Three-position multi-channel plug valve

Abstract

The invention discloses a three-position multi-channel plug valve, and belongs to the technical field of fluid control. The plug valve comprises a valve body, a cylindrical plug valve core, a driving mechanism and a unique sealing assembly. The valve body is provided with a plurality of external connectors, and the plug valve element rotates in the valve cavity to achieve switching of different working positions. The core is that the seal assembly adopts the combination of a customized lip-shaped seal part and a compensation O-shaped ring; the lip-shaped seal part realizes main seal, so that the problem that the ring is cut by a via hole can be effectively avoided; and the compensation O-shaped ring provides continuous pre-tightening force to compensate the abrasion of the sealing element. The combination of a plurality of traditional ball valves is replaced by a highly integrated structure, the size and the weight are remarkably reduced, and meanwhile, the high-reliability ball valve has the advantages of low flow resistance, high reliability and low leakage rate and is particularly suitable for the fields of aerospace aviation and petrochemical engineering with strict requirements for space and performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fluid control valve technology, and in particular to a three-position multi-channel rotary valve. Background Technology

[0002] In aerospace (such as environmental control and life support systems) and petrochemical fields, reaction beds are frequently used to adsorb, react, and desorb working fluids. These systems typically contain two or more reaction beds, requiring a complex valve system to periodically switch between different operating states. For example, while one reaction bed is performing adsorption, another is undergoing heating, desorption, and regeneration; subsequently, the two beds switch functions, possibly with a pressure equalization (gas throttling) process in between.

[0003] The traditional solution is to use multiple two-position three-way ball valves or three-position three-way ball valves connected in series or in parallel to achieve the complex switching logic described above. However, this combination method has disadvantages such as large size and weight, low reliability, and high flow resistance.

[0004] Although some planar rotary valves on the market typically rely on planar seals, their sealing performance and flow resistance characteristics often fail to meet the high requirements of aerospace-grade applications under high pressure differential or high flow conditions.

[0005] In summary, there is an urgent need for a highly integrated, small-sized, lightweight, low-flow-resistance, highly reliable, and long-life three-position multi-channel switching valve. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application provides a three-position multi-channel rotary valve. The main purpose is to solve the technical problems of large size, heavy weight and poor reliability of existing multi-valve combination schemes, while meeting the requirements of high sealing performance and long service life.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a three-position multi-channel plug valve is provided, comprising: a valve body having a cylindrical valve cavity within the valve body, and the valve body having a plurality of external interfaces communicating with the valve cavity; a plug valve core rotatably disposed within the valve cavity, the plug valve core having a plurality of internal flow channels; a drive mechanism connected to the plug valve core for driving the plug valve core to switch between at least three working positions to change the communication state between the plurality of external interfaces; and a sealing assembly disposed between the plug valve core and the valve body, the sealing assembly including a custom lip seal and a compensating O-ring; wherein the custom lip seal cooperates with the outer surface of the plug valve core to achieve a primary seal, and the compensating O-ring is disposed on the side of the custom lip seal facing away from the sealing interface to provide sealing preload and wear compensation.

[0008] Furthermore, the seal is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

[0009] The core of this invention lies in the integrated structure of a cylindrical plug and the combined sealing method of a lip seal and an O-ring. The cylindrical plug structure naturally has the advantages of smooth flow and low flow resistance. In the combined sealing structure, the customized lip seal (preferably made of PTFE) can adapt well to rotational motion, avoiding the problem of traditional O-rings being easily cut and failing when sliding past the valve body orifice; the rear-mounted compensating O-ring acts like a spring, always providing a constant clamping force to the lip seal, and can effectively compensate even after the lip wears, thus ensuring high sealing performance over a long service life.

[0010] Furthermore, the external interface includes: a first reaction bed interface and a second reaction bed interface; a working fluid inlet; a first working fluid outlet, a second working fluid outlet and a third working fluid outlet; and a vacuum exhaust port.

[0011] Furthermore, the three working positions include: a first working state: the working fluid inlet is connected to the first reaction bed interface, and the first reaction bed interface is also connected to the first working fluid outlet and the third working fluid outlet respectively; at the same time, the second reaction bed interface and the second working fluid outlet are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port; Intermediate process: The working fluid inlet, the third working fluid outlet, and the vacuum exhaust port are all shut off; the first reaction bed interface, the first working fluid outlet, the second working fluid outlet, and the second reaction bed interface are interconnected; Second working state: The working fluid inlet is connected to the second reaction bed interface, and the second reaction bed interface is also connected to the second working fluid outlet and the third working fluid outlet respectively; at the same time, the first reaction bed interface and the first working fluid outlet are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port.

[0012] Furthermore, the three-position multi-channel plug valve also includes: a left end cover and a right end cover, which are respectively sealed and fixed to both ends of the valve body; a first needle roller bearing and a second needle roller bearing, which are respectively installed in the left end cover and the right end cover to support the rotating shafts at both ends of the plug valve core.

[0013] Furthermore, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a reduction mechanism. The motor is connected to one end of the rotary valve core via the reduction mechanism, and the motor is equipped with a controller for controlling the rotation angle.

[0014] Furthermore, the mating surfaces of the plug valve core and the seal are ground.

[0015] Furthermore, the external interface on the valve body is connected to an external pipeline via a connector, and a connector sealing ring is provided between the connector and the valve body.

[0016] Furthermore, the valve body is also equipped with a position sensor for detecting and outputting the current working position signal of the plug valve core in real time.

[0017] Furthermore, the position sensor is an encoder or a proximity switch, and the encoder or proximity switch is communicatively connected to the controller of the drive mechanism.

[0018] Beneficial effects: This application replaces a combination of multiple valves with a single valve, significantly reducing size and weight, and saving valuable aerospace resources. The unique combined sealing structure of this application ensures that the leakage rate remains at 6 × 10⁻⁶ after multiple cycles of operation. -4 The Pa·m³ / s level meets stringent system requirements. The cylindrical plug structure ensures unobstructed flow channels, and actual measurements show that the flow resistance is only 200~250Pa at a high flow rate of 700L / min.

[0019] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, as part of this invention, are provided to further illustrate the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. Clearly, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0021] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the working principle (position connectivity) of the three-position multi-channel plug valve provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the three-position multi-channel plug valve provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the external shape of the three-position multi-channel plug valve provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 4 This diagram shows the external shape of the three-position multi-channel plug valve provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another angle.

[0022] Icon labels: 1. First needle roller bearing; 2. Right end cover; 3. First connecting piece; 4. Rotary valve core; 5. Valve body; 7. Joint sealing ring; 8. Compensation structure; 9. Seal; 11. Joint; 12. Left end cover; 13. Second needle roller bearing; 14. Interface; V1, First reaction bed interface; V2, First working fluid outlet; V3, Second reaction bed interface; V4, Second working fluid outlet; V5, Working fluid inlet; V6, Third working fluid outlet; V7, Vacuum exhaust port.

[0023] It should be noted that these accompanying drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] Example like Figure 1-4 As shown, the three-position multi-channel plug valve of the present invention is mainly composed of a valve body 5, a plug valve core 4, a left end cover 12, a right end cover 2, and a sealing assembly.

[0028] In one feasible embodiment, the valve body 5 has a precisely machined cylindrical valve cavity. The plug valve core 4 is supported in the left end cover 12 and the right end cover 2 by first needle roller bearings 1 and second needle roller bearings 13 at both ends. The left end cover 12 and the right end cover 2 are connected to the valve body by a first connector 3 (preferably a hexagonal spiral assembly). The first needle roller bearings 1 and the second needle roller bearings 13 support the rotating shafts at both ends of the plug valve core 4, allowing it to rotate flexibly within the valve cavity. Multiple external interfaces (such as...) are distributed on the outer circumference of the valve body 5. Figure 1The first reaction bed interface V1, the first working fluid outlet V2, the second reaction bed interface V3, the second working fluid outlet V4, the working fluid inlet V5, the third working fluid outlet V6, and the vacuum exhaust port V7 shown are connected to external pipelines through connectors 11, and the connection is sealed by connector sealing rings 7.

[0029] In this embodiment, the stopcock valve core 4 is the core moving component, which is rotatably disposed within the valve cavity, and its internal structure is determined according to... Figure 1 The logic shown has multiple complex interconnected flow channels. By driving the valve core 4 to rotate to different angles via an external motor (installed at interface 14), the correspondence between these flow channels and the external interfaces on the valve body 5 (first reaction bed interface V1, first working medium outlet V2, second reaction bed interface V3, second working medium outlet V4, working medium inlet V5, third working medium outlet V6, vacuum exhaust port V7) can be changed, thereby realizing the switching of flow paths.

[0030] In one feasible implementation, sealing is key to the invention. A unique combined sealing structure is provided on the mating surface between the valve core 4 and the valve body 5: the sealing element 9, a custom-made PTFE lip seal, directly contacts the rotating valve core. PTFE has an extremely low coefficient of friction and excellent wear resistance, and the lip structure can "cross" the orifices on the inner wall of the valve body without being cut. A rubber compensating O-ring 8 is installed on the back (stationary side) of the lip seal 9. This O-ring not only provides a static seal, but more importantly, it acts like a spring, constantly applying a radial clamping force to the lip seal. When the lip seal experiences slight wear after long-term operation, the rebound force of the O-ring can promptly compensate for this gap, ensuring a consistently tight seal.

[0031] In this embodiment, the mating surfaces of the plug valve core 4 and the sealing element 9 are ground.

[0032] In one feasible implementation, the three-position multi-channel plug valve further includes a drive mechanism connected to the plug valve core 4, which drives the plug valve core 4 to switch between at least three working positions to change the connection state between the multiple external interfaces. The three working positions include: First working state: The working fluid inlet V5 is connected to the first reaction bed interface V1, and the first reaction bed interface V1 is also connected to the first working fluid outlet V2 and the third working fluid outlet V6 respectively; simultaneously, the second reaction bed interface V3 and the second working fluid outlet V4 are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port V7; Intermediate process: The working fluid inlet V5, the third working fluid outlet V6, and the vacuum exhaust port V7 are all shut down; the first reaction bed interface V1, the first working fluid outlet V2, the second working fluid outlet V4, and the second reaction bed interface V3 are interconnected; Second working state: The working fluid inlet V5 is connected to the second reaction bed interface V3, and the second reaction bed interface V3 is also connected to the second working fluid outlet V4 and the third working fluid outlet V6 respectively; simultaneously, the first reaction bed interface V1 and the first working fluid outlet V2 are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port V7.

[0033] In this embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a reduction mechanism. The motor is connected to one end of the rotary valve core 4 via the reduction mechanism, and the motor is equipped with a controller for controlling the rotation angle.

[0034] In one feasible implementation, the valve body 5 is further provided with a position sensor for detecting and outputting the current working position signal of the plug valve core 4 in real time; preferably, the position sensor is an encoder or a proximity switch, and the encoder or proximity switch is communicatively connected to the controller of the drive mechanism.

[0035] Actual testing shows that after 50,000 full-stroke switching cycles, the overall leakage rate of the three-position multi-channel plug valve only decreased from the initial 1×10⁻⁶. -4 Pa·m³ / s increased slightly to 6×10 -4 Pa·m³ / s is still far superior to 1.0×10 - The system index of 3Pa·m³ / s verifies the excellent performance of this sealing structure.

[0036] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-described technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. The implementation schemes in the above embodiments can also be further combined or replaced. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A three-position multi-channel plug valve, characterized in that, include: The valve body (5) has a valve cavity inside, and the valve body (5) has multiple external interfaces communicating with the valve cavity. A plug valve core (4) is rotatably disposed in the valve cavity, and the plug valve core (4) has multiple internal flow channels. A drive mechanism, connected to the plug valve core (4), is used to drive the plug valve core (4) to switch between at least three working positions to change the communication state between the multiple external interfaces; A sealing assembly is disposed between the plug valve core (4) and the valve body (5), the sealing assembly including a seal (9) and a compensation structure (8). The sealing element (9) is used to form a main seal with the outer surface of the plug valve core (4), and the compensation structure (8) is located on the side of the sealing element (9) away from the sealing interface.

2. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seal (9) is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

3. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external interface includes: First reaction bed interface (V1) and second reaction bed interface (V3); Working fluid inlet (V5); First working fluid outlet (V2), second working fluid outlet (V4), and third working fluid outlet (V6); Vacuum exhaust port (V7).

4. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, The three working positions include: First working state: The working fluid inlet (V5) is connected to the first reaction bed interface (V1), and the first reaction bed interface (V1) is also connected to the first working fluid outlet (V2) and the third working fluid outlet (V6) respectively; at the same time, the second reaction bed interface (V3) and the second working fluid outlet (V4) are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port (V7). Intermediate process: The working fluid inlet (V5), the third working fluid outlet (V6), and the vacuum exhaust port (V7) are all shut off; the first reaction bed interface (V1), the first working fluid outlet (V2), the second working fluid outlet (V4), and the second reaction bed interface (V3) are interconnected; Second working state: The working fluid inlet (V5) is connected to the second reaction bed interface (V3), and the second reaction bed interface (V3) is also connected to the second working fluid outlet (V4) and the third working fluid outlet (V6) respectively; at the same time, the first reaction bed interface (V1) and the first working fluid outlet (V2) are both connected to the vacuum exhaust port (V7).

5. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The left end cap (12) and the right end cap (2) are respectively sealed and fixed to both ends of the valve body (5); The first needle roller bearing (1) and the second needle roller bearing (13) are respectively installed in the left end cover (12) and the right end cover (2) to support the rotating shafts at both ends of the plug valve core (4).

6. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a motor and a reduction mechanism. The motor is connected to one end of the rotary valve core (4) via the reduction mechanism, and the motor is equipped with a controller for controlling the rotation angle.

7. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mating surfaces of the plug valve core (4) and the seal (9) are ground.

8. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external interface on the valve body (5) is connected to an external pipeline through a connector (11), and a connector sealing ring (7) is provided between the connector (11) and the valve body (5).

9. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (5) is also equipped with a position sensor, which is used to detect and output the current working position signal of the plug valve core (4) in real time.

10. The three-position multi-channel plug valve according to claim 9, characterized in that, The position sensor is an encoder or a proximity switch, and the encoder or proximity switch is communicatively connected to the controller of the drive mechanism.

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