Built-in self-aligning bearing self-centering gas control valve and method

Abstract

The application discloses a built-in self-centering bearing self-centering gas control valve and method, the control valve comprising a valve body, a valve seat, a valve core, a valve rod, a self-aligning roller bearing, a pressing sleeve and a guide sleeve, the valve body being internally provided with a bent through flow channel, the valve seat being embedded in the inner side of the flow channel, and the valve core being in sealing cooperation with the valve seat; the self-aligning roller bearing is sleeved on the outer side of the valve rod, the inner ring is fixedly connected with the valve rod, the outer ring is fixed with the valve core, the pressing sleeve axially limits the bearing outer ring, and a sealing assembly is arranged between the guide sleeve and the valve rod. The self-aligning roller bearing is used for self-adapting compensation of coaxial deviation, automatic centering of the valve core is realized, the problems of traditional valve alignment deviation and poor sealing are solved, the medium leakage risk can be effectively reduced, and the application is suitable for pressure fluctuation gas conveying working conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of gas control valve technology, specifically relating to a self-aligning gas control valve and method with a built-in self-aligning bearing. Background Technology

[0002] Gas control valves are core control components in gas transmission and pressure regulation pipeline systems, widely used in residential and industrial gas transmission. Their sealing performance, alignment accuracy, and operational stability directly determine the safety and reliability of gas pipelines. Existing conventional gas control valves are prone to coaxiality deviations between the valve stem and valve core during assembly and long-term operation, leading to misalignment between the valve core and valve seat, which can easily cause sealing problems and micro-leakage. Simultaneously, the simple flow channel design of traditional valves makes them susceptible to eddies and cavitation during gas flow, which, over time, accelerates wear on the valve core and seat, shortening valve lifespan. Furthermore, existing gas control valves often employ a single sealing structure, with poor wear resistance and limiting ability in the valve stem dynamic seal, and insufficient sealing reliability at the valve body assembly surface. Under high-frequency opening and closing and pressure fluctuation conditions, they are prone to sealing failure and component loosening. Currently, there is a lack of gas control valves on the market that can adapt to coaxial deviations, possess highly efficient anti-cavitation flow channels, and have a combined reliable sealing structure, making it difficult to meet the demands for high-precision and high-stability gas regulation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a self-aligning gas control valve and method with a built-in self-aligning bearing, in order to solve the technical defects of existing gas control valves, such as large coaxiality deviation, poor alignment accuracy, easy sealing misalignment and medium leakage.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: In a first aspect, this application provides a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing, comprising: The valve body has a bent through-flow channel inside; The valve seat is fixedly embedded inside the flow channel; The valve core is movably assembled within the flow channel and seals with the valve seat. The valve stem is vertically inserted through the upper part of the valve body; Self-aligning roller bearings are fitted on the outside of the valve stem, with their inner rings fixed to the valve stem and their outer rings fixed to the inner wall of the valve core. They are used to compensate for coaxial misalignment and achieve automatic alignment of the valve core. A pressure sleeve, assembled on the upper end of the valve core, axially limits the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing; A guide sleeve is fixedly installed on the upper part of the valve body and sleeved on the outside of the valve stem. A sealing assembly is provided between the guide sleeve and the valve stem.

[0005] In one alternative embodiment, the self-aligning roller bearing comprises: The outer ring, inner ring, and spherical rollers are provided. The outer ring has a spherical raceway, the inner ring has a double row of inclined raceways, and the spherical rollers are assembled between the spherical raceway and the double row of inclined raceways. The spherical rollers have a symmetrical spherical structure.

[0006] In one alternative embodiment, the outer contour of the valve core is formed by a streamlined structure consisting of multiple smoothly connected arc segments.

[0007] In one optional embodiment, the valve seat has a flow channel hole, and the flow channel hole has a hyperboloid structure; The flow channel hole first contracts and then expands along the direction of medium flow, and its minimum diameter section corresponds to the sealing fit position of the valve core.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the sealing assembly includes: At least two sets of shaft spring tension seals are provided, and the shaft spring tension seals are provided with sealing lips, which are in contact with the outer wall of the valve stem.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the sealing assembly further includes: A valve stem wear-resistant ring is embedded inside the guide sleeve and forms a sliding fit with the valve stem.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, a metal spiral wound gasket is provided between the guide sleeve and the valve body, and between the valve seat and the valve body.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, a flat washer and a nut are also included; The flat washer and the nut are sequentially fitted onto the lower end of the valve stem, thereby providing axial restraint to the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, a retaining ring is fitted between the guide sleeve and the valve stem, the retaining ring being disposed on the side of the sealing assembly to provide axial positioning for the sealing assembly.

[0013] A second aspect of this application provides a method for operating a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing, applied to the self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing as described above, comprising: Step 1: Allow the gas medium to flow along the bent through-flow channel of the valve body and the hyperboloid flow channel hole of the valve seat, and suppress medium eddy currents and cavitation losses through the streamlined outer contour of the valve core. Step 2: During the valve opening and closing process, when there is a coaxial deviation between the valve stem and the valve core, the spherical rollers of the self-aligning roller bearing adaptively match the inner and outer raceways to compensate for assembly deviations and running offsets, so that the valve core and valve seat maintain precise sealing alignment. Step 3: During the vertical sliding of the valve stem, dynamic sealing is achieved by the axial spring tension sealing ring adhering to the outer wall of the valve stem. This, combined with the valve stem wear-resistant ring, reduces sliding wear. The retaining ring is used to axially position the sealing assembly to prevent seal misalignment and failure. Step 4: Static sealing is achieved through the metal spiral wound gaskets between the guide sleeve and the valve body, and between the valve seat and the valve body. At the same time, the inner and outer rings of the self-aligning roller bearing are axially limited by the flat washer, nut, and pressure sleeve, respectively, to ensure the overall stable operation of the valve and the reliability of the seal.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. By incorporating a self-aligning roller bearing between the valve stem and valve core, it can adaptively compensate for coaxial deviations during assembly and operation, achieving automatic and precise alignment of the valve core. This overcomes the defects of traditional valve core misalignment and poor sealing accuracy. Combined with the valve body's bent flow channel, combined sealing, and multiple limiting structures, it effectively improves the valve's opening and closing stability and overall sealing performance, adapts to fluctuating gas pressure conditions, and reduces the risk of media leakage.

[0015] 2. The self-aligning roller bearing adopts a spherical outer ring raceway, a double-row inclined inner ring raceway, and a symmetrical spherical roller structure, which can realize multi-angle adaptive deflection compensation, effectively improve the bearing's self-aligning fault tolerance and load-bearing stability, continuously offset the slight eccentric load between the valve stem and the valve core, reduce uneven wear, ensure long-term accurate alignment of the valve core, and significantly improve the valve's self-aligning reliability and service life.

[0016] 3. The valve core outer contour is designed as a streamlined structure with smooth multi-segment arc connections, which can uniformly guide the high-speed gas medium, effectively weaken the medium flow eddies, turbulence and negative pressure cavitation, reduce the scouring and wear of the medium on the valve core surface, reduce the medium flow resistance and aerodynamic loss, improve the valve flow field characteristics, and significantly improve the medium flow stability and valve core erosion resistance.

[0017] 4. The valve seat flow channel hole is set as a hyperboloid structure that first contracts and then expands, and the smallest hole diameter section corresponds to the valve core sealing position. This can uniformly regulate the flow rate of the gas medium, avoid turbulence and cavitation problems caused by sudden changes in flow rate, optimize the flow field distribution, and ensure that the valve core accurately fits the sealing position when it is closed, effectively improving the valve's flow interception accuracy and sealing stability.

[0018] 5. A multi-stage dynamic seal structure is formed by setting at least two sets of shaft spring tension seal rings. The sealing lip is tightly fitted to the outer wall of the valve stem, which can form a multi-layer sealing barrier, effectively preventing the gas medium from leaking along the sliding gap of the valve stem. It is suitable for the high-frequency reciprocating sliding condition of the valve stem, and makes up for the defects of traditional single-channel seals that are easy to wear and seal failure, significantly improving the reliability and durability of the valve stem dynamic seal.

[0019] 6. A wear-resistant ring is added to the valve stem in the sealing assembly. The wear-resistant ring is embedded in the inner side of the guide sleeve and slides with the valve stem. It can play a centering and guiding role for the valve stem, reduce the sliding friction loss of the valve stem, prevent the valve stem from shaking and wearing the sealing parts, effectively protect the dynamic sealing structure, reduce the probability of seal offset failure, and further improve the stability of valve sliding operation and seal life.

[0020] 7. Metal spiral wound gaskets are installed on the assembly surfaces of the guide sleeve and valve body, and valve seat and valve body to form multiple key static sealing structures. This effectively seals the valve body assembly gaps, prevents gas leakage from the connection gaps, adapts to pipeline pressure fluctuations and temperature changes, has excellent sealing resilience, and effectively improves the overall sealing level of the valve and the safety of gas use.

[0021] 8. By using flat washers and nuts to axially limit and fix the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing, the loosening problem caused by long-term opening and closing vibration of the valve can be effectively resisted, the axial movement and displacement of the inner ring of the bearing can be prevented, the connection accuracy and stability of the bearing and valve stem can be guaranteed, the normal self-aligning compensation performance of the bearing can be maintained, and the valve core misalignment failure caused by bearing loosening can be avoided, thus ensuring the stable operation of the equipment.

[0022] 9. A retaining ring is installed on the side of the sealing assembly to achieve axial positioning constraint, which can effectively limit the axial movement, displacement and detachment of the sealing assembly under the action of medium pressure and valve stem reciprocating motion, and always ensure that the sealing lip of the sealing ring is tightly fitted with the valve stem and the position is stable, eliminating the problem of sealing misalignment failure, and further enhancing the overall stability of the valve dynamic sealing structure. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged diagram; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the valve core in a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing provided by the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the valve seat in a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing provided by the present invention; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a self-aligning roller bearing in a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing provided by the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Valve seat; 2. Valve body; 3. Valve core; 4. Nut; 5. Flat washer; 6. Self-aligning roller bearing; 7. Pressure sleeve; 8. Valve stem; 9. First spiral retaining ring; 10. First shaft spring tension seal ring; 11. Valve stem wear ring; 12. First gasket; 13. First open retaining ring; 14. Guide sleeve; 15. First spiral wound gasket; 16. Second spiral retaining ring; 17. Second gasket; 18. Second shaft spring tension seal ring; 19. Second open retaining ring; 20. Socket head cap screw; 21. Second spiral wound gasket; 22. Spherical raceway. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0026] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0027] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0028] To address the technical deficiencies mentioned in the background section, this embodiment provides a self-aligning gas control valve and method with a built-in self-aligning bearing. This control valve is mainly used in scenarios such as civil gas transmission, industrial gas pipeline pressure regulation, and gas transmission network on / off control. It can effectively solve common industry problems in traditional gas control valves during long-term use, such as misalignment of valve stem and valve core, sealing failure, cavitation eddies generated by medium flow, and severe component wear. It has advantages such as self-aligning compensation, multiple seals, wear resistance, and stable operation.

[0029] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: like Figures 1-5As shown, in a first aspect of the present invention, a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing is provided, comprising: a valve body 2, having a bent through-flow channel inside; a valve seat 1, fixedly embedded in the inner side of the flow channel; a valve core 3, movably assembled in the flow channel and sealingly fitted with the valve seat 1; a valve stem 8, vertically extending through the upper part of the valve body 2; a self-aligning roller bearing 6, fitted on the outer side of the valve stem 8, its inner ring being fixedly connected to the valve stem 8, and its outer ring being fixed to the inner wall of the valve core 3, used to compensate for coaxial deviation and realize automatic alignment of the valve core 3; a pressure sleeve 7, assembled on the upper end of the valve core 3, axially limiting the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6; and a guide sleeve 14, fixedly installed on the upper part of the valve body 2 and fitted on the outer side of the valve stem 8, with a sealing assembly provided between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve stem 8.

[0030] In this embodiment, the valve body 2 has a bent through-flow channel inside, which is the only channel for the flow of gas medium. The bent structure can adapt to the on-site pipeline layout requirements and can also reasonably guide the flow direction of the medium. The flow channel runs through both ends of the valve body 2, ensuring that the gas medium can flow in from one side of the valve body 2 and out from the other side. The inner wall of the flow channel is smoothed to reduce the flow resistance during the flow of the medium and reduce the scouring and wear of the medium on the inner wall of the valve body 2.

[0031] The valve seat 1 is fixedly embedded inside the flow channel of the valve body 2. The valve seat 1 and the valve core 3 cooperate to close and cut off the flow channel. The valve seat 1 is made of wear-resistant and gas corrosion-resistant metal. The embedding method can adopt conventional assembly methods such as interference fit embedding and slot positioning embedding to ensure that the connection between the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2 is firm. Under the conditions of medium pressure impact and frequent valve opening and closing vibration, the valve seat 1 will not loosen or shift, and will always maintain a fixed assembly position. A second metal spiral wound gasket 21 is installed at the joint position of the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2. The second metal spiral wound gasket 21 fills the assembly gap to achieve static sealing of the joint surface.

[0032] The valve core 3 is movably assembled inside the flow channel of the valve body 2, and the entire valve core 3 is positioned in the corresponding position of the valve seat 1. The valve core 3 and the valve seat 1 cooperate to form a sealing pair. When the valve core 3 moves downward and fits against the valve seat 1, the flow channel is completely blocked, and the gas medium stops flowing. When the valve core 3 moves upward and disengages from the valve seat 1, the flow channel is opened, and the gas medium is transported normally. The valve core 3 can reciprocate linearly in the vertical direction inside the flow channel. During the movement, it always maintains a reasonable gap with the inner wall of the flow channel, so that there will be no jamming and the accuracy of the sealing fit can be guaranteed.

[0033] The valve stem 8 is vertically inserted into the upper part of the valve body 2. The valve stem 8 is a drive transmission component. An external drive mechanism is connected to the upper end of the valve stem 8. By driving the vertical lifting and lowering movement of the valve stem 8, the valve core 3 is driven to move synchronously, thereby completing the opening and closing operation of the valve.

[0034] The valve stem 8 is a columnar structure with a surface that has been hardened and polished, giving it high surface hardness and smoothness. This reduces wear during reciprocating sliding and allows it to form a reliable sliding seal with the sealing components. After passing through the upper part of the valve body 2, the lower end of the valve stem 8 extends into the flow channel, where it is assembled with the valve core 3 and the self-aligning roller bearing 6.

[0035] The self-aligning roller bearing 6 is mounted on the outer side of the valve stem 8. The inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the valve stem 8. The two can be fixedly connected by means of interference fit, set screw locking, etc., to ensure that there is no relative rotation or relative axial movement between the inner ring of the bearing and the valve stem 8. The outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the valve core 3, and the same reliable fixing method is used to make the outer ring of the bearing and the valve core 3 form an integral structure.

[0036] In situations where valve assembly exhibits coaxial deviation and long-term operation results in slight offset, the self-aligning roller bearing 6 can utilize its structural characteristics for adaptive adjustment to compensate for the coaxial deviation between the valve stem 8 and the valve core 3, thereby achieving automatic alignment of the valve core 3, ensuring the sealing accuracy between the valve core 3 and the valve seat 1, and fundamentally solving the sealing leakage problem caused by coaxial offset.

[0037] The pressure sleeve 7 is assembled at the upper end of the valve core 3. The pressure sleeve 7 mainly serves to limit the axial movement. The pressure sleeve 7 is sleeved on the upper end face of the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 and is fixedly fitted with the upper end face of the valve core 3. It can limit the axial movement of the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 and restrict the upward axial movement of the bearing outer ring.

[0038] In environments where valves open and close frequently and the medium pressure fluctuates, the pressure sleeve 7 can firmly lock the axial position of the bearing outer ring, ensuring the overall structural stability of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 and preventing component loosening or positional displacement, thus ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the bearing's self-aligning compensation function.

[0039] The guide sleeve 14 is fixedly installed on the upper part of the valve body 2. The guide sleeve 14 has a cylindrical structure and is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the valve stem 8. The guide sleeve 14 guides the vertical reciprocating motion of the valve stem 8, constraining its movement trajectory and preventing radial swaying or wobble during lifting and lowering. Furthermore, the annular cavity between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve stem 8 provides installation space for the sealing assembly. The sealing assembly is arranged within this annular area to achieve a dynamic seal between the valve stem 8 and the guide sleeve 14, preventing the gas medium inside the valve body 2 from leaking outwards along the assembly gap between the valve stem 8 and the valve body 2. The guide sleeve 14 and the valve body 2 are fixedly assembled, with a first spiral wound gasket 15 placed at their mating surface. The mating surfaces are flat and fit snugly, and the first spiral wound gasket 15 achieves a seal at the mating surface, ensuring the overall sealing performance and stability of the structure. The guide sleeve 14 is locked and fixed to the upper part of the valve body 2 by multiple sets of internal hexagonal head screws 20, ensuring a secure assembly and convenient disassembly.

[0040] A sealing assembly is provided between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve stem 8. Designed for the reciprocating motion of the valve stem 8, it can maintain a sealing effect while the valve stem 8 is continuously sliding, preventing the leakage of gas medium and improving the overall sealing level of the valve.

[0041] This embodiment provides a preferred structure for the self-aligning roller bearing 6, which is specifically composed of three parts: an outer ring, an inner ring, and spherical rollers. The three parts are assembled and cooperate with each other to achieve the functions of angle self-adaptation and coaxial deviation compensation.

[0042] The inner wall of the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 is machined with a spherical raceway 22. The spherical raceway 22 is a continuous arc-shaped spherical structure. The arc-shaped surface design provides deflection space for the spherical rollers. The outer wall of the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 is machined with a double row of inclined raceways. The double row of inclined raceways are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the outer wall of the inner ring. The raceway surface is precision ground, smooth and has high wear resistance, and can form a stable rolling fit with the spherical rollers.

[0043] Spherical rollers, serving as the rolling elements of the bearing, are assembled between the spherical raceway 22 and the double-row inclined raceway. The spherical rollers adopt a symmetrical spherical structure. This symmetrical spherical design allows the spherical rollers to conform to both the outer ring's spherical raceway 22 and the inner ring's double-row inclined raceway. When radial coaxiality deviation or angular offset occurs between the valve stem 8 and the valve core 3, the spherical rollers can freely and adaptively rotate between the two sets of raceways. Compared to ordinary cylindrical roller and tapered roller bearings, the self-aligning roller bearing 6 with this structure has a larger angular compensation range and stronger fault tolerance.

[0044] During the valve assembly stage, due to machining errors and assembly processes, it is difficult to make the valve stem 8 and valve core 3 perfectly coaxial, resulting in a slight initial coaxial deviation. During long-term operation of the valve, medium pressure impact, component vibration, and slight deformation can also cause the relative positions of the valve stem 8 and valve core 3 to shift.

[0045] At this time, the spherical rollers inside the self-aligning roller bearing 6 will adaptively adjust their posture between the spherical raceway 22 and the double-row inclined raceway according to the offset angle, compensating for the coaxial deviation between the two in real time, so that the valve core 3 always maintains a standard posture and is precisely aligned and sealed with the valve seat 1. At the same time, the double-row rolling element structure improves the bearing's load-bearing capacity, enabling it to withstand radial loads and a small amount of axial loads during valve operation, avoiding excessive local stress on the bearing and causing wear and damage, thus extending the service life of the bearing and even the entire valve. The self-aligning roller bearing 6 with this structure is compact and has excellent self-aligning performance, making it fully suitable for the high-frequency opening and closing and complex operating environment of gas control valves.

[0046] Traditional gas control valve cores often adopt a right-angled or zigzag shape. When the medium flows through the valve core, the flow direction changes drastically, which can easily generate eddies, turbulence, and local negative pressure cavitation. The high-speed flowing gas medium will continuously scour the valve core surface, causing valve core wear and surface corrosion. This not only shortens the valve core's service life but also changes the valve core's external dimensions, further affecting the sealing accuracy.

[0047] In this embodiment, the outer contour of the valve core 3 is designed as a streamlined shape with smooth transitions through multiple arcs. The entire outer surface is free of sharp edges and abrupt changes. When the gas medium flows through the surface of the valve core 3, the flow direction can change smoothly with the arc surface, effectively reducing the generation of medium eddies and turbulence, while eliminating local negative pressure areas and fundamentally suppressing cavitation. The streamlined contour can reduce the flow resistance of the medium, reduce energy loss during the medium transportation process, and improve the gas transportation efficiency.

[0048] At the same time, the smooth arc surface significantly reduces the scouring intensity of the high-speed gas medium on the valve core 3, reduces the impact and wear of tiny impurities in the medium on the valve core surface, improves the erosion resistance and wear resistance of the valve core 3, and ensures the long-term stability of the valve core 3's external dimensions.

[0049] The sealing fit between the valve core 3 and the valve seat 1 is located in the corresponding section of the streamlined profile. The arc transition structure also allows the valve core 3 to smoothly fit against the valve seat 1 during the closing process, avoiding impact damage caused by rigid impacts, further optimizing the smoothness of valve opening and closing, and extending the service life of the sealing pair. This structure is simple and reliable, requiring no additional parts. It improves the medium flow field and component stress state simply by optimizing the shape, making it highly practical.

[0050] In this embodiment, a through flow channel hole is provided inside the valve seat 1. The flow channel hole has a hyperboloid structure and exhibits a shape that first contracts and then expands along the flow direction of the gas medium. The minimum diameter section of the flow channel hole corresponds exactly to the sealing fit position between the valve core 3 and the valve seat 1.

[0051] When the gas medium flows through the flow channel hole of valve seat 1, the medium first enters the contraction section, the flow cross-section gradually decreases, and the medium velocity increases slowly. After passing through the sealing section with the smallest orifice diameter, the medium enters the expansion section, the flow cross-section gradually increases, and the medium velocity decreases slowly. The entire velocity change process is continuous and uniform, and there will be no sudden increase or decrease in velocity. This effectively avoids turbulence and cavitation problems caused by drastic changes in velocity, and protects the inner wall of the flow channel hole of valve seat 1 from being eroded and damaged by high-speed medium.

[0052] The minimum orifice section is set at the sealing fit position. On the one hand, it can accurately limit the flow diameter of the valve and realize the regulation of the flow and pressure of the gas medium. On the other hand, this position is the main area where the valve core 3 and the valve seat 1 are in contact and sealed. The cross-section of the flow channel hole is the smallest at this position, and the medium pressure is relatively concentrated, which can make the valve core 3 and the valve seat 1 fit more tightly and improve the sealing effect.

[0053] The hyperboloid flow channel hole structure and the streamlined outer contour of the valve core 3 work together to form a complete optimized flow channel system, which comprehensively improves the medium flow field inside the valve, reduces the adverse effects of cavitation and wear, is suitable for high-pressure and high-flow gas transmission conditions, and improves the working stability and service life of the valve seat 1.

[0054] In this embodiment, the sealing assembly includes two sets of axial spring tension sealing rings: a first axial spring tension sealing ring 10 and a second axial spring tension sealing ring 18. The two sets of sealing rings are arranged sequentially along the axial direction. A sealing lip is integrally provided on the axial spring tension sealing ring, and the sealing lip is tightly attached to the outer wall surface of the valve stem 8.

[0055] Shaft spring tension seals are commonly used sealing elements suitable for sliding seals on shafts. They integrate an elastic spring structure and rely on the tension of the spring to continuously apply force outward, ensuring that the sealing lip is always in close contact with the outer wall of the valve stem 8 being sealed.

[0056] In this embodiment, two sets of axial spring tension seals, namely the first axial spring tension seal 10 and the second axial spring tension seal 18, are arranged in series. The multiple seals are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the valve stem 8 to form a multi-stage sealing barrier. When a small amount of gas medium attempts to leak outward along the gap between the valve stem 8 and the guide sleeve 14, the first axial spring tension seal 10 first intercepts the medium, and the remaining trace amount of medium is blocked again by the second axial spring tension seal 18. The multi-stage sealing structure greatly improves the sealing reliability and completely eliminates the leakage of medium.

[0057] During the opening and closing process, the valve stem 8 slides vertically at high frequency. The sealing lip of the shaft spring tension seal ring is made of wear-resistant rubber material, which has good elasticity and wear resistance. Under the condition of continuous sliding of the valve stem 8, the sealing lip can flexibly follow the surface deformation of the valve stem 8 and always maintain a close fit, and will not fail quickly due to repeated friction.

[0058] Compared to a single sealing ring structure, the combination of two sealing rings has a higher fault tolerance. Even if one set of sealing rings experiences slight wear, the other set of sealing rings can still work normally, effectively extending the overall service life of the dynamic sealing system and meeting the sealing requirements for long-term continuous operation of gas control valves.

[0059] Based on the two sets of shaft spring tension seals mentioned above, this embodiment further optimizes the sealing assembly, and adds a valve stem wear-resistant ring 11 to the sealing assembly, forming a composite sealing structure of the seal ring and the wear-resistant ring.

[0060] The valve stem wear ring 11 is embedded in the inner wall of the guide sleeve 14. The wear ring is an annular structure, and the inner ring surface slides against the outer wall of the valve stem 8. During the long-term reciprocating sliding process of the valve stem 8, not only will the sealing parts be worn, but slight radial wobble will also occur, which will aggravate the local wear of the sealing lip. The valve stem wear ring 11 is made of wear-resistant engineering plastic or alloy material with high hardness and low coefficient of friction. It has low frictional resistance and excellent wear resistance.

[0061] On the one hand, the valve stem wear ring 11 can provide radial centering and guidance for the valve stem 8, constrain the radial clearance of the valve stem 8, suppress the wobbling and wobble of the valve stem 8 during sliding, and keep the valve stem 8 in a stable motion posture at all times, reducing the local compression and uneven wear of the valve stem 8 on the first shaft spring tension seal ring 10 and the second shaft spring tension seal ring 18; on the other hand, the sliding friction of the valve stem 8 is mainly borne by the valve stem wear ring 11, which greatly reduces the frictional load of the sealing lip, avoids the sealing lip from directly bearing high-intensity sliding wear, effectively protects the shaft spring tension seal ring, and slows down the aging and failure rate of the seal.

[0062] The valve stem wear-resistant ring 11, the first shaft spring tension seal ring 10, and the second shaft spring tension seal ring 18 are arranged reasonably along the valve stem 8 axis, and their positions are matched with each other. This not only retains the advantages of multi-stage sealing, but also adds wear-resistant guiding function, further optimizing the comprehensive performance of the dynamic sealing system, so that the sealing and guiding performance of the valve remains stable under the conditions of high-frequency opening and closing and long-term continuous operation.

[0063] To improve the static sealing performance of the various assembly surfaces of the valve, this embodiment sets metal spiral wound gaskets at key assembly gap positions, specifically at two locations: the mating surface between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve body 2, and the mating surface between the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2. A first metal spiral wound gasket 15 is installed between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve body 2, and a second metal spiral wound gasket 21 is installed between the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2.

[0064] The guide sleeve 14 is installed on the upper part of the valve body 2. The mating surfaces of the two are planar joint surfaces. Under the influence of machining errors, assembly pressure, medium pressure, and temperature changes, there will be a small gap in the joint surface of pure metal hard contact. The gas medium can easily leak out through this gap. After adding a first metal spiral wound gasket 15 between the two joint surfaces, the first metal spiral wound gasket 15 has excellent elasticity and sealing filling ability, which can fully fill the small gaps at the joint surface, block the medium leakage channel, and achieve a reliable static seal.

[0065] The valve seat 1 is embedded inside the flow channel of the valve body 2. There is also an assembly gap between the outer circumferential surface of the valve seat 1 and the mounting groove wall of the valve body 2. Especially when the medium pressure is high, the medium will penetrate into the gap, causing internal leakage and affecting the overall sealing effect of the valve. By adding a second metal spiral wound gasket 21 at the assembly position of the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2, the gap can be fully sealed to prevent the medium from flowing into the valve body 2.

[0066] The spiral wound gasket is made of alternating metal strips and flexible fillers, featuring resistance to gas corrosion, high and low temperature resistance, good resilience, and strong pressure resistance. It can adapt to complex operating conditions such as gas pipeline pressure fluctuations and ambient temperature changes. The first spiral wound gasket 15 and the second spiral wound gasket 21 at two key locations work together to complete the sealing protection of the valve's main static sealing points. Combined with the dynamic sealing components at the valve stem position, they form a comprehensive sealing system that integrates static and dynamic elements, comprehensively improving the overall sealing level and operational safety of the valve.

[0067] To axially limit the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6, this embodiment also includes a flat washer 5 and a nut 4, which are sequentially fitted onto the lower end of the valve stem 8. A first washer 12 and a second washer 17 are respectively installed between the flat washer 5 and the nut 4, and between the flat washer 5 and the end face of the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6. The washer can evenly distribute the pressure, compensate for the flatness error of the assembly surface, and further improve the stability of the axial limiting structure.

[0068] The inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6 is fixedly connected to the valve stem 8. Under the action of high-frequency opening and closing, medium impact, and equipment vibration, the inner ring of the bearing will be subjected to axial force, which poses a risk of downward axial movement. Once the inner ring of the bearing shifts, it will directly change the assembly posture of the self-aligning roller bearing 6, destroy the original alignment compensation structure, and cause the valve core 3 to be misaligned and the seal to fail.

[0069] Nut 4 is threaded onto the lower end of valve stem 8. Tightening it generates axial locking force, which blocks and limits the inner ring of self-aligning roller bearing 6 from below. Flat washer 5 is placed between nut 4 and the lower end face of bearing inner ring. Flat washer 5 can disperse the locking pressure of nut 4, preventing nut 4 from directly pressing against bearing end face and causing local stress concentration. At the same time, it can compensate for minor unevenness of the assembly surface, improve the fit and stability of the locking structure, and prevent nut 4 from loosening or retracting under vibration conditions. First washer 12 and second washer 17 are used in conjunction with flat washer 5 to further optimize the force distribution and enhance the overall assembly effect.

[0070] The flat washer 5 and nut 4 cooperate with each other, along with the first washer 12 and the second washer 17, to form a reliable axial limiting structure. This structure firmly locks the axial position of the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6, ensuring that the inner ring of the bearing and the valve stem 8 always maintain a relatively fixed assembly relationship and maintain the normal self-aligning compensation function of the self-aligning roller bearing 6. Combined with the pressure sleeve 7 mounted on the upper end of the valve core 3, the pressure sleeve 7 limits the outer ring of the bearing, and the flat washer 5 and nut 4 limit the inner ring of the bearing. This achieves bidirectional axial limiting of the inner and outer rings of the self-aligning roller bearing 6, allowing the entire bearing structure to be completely fixed axially, structurally ensuring the long-term stable operation of the bearing.

[0071] To address the axial positioning requirements of the sealing assembly, this embodiment includes a retaining ring structure between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve stem 8, comprising a first spiral retaining ring 9, a second spiral retaining ring 16, a first open retaining ring 13, and a second open retaining ring 19. Multiple sets of retaining rings are disposed on both sides of the sealing assembly along the axial direction, mainly for axial positioning constraint of the entire sealing assembly.

[0072] The sealing components and valve stem wear ring 11 inside the guide sleeve 14 are all ring-shaped sets. Under the action of the reciprocating sliding of the valve stem 8 and the axial pressure of the medium, the sealing components are prone to shifting or deviating along the axial direction of the valve stem 8. Once the position of the sealing component is deviated, the fit between the sealing lip and the valve stem 8 will be destroyed, resulting in problems such as poor sealing and medium leakage. At the same time, the deviated sealing component will also be squeezed and rubbed against the surrounding components, accelerating component damage.

[0073] The first spiral retaining ring 9, the second spiral retaining ring 16, the first open retaining ring 13, and the second open retaining ring 19 are all securely fitted into pre-set grooves inside the guide sleeve 14, ensuring a fixed and reliable position. Each set of retaining rings abuts against the end face of the sealing assembly from both axial sides, limiting the axial movement range of the sealing assembly and the valve stem wear ring 11, thus confining the entire sealing assembly within the pre-set installation area and ensuring that all sealing elements and wear-resistant elements always maintain their designed assembly positions.

[0074] The retaining ring has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, occupies little space, and will not affect the normal sliding of the valve stem 8 or the sealing performance of the sealing assembly. Through the combined axial positioning of the first spiral retaining ring 9, the second spiral retaining ring 16, the first open retaining ring 13, and the second open retaining ring 19, the problem of axial movement of the sealing assembly is completely solved, ensuring that the first axial spring tension sealing ring 10, the second axial spring tension sealing ring 18, and the valve stem wear ring 11 are in a stable working position for a long time, maintaining the effectiveness and stability of the dynamic sealing system, and further improving the overall operational reliability of the valve.

[0075] In a second aspect, this invention provides a method for operating a self-aligning gas control valve with an integrated self-aligning bearing, applied to the self-aligning gas control valve with an integrated self-aligning bearing as described above. The method includes: Step 1: The gas medium flows along a bent through-flow channel inside the valve body 2, passing sequentially through the hyperboloidal flow channel hole of the valve seat 1. During the medium flow, the streamlined outer contour of the valve core 3 guides the medium, and the multi-segment smooth arc structure changes the medium flow direction, effectively suppressing the generation of eddies and turbulence, while eliminating local negative pressure and preventing cavitation from damaging the valve core 3 and valve seat 1. The hyperboloidal flow channel hole of the valve seat 1 allows for a gradual change in medium velocity, resulting in low medium resistance and a stable flow field throughout the flow process, ensuring smooth gas medium delivery and reducing erosion and wear on the internal components of the valve. This step relies on the optimized flow channel, valve core, and valve seat structure to achieve efficient and stable medium flow.

[0076] Step 2: During valve opening and closing, the external drive mechanism drives the valve stem 8 to move vertically up and down. The valve stem 8 drives the valve core 3 to move synchronously through the self-aligning roller bearing 6. Due to factors such as assembly errors, operational deformation, and vibration, coaxial deviation can easily occur between the valve stem 8 and the valve core 3. At this time, the spherical rollers inside the self-aligning roller bearing 6 will adaptively deflect between the spherical raceway 22 and the double-row inclined raceway, compensating for the assembly deviation and operational offset of the valve stem 8 and the valve core 3 in real time. Under the self-aligning action of the bearing, the valve core 3 always maintains a standard posture. When the valve is closed, the valve core 3 can achieve precise sealing alignment with the valve seat 1, effectively avoiding sealing gap and media leakage problems caused by coaxial misalignment, and ensuring the sealing accuracy of the sealing pair.

[0077] Step 3: The valve stem 8 continues to slide vertically back and forth. The first axial spring tension sealing ring 10 and the second axial spring tension sealing ring 18, arranged between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve stem 8, tightly adhere to the outer wall of the valve stem 8 with their sealing lips, forming a multi-stage dynamic sealing barrier to prevent the gas medium from leaking outward along the sliding gap of the valve stem 8. The valve stem wear-resistant ring 11 forms a sliding fit with the valve stem 8, which on the one hand centers and guides the valve stem 8, reducing valve stem sway, and on the other hand bears the main sliding friction, reducing the wear of the sealing lip. At the same time, the first spiral retaining ring 9, the second spiral retaining ring 16, the first open retaining ring 13, and the second open retaining ring 19 assembled on both sides of the sealing assembly axially positions the entire sealing assembly, preventing the sealing assembly from axially shifting or moving under the medium pressure and sliding force, ensuring the stability of the sealing structure position, continuously performing the sealing function, and achieving long-term reliable dynamic sealing of the valve.

[0078] Step four: The first spiral wound gasket 15 between the guide sleeve 14 and the valve body 2, and the second spiral wound gasket 21 between the valve seat 1 and the valve body 2, provide static sealing to the two key assembly surfaces, sealing the assembly gaps and preventing gas medium leakage from the valve body assembly position, thus achieving full-area static sealing protection for the valve. Simultaneously, the flat washer 5 and nut 4 at the lower end of the valve stem 8, together with the first washer 12 and the second washer 17, axially limit the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6, while the pressure sleeve 7 at the upper end of the valve core 3 axially limits the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing 6. This bidirectional limiting structure completely fixes the self-aligning roller bearing 6, preventing axial movement of the inner and outer rings under vibration and load. The guide sleeve 14 is secured by the internal hexagonal head screw 20, ensuring a firm overall assembly. The combination of multiple limiting mechanisms and full-dimensional sealing ensures that all valve components maintain a stable assembly position, resulting in a robust and reliable overall structure that significantly improves the long-term stability and sealing reliability of the valve.

[0079] The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing provided in this application embodiment uses the valve body 2 as the base, integrating the valve seat 1, valve core 3, and valve stem 8 to form the main body for medium flow control. Innovatively, a self-aligning roller bearing 6 is built between the valve stem 8 and the valve core 3. Utilizing the special spherical roller structure of the bearing, automatic compensation for coaxial deviation is achieved, solving the industry pain points of valve core misalignment and sealing leakage from the core structure. The streamlined shape of the valve core 3 and the hyperboloid flow channel hole of the valve seat 1 form an optimized flow channel, improving the medium flow state, suppressing eddies and cavitation, and reducing component wear. The sealing system adopts a composite dynamic sealing structure of a first axial spring tension sealing ring 10, a second axial spring tension sealing ring 18, and a valve stem wear-resistant ring 11, combined with a static sealing structure formed by a first metal spiral wound gasket 15 and a second metal spiral wound gasket 21. Simultaneously, the first spiral retaining ring 9, the second spiral retaining ring 16, the first open retaining ring 13, and the second open retaining ring 19 are used to achieve axial positioning of the sealing components, constructing a dynamic and static combined, comprehensive protection sealing system with excellent sealing performance and high durability. The flat washer 5, nut 4, together with the first washer 12, the second washer 17, and the pressure sleeve 7, form a bidirectional axial limiting structure to lock the assembly position of the self-aligning roller bearing 6. The hexagonal socket head cap screw 20 ensures the guide sleeve 14 is firmly assembled, guaranteeing the long-term effectiveness of the bearing's self-aligning function. Compared with traditional gas control valves, this solution significantly improves self-aligning capability, cavitation resistance, wear resistance, sealing performance, and overall service life, possessing high practical application value and market promotion prospects, and can be widely adapted to various gas transmission pipeline control scenarios.

[0080] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing, characterized in that, include: The valve body has a bent through-flow channel inside; The valve seat is fixedly embedded inside the flow channel; The valve core is movably assembled within the flow channel and seals with the valve seat. The valve stem is vertically inserted through the upper part of the valve body; Self-aligning roller bearings are fitted on the outside of the valve stem, with their inner rings fixed to the valve stem and their outer rings fixed to the inner wall of the valve core. They are used to compensate for coaxial misalignment and achieve automatic alignment of the valve core. A pressure sleeve, assembled on the upper end of the valve core, axially limits the outer ring of the self-aligning roller bearing; A guide sleeve is fixedly installed on the upper part of the valve body and sleeved on the outside of the valve stem. A sealing assembly is provided between the guide sleeve and the valve stem.

2. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-aligning roller bearing includes: The outer ring, inner ring, and spherical rollers are provided. The outer ring has a spherical raceway, the inner ring has a double row of inclined raceways, and the spherical rollers are assembled between the spherical raceway and the double row of inclined raceways. The spherical rollers have a symmetrical spherical structure.

3. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer contour of the valve core is a streamlined structure formed by multiple smoothly connected arc segments.

4. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve seat has a flow channel hole, and the flow channel hole has a hyperboloid structure. The flow channel hole first contracts and then expands along the direction of medium flow, and its minimum diameter section corresponds to the sealing fit position of the valve core.

5. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes: At least two sets of shaft spring tension seals are provided, and the shaft spring tension seals are provided with sealing lips, which are in contact with the outer wall of the valve stem.

6. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing assembly further includes: A valve stem wear-resistant ring is embedded inside the guide sleeve and forms a sliding fit with the valve stem.

7. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, Metal spiral wound gaskets are provided between the guide sleeve and the valve body, and between the valve seat and the valve body.

8. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes flat washers and nuts; The flat washer and the nut are sequentially fitted onto the lower end of the valve stem, thereby providing axial restraint to the inner ring of the self-aligning roller bearing.

9. The self-aligning gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A retaining ring is fitted between the guide sleeve and the valve stem. The retaining ring is located on the side of the sealing assembly and provides axial positioning for the sealing assembly.

10. A method for operating a self-aligning gas control valve with a built-in self-aligning bearing, characterized in that, The gas control valve with built-in self-aligning bearing as described in any one of claims 1-9 comprises: Step 1: Allow the gas medium to flow along the bent through-flow channel of the valve body and the hyperboloid flow channel hole of the valve seat, and suppress medium eddy currents and cavitation losses through the streamlined outer contour of the valve core. Step 2: During the valve opening and closing process, when there is a coaxial deviation between the valve stem and the valve core, the spherical rollers of the self-aligning roller bearing adaptively match the inner and outer raceways to compensate for assembly deviations and running offsets, so that the valve core and valve seat maintain precise sealing alignment. Step 3: During the vertical sliding of the valve stem, dynamic sealing is achieved by the axial spring tension sealing ring adhering to the outer wall of the valve stem. This, combined with the valve stem wear-resistant ring, reduces sliding wear. The retaining ring is used to axially position the sealing assembly to prevent seal misalignment and failure. Step 4: Static sealing is achieved through the metal spiral wound gaskets between the guide sleeve and the valve body, and between the valve seat and the valve body. At the same time, the inner and outer rings of the self-aligning roller bearing are axially limited by the flat washer, nut, and pressure sleeve, respectively, to ensure the overall stable operation of the valve and the reliability of the seal.

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