt upward from bottom to top toward one side approaching each other, forming a trapezoid with the upper base being the top.
[0034] See attached Figure 5 As shown, the wedge gate 2 is detachably connected to the valve stem 3 via a connecting block 6. The connecting block 6 is provided with a T-slot 61. The valve stem 3 includes a T-shaped insert 31 that can be inserted into the T-slot 61. The position of the T-shaped insert 31 within the T-slot 61 can be fine-tuned. In this way, when the guide groove 51 and the guide strip 111 or the positioning protrusion 1121 are not completely aligned, the guide strip 111 and the positioning protrusion 1121 can also fine-tune the angle of the wedge gate 2 through the guide groove 51 to align the sealing surface 21 and the mating surface 22 with the valve seat portion 112. The connection between the T-slot and the T-shaped insert 31 allows the valve stem 3 and the connection to transmit motion while preventing relative rotation between the two.
[0035] The connecting block 6 and the guide plate 5 are fixed to the wedge gate plate 2 by means of locking members (such as bolts), and may also be integrally formed.
[0036] The drive mechanism includes a nut seat 41 that is rotatably connected to the valve body 1 and located above the valve chamber 1b. The valve stem 3 passes through the nut seat 41 and is threadedly connected to the nut seat 41. A handwheel 42 located above the valve body 1 is fixed to the nut seat 41. Rotating the nut seat 41 by the handwheel 42 drives the valve stem 3 up and down, thereby switching the gate between the flow channel 1a and the valve chamber 1b.
[0037] A bearing 44 is provided between the nut seat 41 and the valve body 1. This arrangement allows for smoother rotation of the nut seat 41 and reduces operating force. The nut seat 41 and bearing 44 are secured by a gland 45. A boss is provided on the outer wall of the nut seat 41, and the pressure rod and boss cooperate to prevent vertical movement of the bearing 44 seat and the nut.
[0038] In one embodiment, to facilitate manual rotation of the valve stem 3, the upper end of the valve stem 3 extends beyond the valve body 1 and is secured with a handle 43. The handle 43 is rod-shaped. When the handle 43 is parallel to the flow channel 1a, the guide hole 23 is parallel to the flow channel 1a. When the handle 43 is perpendicular to the flow channel 1a, the guide hole 23 is perpendicular to the flow channel 1a.
[0039] A mark indicating the position of the handle 43 may also be provided on the valve body 1 to ensure that the handle 43 is rotated 90°.
[0040] See attached Figure 1 As shown, the valve body 1 comprises a main body 11 and a bonnet 12. The bonnet 12 is positioned above the main body 11, with a center flange gasket positioned between the two. The main body 11 and the bonnet 12 are secured together by multiple fasteners (bolts and nuts), forming a complete pressure boundary. A flow channel 1a is defined within the main body 11, forming a valve chamber 1b between the main body 11 and the bonnet 12. A nut seat 41 is provided on the bonnet 12.
[0041] A packing 7 is further provided between the valve cover 12 and the valve stem 3 . The packing 7 is compressed by a packing member to ensure sealing and prevent fluid from flowing out from between the valve stem 3 and the valve body 1 .
[0042] Attachment Figure 1 The gate valve is in the open state, at which time the guide hole 23 and the flow channel 1a are concentric. When the valve needs to be closed, hold the handle 43 firmly, rotate the hand wheel 42 counterclockwise, and lift the wedge gate 2 into the valve chamber 1b through the valve stem 3 until it reaches the adjacent Figure 2 The guide plate 5 is located at the gap 11b. Hold the hand wheel 42 steady and turn the handle 43 counterclockwise to drive the wedge gate 2 to rotate 90 degrees through the valve stem 3 to the adjacent Figure 3 Then hold the handle 43 steady, rotate the hand wheel 42 clockwise, and lower the wedge gate 2 to the bottom through the valve stem 3, reaching the adjacent Figure 4 The position shown in FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a position in which the guide plate 5 moves along the closing guide strip 1112. This process completes the process from opening to closing of the valve, and the process from closing the gate valve to opening is the reverse operation.
[0043] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Its purpose is to enable people familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. It cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A rotatable gate valve, characterized by: include: a valve body, the valve body comprising a flow channel extending in a first direction in a horizontal plane and a valve chamber located above the flow channel and communicating with the flow channel; A wedge gate plate, comprising two sealing surfaces spaced apart along a first direction and abutting surfaces spaced apart along a second direction in a horizontal plane, wherein a guide hole is provided in the middle of the wedge gate plate and is coaxial with the flow channel along the second direction; A driving mechanism, the driving mechanism includes a valve stem and a driving assembly, the valve stem is fixedly connected to the wedge gate, the driving assembly is used to drive the valve stem to move back and forth in the vertical direction so that the wedge gate can switch between the flow channel and the valve chamber, and when the wedge gate is located in the valve chamber, the driving assembly can drive the valve stem to rotate around its axis.
2. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: Guide plates are fixed to the upper surface of the wedge gate and are located on both sides of the valve stem and extend axially along the guide hole. The guide plates extend out of the wedge gate and a guide groove is provided on the portion extending out of the wedge gate. A guide strip that can be embedded in the guide groove is provided on the inner wall of the valve chamber. A gap with a height greater than the thickness of the guide plate is left between the guide strip and the top of the valve chamber. The valve stem can only rotate when the guide plate moves into the gap.
3. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The valve stem has a rotation angle of 90°, and the guide strips include two opening guide strips spaced apart along a first direction and two closing guide strips spaced apart along a second direction.
4. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 3, characterized in that: The valve body includes a valve seat portion extending out of the valve chamber side wall along a first direction, and the upper surface of the valve seat portion is provided with a positioning protrusion located directly below the opening guide strip, and when the docking surface and the end face of the valve seat portion abut against each other, the positioning protrusion is embedded in the guide groove.
5. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper end of the guide strip is a necked structure.
6. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing surface and the abutting surface are both arranged to be inclined relative to the vertical direction, and are both inclined from top to bottom toward the inside of the wedge gate.
7. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: A recess is formed in the area where the inner surface of the flow channel communicates with the valve chamber. The recess extends in a groove shape along the circumference of the flow channel. The width of the sealing surface in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the flow channel is greater than the width of the abutment surface.
8. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wedge gate is detachably connected to the valve stem via the connecting block. A T-slot is provided on the connecting block, and the valve stem includes a T-shaped plug-in portion that can be inserted into the T-slot.
9. The rotatable gate valve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The driving mechanism includes a nut seat rotatably connected to the valve body and located above the valve chamber. The valve stem passes through the nut seat and is threadedly connected to the nut seat. A handwheel located above the valve body is fixed on the nut seat.
10. The rotatable gate valve according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper end of the valve stem extends out of the valve body and is fixed with a handle, and a mark indicating the position of the handle is provided on the valve body.