Toolless disassembly split bevel valve seat ball valve and method

Abstract

The application discloses a split bevel valve seat upper ball valve and method without tool disassembly and assembly, and the ball valve comprises a valve body, a fixed valve, a split valve seat assembly, a ball, a pre-tightening disc spring and a valve cover; the valve body is provided with an assembly opening at the top, and an internal valve seat hole and a flow channel hole are coaxially arranged; the fixed valve seat and the split valve seat assembly are arranged in the valve seat holes on the two sides of the valve body, the split valve seat assembly is composed of a bevel valve seat and a wedge-shaped insert plate, the bevels of the two slide and wedge, and the bevel valve seat can be radially pushed to adhere to the ball; the ball is movably arranged in the flow channel hole, the pre-tightening disc spring provides a sealing pre-tightening force, and the valve cover seals the assembly opening and compresses the pre-tightening disc spring. The ball valve realizes opening and closing of the valve seat by means of the bevel wedge structure, does not need special disassembly and assembly tool, the ball can be directly disassembled and assembled from the top assembly opening, the problems of high tool cost, poor universality and inconvenient maintenance of the traditional ball valve are solved, the operation process is effectively simplified, and the pipeline valve operation and maintenance efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of fluid transport pipeline fittings, specifically relating to a method for installing a ball valve on a disassembled inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly. Background Technology

[0002] Top-entry ball valves are widely used in high-pressure fluid transportation scenarios such as oil and gas long-distance pipelines and offshore platforms due to their advantages of good overall valve body sealing and online maintenance. The core components of this type of ball valve, such as the ball and valve seat, are assembled from the top of the valve body. During assembly, the valve seat must be opened first to ensure that the ball can be installed smoothly. After assembly, the valve seat is reset to achieve sealing.

[0003] Currently, the industry mainly relies on specialized tooling such as spreaders and wedges to complete valve seat retraction operations. However, this method has obvious drawbacks: valves of different diameters and structures require customized specialized tooling, resulting in high equipment costs and poor versatility. At the same time, the tooling operation threshold is high, and small-diameter valves are difficult to disassemble and assemble. Without corresponding tooling, maintenance work cannot be carried out, which greatly reduces the efficiency of valve assembly and maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tooling-free disassembly and assembly method for a top-mounted ball valve with a sloping valve seat, thereby solving the technical defects of existing top-mounted ball valves, which require special tooling for disassembly and assembly, have poor tooling versatility, high maintenance costs, cannot be repaired without tooling, and have low assembly and maintenance efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: The first aspect of this application provides a disassembled, beveled, ball valve mounted on a beveled valve seat without tooling or disassembly, comprising: The valve body has an assembly port at the top, and the valve seat holes and flow channel holes on both sides inside are arranged coaxially. A fixed valve seat is fitted into a valve seat hole on one side of the valve body; A split valve seat assembly is provided in the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body. The split valve seat assembly includes an inclined valve seat and a wedge-shaped insert plate. The wedge-shaped insert plate is vertically inserted into the valve body and slides and wedges tightly with the inclined surface of the inclined valve seat. When it moves downward, it can radially push the inclined valve seat to fit against the ball. A sphere is movably assembled within the flow channel hole and sandwiched between the fixed valve seat and the inclined valve seat; Pre-tightened disc springs abut against the outside of the fixed valve seat and the wedge-shaped insert plate, respectively, to provide sealing pre-tightening force; The valve cover is sealed and fixed at the assembly port to axially press the preloaded disc spring.

[0006] In one alternative embodiment, the inclined valve seat and the wedge-shaped insert form a mutually cooperating inclined surface, the inclined surface being set at a 5° angle relative to the vertical plane of the valve body.

[0007] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: A C-shaped metal sealing ring is disposed between the inclined valve seat and the valve body.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the preloaded disc spring includes: A first disc spring and a second disc spring, the first disc spring abutting against the outside of the fixed valve seat, and the second disc spring abutting against the outside of the wedge-shaped insert.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the preloaded disc spring further includes: The disc spring support has a cylindrical hole on the upper part of the wedge-shaped insert plate, and the disc spring support is inserted and fixed in the cylindrical hole. The second disc spring is sleeved on the outside of the disc spring support.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, a valve cover sealing ring is provided between the valve body and the valve cover.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: The valve stem, packing, and packing gland are provided. The valve stem is inserted into the center of the valve cover. The packing fills the gap between the valve stem and the valve cover. The packing gland presses the packing together to form a dynamic seal on the valve stem.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, the ball has its smallest outer diameter when it is in the fully open position, and the ball is inserted into the valve body through the top mounting port of the valve body in the fully open position.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment, the C-shaped metal seal is a high-temperature resistant metal seal.

[0014] In a second aspect, this application provides a method for disassembling and assembling a ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling. The method uses the ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling as described above and includes an assembly step and a disassembly step. The assembly steps are as follows: Step 1: Install the fixed valve seat equipped with the pre-tightened disc spring into the valve seat hole on one side of the valve body; Step 2: With the ball fully open, insert it into the flow channel hole of the valve body from the assembly port on the top of the valve body; Step 3: Install the C-shaped metal sealing ring, then insert the inclined valve seat into the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body, and vertically insert the wedge-shaped insert plate so that the wedge-shaped insert plate moves downward to push the inclined valve seat to fit the ball; Step 4: Insert the disc spring support into the cylindrical hole at the top of the wedge-shaped insert plate, and fit the second disc spring on the outside of the disc spring support; Step 5: Assemble the valve stem, packing and packing gland in sequence to form the valve cover assembly. Seal and fix the valve cover to the top assembly port of the valve body. Tighten each pre-tightened disc spring by axially pressing the valve cover to complete the overall assembly. The disassembly step is the reverse of all the assembly steps described above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. A split valve seat assembly consisting of an inclined valve seat and a wedge-shaped insert is set up. The radial tightening of the valve seat is achieved by the inclined sliding wedge tightening structure of the two, eliminating the need for special disassembly and assembly tooling. The valve cover presses against the pre-tightened disc spring to provide continuous sealing force. The ball can be disassembled and assembled from the top assembly port, avoiding the problems of high cost, poor versatility and limited maintenance of traditional tooling. This simplifies the assembly and maintenance process and greatly improves the efficiency of valve operation and maintenance.

[0016] 2. The inclined surface of the valve seat and the wedge-shaped slide plate are set at a 5° angle. If the angle is too small, the wedge will be locked and difficult to disassemble. If the angle is too large, the wedge will not be pushed enough and the sealing pre-tightening force will not be sufficient. This angle balances the wedge transmission efficiency and disassembly flexibility. It can stably push the valve seat to fit the ball to ensure the seal, and can also easily lift the wedge-shaped slide plate to release the valve seat. Disassembly and assembly can be completed without tooling.

[0017] 3. Install a C-shaped metal sealing ring between the inclined valve seat and the valve body to fill the assembly gap between the valve body and the inclined valve seat, preventing the medium from leaking outward from the gap between the two. The metal sealing structure is suitable for high-pressure transmission conditions, makes up for the insufficient pressure bearing of ordinary rubber seals, improves the sealing reliability of the outer side of the split valve seat assembly, and reduces the failure of external media leakage.

[0018] 4. The pre-tightening disc springs are configured as a first and a second disc spring, which act independently on the fixed valve seat and the wedge-shaped insert plate, respectively, so that the sealing pre-tightening forces on both sides do not interfere with each other. The disc spring specifications can be matched individually according to the sealing requirements on both sides, and the clamping force of the sealing pairs on both sides of the ball can be precisely adjusted to avoid uneven sealing wear caused by unbalanced pre-tightening force on one side, thus extending the service life of the valve seat seal.

[0019] 5. A disc spring support is inserted into the cylindrical hole of the wedge-shaped insert plate. The second disc spring is fitted outside the support to achieve radial limiting of the disc spring, prevent the second disc spring from shifting or falling off when under pressure, ensure uniform axial force on the disc spring, stably transmit the preload to the wedge-shaped insert plate, prevent the disc spring from deforming and failing under long-term pressure, and ensure that the inclined valve seat is stably and permanently sealed to the ball.

[0020] 6. A valve cover sealing ring is installed on the mating surface of the valve body and the valve cover to seal the assembly gap at the top of the valve body, forming a static seal on the valve body end face. This prevents the high-pressure medium inside the pipeline from leaking out from the joint between the valve body and the valve cover. Combined with the internal valve seat seal, this forms a double sealing protection, improving the overall pressure-bearing and sealing performance of the valve body and making it suitable for high-pressure oil and gas transportation applications.

[0021] 7. The valve stem is inserted through the center of the valve cover. The packing fills the gap between the valve stem and the valve cover and is compacted by the packing gland to form a dynamic sealing structure for the valve stem. During the valve opening and closing process, the packing continuously adheres to the outer wall of the valve stem, preventing the medium from leaking outward along the valve stem, thus improving the overall sealing system of the valve, ensuring no external leakage during valve opening and closing operations, and enhancing the safety of operation.

[0022] 8. The ball has the smallest outer diameter when fully open. It can be installed from the top of the valve body in this position without having to pry open the valve seat to leave a large assembly space. Combined with the split inclined valve seat structure, the ball can be disassembled and assembled without tooling to allow the valve seat to be moved back, which further simplifies the assembly operation, reduces the size of the valve body assembly port, and reduces the difficulty of valve body processing and manufacturing cost.

[0023] 9. The C-shaped metal sealing ring is made of high-temperature resistant metal material, which can withstand the erosion of high-temperature media in oil and gas transportation, avoid the high-temperature aging, failure and leakage of ordinary non-metallic seals, adapt to the working conditions of high-temperature and high-pressure long-distance pipelines, broaden the applicable temperature range of valves, extend the replacement cycle of seals, and reduce the later maintenance and replacement costs of pipeline valves. Attached Figure Description

[0024] 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.

[0025] Figure 1 This invention provides an overall schematic diagram of a ball valve mounted on a disassembled inclined valve seat without tooling assembly and disassembly. Figures 2-4 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the combination of a wedge-shaped insert and an inclined valve seat in a disassembled ball valve with a non-tooling, detachable inclined valve seat. In the diagram: 1. Valve body; 2. C-type metal sealing ring; 3. Wedge-shaped insert plate; 4. Inclined valve seat; 5. Ball; 6. Fixed valve seat; 7. Valve seat sealing ring; 8. First disc spring; 9. Valve cover sealing ring; 10. Valve cover; 11. Valve stem; 12. Valve stem sealing ring; 13. Packing; 14. Packing gland; 15. Wrench; 16. Second disc spring; 17. Disc spring support; 18. Sealing ring groove; 19. Dividing line; 20. Wedge-shaped insert plate plane; 21. Cylindrical hole; 23. Inclined valve seat plane. Detailed Implementation

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] To address the technical deficiencies mentioned in the background section, this embodiment provides a method for installing a ball valve on a disassembled inclined valve seat without tooling.

[0030] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: like Figures 1-4 As shown, in a first aspect of the present invention, a detachable inclined valve seat ball valve without tooling disassembly is provided, comprising: a valve body 1 with an assembly port at the top, and valve seat holes and flow channel holes arranged coaxially on both sides of the interior; a fixed valve seat 6, fitted into a valve seat hole on one side of the valve body 1; a detachable valve seat assembly, disposed in a valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body 1, the detachable valve seat assembly including an inclined valve seat 4 and a wedge-shaped insert 3, the wedge-shaped insert 3 being vertically inserted into the valve body 1 and sliding and wedged tightly against the inclined surface of the inclined valve seat 4, and being able to radially push the inclined valve seat 4 downward to fit against a ball 5; a ball 5, movably assembled in the flow channel hole, sandwiched between the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4; a pre-tightening disc spring, respectively abutting against the outside of the fixed valve seat 6 and the wedge-shaped insert 3, for providing sealing pre-tightening force; and a valve cover 10, sealed and fixed at the assembly port, for axially pressing the pre-tightening disc spring.

[0031] The valve body 1 is made of forged steel and machined in one piece. It has the characteristics of high strength, high pressure resistance and resistance to media erosion, and can adapt to the complex working conditions of high temperature and high pressure in oil and gas transportation. The valve body 1 has an assembly port on the top. This assembly port is the disassembly and assembly channel for all internal components. The ball 5, the split valve seat assembly, the pre-tightening disc spring and other components are all installed and removed through this assembly port.

[0032] The valve body 1 has symmetrical valve seat holes machined on the left and right sides inside, and a through flow channel hole machined at the center of the valve body 1. The valve seat holes on both sides and the flow channel hole in the middle are arranged coaxially to ensure smooth medium flow path, and at the same time ensure that the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4 can accurately align with the ball 5 to achieve line contact sealing.

[0033] The diameter and depth of the valve seat holes on both sides are matched and machined according to the outer dimensions of the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4. The surface of the hole wall is precision machined to reduce the friction of component assembly and improve the sealing performance of the mating surface.

[0034] The inner wall of the valve seat hole is circumferentially machined with a sealing ring groove 18. The sealing ring groove 18 is used to install sealing accessories, providing positioning space for the seal and preventing the seal from shifting or falling off during the process of medium pressure and component movement.

[0035] The fixed valve seat 6 is embedded in the valve seat hole on one side of the valve body 1. The fixed valve seat 6 is made of wear-resistant hard alloy material. The inner end face is an arc-shaped sealing surface. The arc curvature is completely matched with the outer spherical surface of the ball 5. After the two are fitted together, they form the first main sealing pair.

[0036] The outer end face of the fixed valve seat 6 is a planar structure, which is used to abut against the pre-tightening disc spring, bear the pre-tightening force and transmit the force to the sealing surface. The fixed valve seat 6 is embedded in the valve seat hole of the valve body 1 by interference fit. After assembly, the position remains fixed and will not be radially or axially offset during normal use, disassembly and maintenance of the valve, thus ensuring the stability of the single-sided sealing structure.

[0037] A valve seat sealing ring 7 is also fitted on the outside of the fixed valve seat 6. The valve seat sealing ring 7 is embedded in the sealing ring groove 18, filling the gap between the fixed valve seat 6 and the valve seat hole of the valve body 1, forming an auxiliary sealing structure, which further blocks the leakage of the medium from the outer periphery of the fixed valve seat 6.

[0038] A detachable valve seat assembly is installed in the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body 1. The detachable valve seat assembly is an innovative structure in this application that achieves tooling-free disassembly and assembly. This assembly mainly consists of two parts: a beveled valve seat 4 and a wedge-shaped insert plate 3. The beveled valve seat 4 is also made of wear-resistant hard alloy material, with an arc-shaped sealing surface on the inner side, which fits against the outer spherical surface of the ball 5 to form the main sealing pair on the other side. The outer side of the beveled valve seat 4 is machined with an inclined mating surface for sliding fit with the wedge-shaped insert plate 3. The beveled valve seat 4 and the wedge-shaped insert plate 3 are formed by cutting a whole blank and then splitting them. The joint position of the two forms a dividing line 19, which extends along the two sets of mating bevels. The dividing line 19 is the interface for component disassembly and assembly.

[0039] The wedge-shaped insert 3 is vertically inserted into the valve body 1. It is a long strip-shaped component. The outer end face is the wedge-shaped insert plane 20. The wedge-shaped insert plane 20 bears the axial force of the pre-tightening disc spring. The inner side is provided with an inclined mating surface that matches the inclined valve seat 4. The two inclined mating surfaces fit together to form a sliding wedge tightening structure.

[0040] When the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 moves vertically downwards along the inside of the valve body 1, it generates a radial thrust force by relying on the angle transmission action of the inclined surface, which continuously pushes the inclined valve seat 4 towards the ball 5, eventually making the sealing surface of the inclined valve seat 4 tightly fit the ball 5, completing the pre-tight fit of the sealing pair; when it is necessary to disassemble the component, the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 is lifted upwards, the wedge force between the inclined surfaces is released, the inclined valve seat 4 loses the radial thrust force, and can be easily loosened without the need for tooling to open the valve seat, thus solving the problem of traditional ball valves relying on special tooling for disassembly and assembly from the root.

[0041] The ball 5, as a valve on / off control component, is movably assembled inside the flow channel hole in the middle of the valve body 1. A through flow channel is opened in the center of the ball 5, and the ball 5 can rotate 90° in the flow channel hole to realize the conduction and cut-off of the pipeline medium.

[0042] The ball 5 is sandwiched between a fixed valve seat 6 on one side and an inclined valve seat 4 on the other side. The left and right sides are tightly fitted with the arc-shaped sealing surfaces of the two valve seats to form a double-sided sealing structure. The ball 5 is made of solid forged steel and the surface is hardened and polished to reduce rotational friction resistance, while improving resistance to media erosion and wear, and extending service life.

[0043] The ball 5 has a special structural feature. When the ball 5 is rotated to the fully open position, the overall outer diameter reaches its minimum. This structural design is to adapt to the assembly requirements of the top assembly port of the valve body 1. The ball 5 can be directly installed into the flow channel hole of the valve body 1 from the assembly port without expanding the valve seat spacing, further simplifying the assembly process.

[0044] The pre-tightening disc springs abut against the outside of the fixed valve seat 6 and the outside of the wedge-shaped insert 3 respectively. The pre-tightening disc springs provide a continuous axial sealing pre-tightening force by relying on their own elastic deformation. On the one hand, this ensures that the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4 are always tightly fitted with the ball 5, preventing the medium from leaking from the sealing pair. On the other hand, it axially limits all axially arranged components inside the valve body 1, preventing the valve from moving or loosening under the action of medium pressure and vibration.

[0045] The preload disc spring is made of high-temperature resistant and high-elasticity alloy material. It will not experience elastic decay or fatigue failure under high-temperature media conditions, and can output preload force stably for a long time.

[0046] The valve cover 10 is sealed and fixed at the assembly port on the top of the valve body 1. The valve cover 10 is a flange-type sealing end cover, which is externally connected and fixed to the flange on the top of the valve body 1 by bolts and fasteners. The inner end face of the valve cover 10 presses the pre-tightening disc spring, providing axial clamping force for the pre-tightening disc spring, while sealing the assembly port on the top of the valve body 1 to prevent the medium from leaking outward from the assembly port, thus completing the overall sealing of the top of the valve body 1. The valve cover 10 has a robust overall structure, uniform stress distribution, and can stably bear the reverse elastic force of the pre-tightening disc spring.

[0047] As an optional embodiment of this application, the inclined surface of the inclined valve seat 4 and the wedge-shaped insert 3 are set at an angle of 5° relative to the vertical surface of the valve body 1.

[0048] In a mechanical wedge-tightening transmission structure, the inclination angle of the inclined plane directly determines the transmission efficiency, self-locking performance, and disassembly / assembly difficulty. If the inclination angle is set too small, the inclined plane will exhibit a self-locking phenomenon. The wedge-shaped slide plate 3 can smoothly push the inclined valve seat 4 downward to complete the sealing fit, but during later maintenance, lifting the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 upward will encounter great frictional resistance, making it impossible to easily release the wedge-tightening state, which indirectly increases the disassembly difficulty and violates the original design intention of tool-free disassembly / assembly. If the inclination angle is set too large, the radial transmission efficiency of the inclined plane will decrease significantly, and the radial pushing force generated by the downward movement of the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 will be insufficient, failing to ensure a tight fit between the inclined valve seat 4 and the ball 5. Gaps will appear in the sealing pair, leading to media leakage and reducing the valve sealing reliability.

[0049] In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the mating ramp is set to 5°. This angle balances the wedge clamping force and the flexibility of disassembly and assembly. When the wedge-shaped insert 3 moves vertically downward, the 5° ramp can efficiently convert the axial force into a stable radial thrust, allowing the ramp valve seat 4 to smoothly approach and tightly fit the ball 5, ensuring the sealing performance of the sealing pair and meeting the sealing requirements of high-pressure media. When disassembly and maintenance are required, this angle will not produce a self-locking effect. The operator only needs to apply a small vertical pulling force to lift the wedge-shaped insert 3 and quickly release the wedge clamping force between the ramps. After the ramp valve seat 4 loses the radial thrust, it will naturally loosen. The entire operation can be completed by hand without the need for any special tools.

[0050] Meanwhile, the 5° inclined surface machining process is mature, and the machining difficulty of valve body 1, inclined valve seat 4, and wedge-shaped slide plate 3 is low, which facilitates mass production and manufacturing, taking into account both performance and production economy.

[0051] This embodiment can be freely combined with the ball valve base structure to further optimize the transmission and performance of the split valve seat assembly.

[0052] As an optional embodiment of this application, the ball valve is also equipped with a C-shaped metal sealing ring 2. The C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 is installed at the mating position between the inclined valve seat 4 and the valve body 1 to seal the assembly gap between the outer circular surface of the inclined valve seat 4 and the inner wall of the valve seat hole of the valve body 1, forming an auxiliary radial sealing structure.

[0053] Under high temperature and high pressure fluid transportation conditions, the medium will not only leak from the main sealing pair between the ball 5 and the valve seat, but will also seep outward along the assembly gap between the inclined valve seat 4 and the valve body 1.

[0054] Conventional rubber and PTFE sealing rings have limited temperature and pressure resistance. Under long-term scouring and immersion in high-temperature and high-pressure oil and gas media, they are prone to aging, deformation, and damage. Once the seal fails, it will cause leakage of the medium, affecting the safe operation of the pipeline.

[0055] This embodiment uses a C-shaped metal sealing ring 2. The metal material itself has excellent high temperature resistance, high pressure resistance, aging resistance and media corrosion resistance, and can adapt to the harsh working conditions of oil and gas transportation for a long time.

[0056] The C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 has an open C-shaped structure and is elastic. After assembly, it is squeezed into the gap between the inclined valve seat 4 and the valve body 1. Relying on its own elasticity, it tightly fits the two side walls and completely blocks the medium leakage channel.

[0057] When the inclined valve seat 4 undergoes radial displacement under the action of the wedge-shaped insert 3, the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 can synchronously deform slightly with the inclined valve seat 4, always maintaining a sealed fit. It will not cause the seal to detach or fail due to the movement of the valve seat. This sealing structure serves as a supplementary protection to the main sealing pair, forming a dual sealing system with the main sealing structure composed of the ball and valve seat. This significantly improves the overall sealing reliability of the split valve seat assembly and effectively reduces the incidence of external leakage failures in the valve.

[0058] As an optional embodiment of this application, the pre-tensioning disc spring is divided into two independent components: a first disc spring 8 and a second disc spring 16. The first disc spring 8 abuts against the outer end face of the fixed valve seat 6, and the second disc spring 16 abuts against the outer end face of the wedge-shaped insert 3.

[0059] Traditional integrated pre-tightening disc springs act simultaneously on both sides of the fixed valve seat 6 and the wedge-shaped insert 3, and the pre-tightening forces of the sealing pairs on both sides restrain each other and cannot be adjusted independently.

[0060] Due to slight differences in machining errors and assembly clearances between the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4, the uniform preload output by the integrated disc spring can easily cause uneven force distribution on both sides of the seal: excessive preload on one side will aggravate friction and wear between the valve seat and the ball 5, shortening the service life of the seal; insufficient preload on the other side will result in poor sealing and media leakage.

[0061] In this embodiment, the preload disc spring is divided into a first disc spring 8 and a second disc spring 16. The two disc springs are independent of each other and do not interfere with each other. They provide axial preload force for fixing the valve seat 6 and the wedge-shaped insert 3, respectively. Operators can select disc springs with different elastic coefficients and specifications according to the actual assembly status and working pressure of the sealing pairs on both sides to achieve individual matching and precise adjustment of the preload force on both sides.

[0062] The first disc spring 8 applies a preload force to the fixed valve seat 6 to ensure the fit of the sealing pair between the fixed valve seat 6 and the ball 5; the second disc spring 16 acts on the wedge-shaped insert 3 to provide stable axial pressure for the inclined wedge clamping structure and ensure the radial clamping effect of the inclined valve seat 4.

[0063] The split disc spring structure effectively solves the problem of unbalanced force in the integrated disc spring, avoids uneven wear and leakage of the sealing surface, balances the force on both sides of the sealing surface, extends the overall service life of core components such as valve seat, ball, and disc spring, and facilitates the individual replacement of damaged disc spring components in the future, reducing maintenance costs.

[0064] As an optional embodiment of this application, based on the split pre-tightening disc spring, the ball valve is also provided with a disc spring support 17, a through cylindrical hole 21 is opened at the upper position of the wedge-shaped insert plate 3, an inclined valve seat plane 23 is provided on the inclined valve seat 4, the disc spring support 17 is fixedly installed inside the cylindrical hole 21 by plugging, and the second disc spring 16 is completely fitted on the outside of the disc spring support 17.

[0065] The second disc spring 16 directly abuts against the outside of the wedge-shaped slide plate 3. During valve operation, it is susceptible to radial displacement, skewness, or even detachment due to the impact of the medium, pipeline vibration, and its own elastic deformation. After the disc spring is misaligned, the output direction of the axial preload changes, which not only reduces the preload effect but also causes the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 to be subjected to uneven load, resulting in uneven force on the inclined valve seat 4, local gaps in the sealing pair, and media leakage. In severe cases, the skewed disc spring may also rub against and jam with surrounding components, affecting the vertical movement of the wedge-shaped slide plate 3 and causing the valve to be unable to be properly disassembled, installed, or opened and closed.

[0066] In this embodiment, a cylindrical hole 21 is machined on the upper part of the wedge-shaped insert plate 3, and the disc spring support 17 is inserted and fixed in the cylindrical hole 21. The cylindrical hole 21 is used to achieve circumferential and axial positioning of the disc spring support 17. After assembly, the disc spring support 17 is firmly positioned and will not be displaced.

[0067] The second disc spring 16 is fitted outside the disc spring support 17. The disc spring support 17 plays a radial limiting and guiding role for the second disc spring 16, limiting the radial range of motion of the second disc spring 16 and completely eliminating the problems of disc spring offset, tilting, and falling off.

[0068] During compression and rebound deformation, the second disc spring 16 remains coaxial, with uniform axial force, and can continuously and stably transmit the preload to the wedge plate 3, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the inclined wedge clamping structure. Meanwhile, the disc spring support 17 has a simple structure and a convenient plug-in assembly method, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly during maintenance without increasing operational difficulty, perfectly aligning with the tooling-free disassembly design concept of this application.

[0069] As an optional embodiment of this application, a valve cover sealing ring 9 is installed between the mating surfaces of the valve body 1 and the valve cover 10 to achieve a static end face seal between the top mounting port of the valve body 1 and the valve cover 10.

[0070] The top mounting port of valve body 1 is an important location for the internal medium of the valve to communicate with the outside. Valve cover 10 is fixed to the mounting port by flange clamping. There is a small assembly gap between the flange mating surfaces of the two. Under the action of high pressure medium in the pipeline, the medium is very easy to leak out from the flange gap. Especially under high temperature conditions, the permeability of the medium is further enhanced. Simply relying on flange tightening cannot achieve a complete seal.

[0071] The valve cover sealing ring 9 is clamped between the flange mating surfaces of the valve body 1 and the valve cover 10. When the valve cover 10 is tightened by bolts, the valve cover sealing ring 9 is squeezed and deformed, completely filling the gap between the flange surfaces and blocking the medium leakage channel.

[0072] The valve cover sealing ring 9 is made of temperature- and pressure-resistant rubber composite material, which is suitable for the overall operating conditions of the valve. It has good compression and rebound properties and will not undergo permanent deformation under long-term compression. The sealing performance is long-lasting and stable. This sealing structure is an important part of the overall valve sealing system. It works together with the valve seat main seal and the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 auxiliary seal to form a comprehensive sealing protection. It blocks the leakage paths of the medium from the main sealing pair, the valve seat assembly gap, and the top flange gap, thereby comprehensively improving the overall sealing performance of the valve and ensuring the safe operation of the valve in high-temperature and high-pressure pipelines. The valve cover sealing ring 9 is easy to install and remove. If it fails due to aging, it can be directly replaced by removing the valve cover 10. The maintenance process is simple.

[0073] As an optional embodiment of this application, the ball valve is also equipped with a valve stem dynamic sealing assembly consisting of a valve stem 11, packing 13 and packing gland 14. The valve stem 11 is installed in the center of the valve cover 10, the lower end of the valve stem 11 extends into the valve body 1 and is connected to the ball 5 in a transmission manner, and the upper end of the valve stem 11 extends out of the valve cover 10 for connecting to the opening and closing actuator. The operator drives the ball 5 to rotate by operating the valve stem 11 to realize the opening and closing of the valve.

[0074] The packing 13 fills the annular gap between the outer wall of the valve stem 11 and the inner wall of the central hole of the valve cover 10. At the same time, a valve stem sealing ring 12 is installed at the mating position of the valve stem 11 and the valve cover 10. The valve stem sealing ring 12 and the packing 13 cooperate to form a double dynamic sealing structure. The packing gland 14 is installed on the upper end of the valve cover 10 and axially presses the packing 13 and the valve stem sealing ring 12, so that the sealing components are tightly attached to the outer wall of the valve stem 11 and the inner wall of the valve cover 10, forming a dynamic sealing structure at the valve stem position.

[0075] The valve stem 11 is a moving component that rotates continuously during the frequent opening and closing of the valve. The gap between the valve stem and the valve cover is an important channel for media leakage. The reliability of the dynamic sealing structure directly determines the safety of valve use.

[0076] In this embodiment, the packing 13 is made of flexible graphite packing, which has the characteristics of high temperature resistance, wear resistance and good lubricity. It can not only tightly fill the gap to achieve sealing, but also reduce the frictional resistance when the valve stem 11 rotates, thus preventing the valve stem from jamming.

[0077] The packing gland 14 is tightened with bolts to press down the packing 13. The tightness can be adjusted according to the sealing requirements to ensure that the packing 13 is always in a sealed state.

[0078] The complete valve stem dynamic sealing assembly perfects the opening and closing control and dynamic sealing function of the ball valve, enabling the valve to have complete functions. It can not only realize the control of medium flow, but also effectively prevent the medium from leaking outward along the moving valve stem. It further optimizes the overall sealing system of the valve and adapts to the normal opening and closing requirements of industrial pipelines. The assembly is installed on the valve cover 10 and is disassembled and installed together with the valve cover 10. It is compatible with the overall tooling-free disassembly and assembly structure and does not add any additional disassembly and assembly procedures.

[0079] As an optional embodiment of this application, when the ball 5 is rotated to the fully open position, its overall outer diameter reaches its minimum value. The ball 5 must remain in the fully open position and be inserted into the internal flow channel hole of the valve body 1 from the assembly port at the top of the valve body 1.

[0080] When assembling the ball of a traditional top-entry ball valve, since the maximum outer diameter of the ball is larger than the inner spacing of the valve seat and the effective size of the assembly port, tooling must be used to push the valve seats on both sides outward to expand the assembly space before the ball can be installed. This is one of the core reasons why traditional ball valves rely on special tooling.

[0081] This application combines a split valve seat assembly structure to optimize the shape and assembly posture of the ball 5. When the ball 5 is in the fully open position, the flow port faces the medium flow direction, the outer contour of the ball shrinks, and the overall outer diameter is minimized. At this time, the maximum outer dimension of the ball 5 is less than the net distance between the top assembly port diameter of the valve body 1 and the valve seats on both sides.

[0082] Based on this structural feature, when assembling the ball 5, there is no need to move or open the valve seats on both sides. The ball 5 can be placed vertically from the top assembly port of the valve body 1 while maintaining a fully open position, and can be smoothly inserted into the flow channel hole of the valve body 1 and placed between the fixed valve seat 6 and the inclined valve seat 4. This assembly method completely eliminates the need for tooling assistance, and the ball 5 can be installed by hand, greatly simplifying the assembly process.

[0083] Meanwhile, this structure eliminates the need to increase the size of the top mounting port of the valve body 1, ensuring that the overall structural strength and pressure-bearing capacity of the valve body 1 remain unaffected. The machining dimensions of the valve body 1 can maintain conventional standards, and the machining difficulty and manufacturing cost are controllable. When disassembling the ball 5, it can be rotated to a fully open position and directly removed from the mounting port. The disassembly and assembly process is standardized and easy to operate, further enhancing the technical advantage of tooling-free disassembly and assembly in this application.

[0084] As an optional embodiment of this application, based on the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2, the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 is further specified to be made of a high-temperature resistant metal sealing element.

[0085] The ball valves in this application are mainly used in long-distance oil and gas pipelines with high temperature and pressure. The medium inside the pipeline has high temperature and pressure, and contains trace amounts of corrosive components. Ordinary non-metallic and ordinary metallic sealing rings are prone to problems such as material softening, oxidation, corrosion, and elasticity decay under long-term high temperature environment. They will fail to seal in a short time and need to be replaced frequently, which increases the workload and cost of pipeline operation and maintenance.

[0086] In this embodiment, the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 is made of a high-temperature resistant special alloy material. This material has excellent high-temperature resistance, high-pressure resistance and media corrosion resistance. It can maintain its original physical properties and elasticity for a long time under high-temperature conditions in oil and gas transportation, and will not suffer from deformation, aging or elastic failure due to high temperature.

[0087] The sealing structure of the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2, combined with high-temperature resistant material, provides double protection for the sealing effect at the mating position of the inclined valve seat 4 and the valve body 1, greatly extending the service life of the seal, reducing the frequency of seal replacement, and lowering the later maintenance cost.

[0088] Meanwhile, the high-temperature resistant metal material has high mechanical strength, strong resistance to media erosion and extrusion, and will not break or deform under the impact of high-pressure media, making it suitable for complex and harsh pipeline conditions and expanding the application scenarios of the ball valve in this application.

[0089] In a second aspect of the present invention, a method for disassembling and assembling a ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling is provided. The method uses a ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling as described above, and includes assembly and disassembly steps. On-site operations can use a wrench 15 to complete the disassembly and assembly of various bolts.

[0090] Ball valve assembly steps: Step 1: Pre-install the fixed valve seat 6 and the first disc spring 8. Pre-assemble the first disc spring 8 onto the outer end face of the fixed valve seat 6, ensuring a complete and unbiased fit between the first disc spring 8 and the end face of the fixed valve seat 6. Then, insert the assembled fixed valve seat 6 and first disc spring 8 into the assembly port at the top of the valve body 1, smoothly fitting them into the valve seat hole on one side of the valve body 1. Confirm that the fixed valve seat 6 is properly assembled without any looseness or misalignment, thus completing the pre-installation of the valve seat and disc spring on one side.

[0091] Step 2: Assemble ball 5. Manually rotate ball 5 to its fully open position, ensuring it is at its smallest outer diameter. Hold ball 5 with both hands and lower it vertically from the top assembly port of valve body 1, smoothly inserting it into the flow channel hole in the middle of valve body 1. Allow ball 5 to fall naturally to the preset position, ensuring it is positioned between the two valve seat holes and can rotate freely within the flow channel hole without jamming or bumping. After assembling ball 5, double-check its position to ensure a smooth fit for subsequent valve seat assembly.

[0092] Step 3: Assemble the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2, the beveled valve seat 4, and the wedge-shaped insert 3. First, insert the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 into the outer groove of the beveled valve seat 4. Then, insert the beveled valve seat 4 with the sealing ring installed into the assembly port at the top of the valve body 1 and place it in the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body 1. Next, insert the wedge-shaped insert 3 along the vertical channel inside the valve body 1, so that the inner bevel of the wedge-shaped insert 3 fits against the outer bevel of the beveled valve seat 4. Press down on the wedge-shaped insert 3, and using the sliding wedging action of the bevel, push the beveled valve seat 4 radially towards the ball 5 until the arc-shaped sealing surface of the beveled valve seat 4 is tightly fitted against the ball 5, completing the assembly and pre-fitting of the split valve seat assembly.

[0093] Step 4: Assemble the disc spring support 17 and the second disc spring 16. Locate the cylindrical hole 21 on the upper part of the wedge-shaped insert 3, and vertically insert and fix the disc spring support 17 inside the cylindrical hole 21, ensuring a firm and secure connection without any wobbling. Then, fit the second disc spring 16 onto the outside of the disc spring support 17, so that the lower end face of the second disc spring 16 abuts against the outer end face of the wedge-shaped insert 3. Adjust the position of the second disc spring 16 to ensure that it is coaxially arranged without any skewing or offset, thus completing the assembly of the split pre-tensioned disc spring and positioning components.

[0094] Step 5: Insert the valve stem 11 into the center of the valve cover 10. Fill the gap between the valve stem 11 and the valve cover 10 with packing 13. Then assemble the packing gland 14 into place and use a wrench 15 to initially tighten the packing 13, forming a complete valve cover assembly. Place the valve cover sealing ring 9 at the mating surface between the valve body 1 and the valve cover 10. Lower the entire valve cover assembly from the top of the valve body 1, aligning the valve cover 10 with the top mounting opening of the valve body 1. Use a wrench 15 to tighten the connecting bolts to lock and fix the valve cover 10. During the locking process of the valve cover 10, the inner end face axially presses the first disc spring 8 and the second disc spring 16, using the elasticity of the disc springs to complete the axial limiting and sealing pre-tightening of all internal components. Thoroughly check the assembly status of each component, the sealing connection, and the flexibility of the ball's opening and closing. After confirming that everything is correct, the assembly of the entire ball valve is complete.

[0095] The disassembly steps for the ball valve in this application are the reverse of the assembly steps described above, and no special tooling is required throughout the entire process. The specific procedure is as follows: First, remove the connecting bolts of the valve cover 10, remove the valve cover assembly, and then disassemble the packing gland 14, packing 13, and valve stem 11 in sequence to complete the disassembly of the valve cover assembly. Then, remove the second disc spring 16 and disc spring support 17, lift the wedge plate 3 upward to release the wedging force between the inclined surfaces, and the inclined valve seat 4 will naturally loosen after losing the radial pushing force. Then, remove the wedge plate 3, the inclined valve seat 4, and the C-shaped metal sealing ring 2 in sequence. After that, rotate the ball 5 to the fully open position and remove the ball 5 upward from the top assembly port of the valve body 1. Finally, remove the first disc spring 8 and the fixed valve seat 6 from the valve seat hole on one side of the valve body 1. All components are disassembled in sequence to complete the overall disassembly of the ball valve.

[0096] After disassembly, vulnerable components such as ball 5, valve seat, various sealing rings, and disc springs can be inspected, repaired, or replaced. After the inspection and repair are completed, they can be reassembled according to the above assembly steps and put into use.

[0097] This application presents a ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly. It uses a split inclined valve seat with a wedge-shaped slide plate as the core, combined with optimized designs such as a split pre-tightening disc spring, a multi-seal structure, a disc spring positioning support structure, and a valve stem dynamic sealing assembly to form a complete technical solution.

[0098] From a structural principle perspective, the radial tightening and loosening of the valve seat is achieved by relying on the inclined wedge clamping transmission, completely eliminating the need for traditional disassembly and assembly tooling. This solves the industry pain points of existing upper-body ball valves, such as reliance on tooling, poor versatility, and low maintenance efficiency. From a sealing performance perspective, the main sealing pair, C-shaped metal auxiliary seal, valve cover end face seal, and valve stem dynamic seal form a multi-stage sealing system. Combined with high-temperature resistant metal seals, it can stably adapt to the working conditions of high-temperature and high-pressure long-distance oil and gas pipelines, ensuring reliable sealing and long service life. From a processing and assembly perspective, the structure of each component is regular, and the machining process is mature. The design of the ball fully open minimum outer diameter structure, plug-in disc spring support, and split disc spring simplifies the assembly process without increasing the difficulty of production and manufacturing, making it suitable for mass industrial application.

[0099] In actual field use, the valve opening and closing operation is achieved by the valve stem 11 linking the rotation of the ball 5. During operation, the first disc spring 8 and the second disc spring 16 continuously output preload force to ensure that the valve seats on both sides are always in contact with the ball 5. The multiple sealing structures work together to prevent media leakage. When the valve needs to be repaired due to sealing leakage, component wear, or other faults, the operator can disassemble it in reverse according to the above disassembly and assembly method. The entire process can be completed by hand with conventional bolts and tools, without being limited by the work site or tooling. It is especially suitable for work scenarios where tooling is difficult to arrange, such as long-distance pipelines in the field, remote valve chambers, and mountain pipeline networks. The various optional embodiments can be freely combined and selected according to the actual working conditions: ordinary low-pressure pipelines can use a basic structure with conventional sealing components; high-temperature and high-pressure oil and gas trunk pipelines can be equipped with all optimized structures such as high-temperature resistant C-shaped metal sealing rings, split disc springs, and disc spring supports to maximize the comprehensive advantages of the technical solution of this application.

[0100] 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 ball valve mounted on a disassembled inclined valve seat without tooling or disassembly, characterized in that, include: The valve body has an assembly port at the top, and the valve seat holes and flow channel holes on both sides inside are arranged coaxially. A fixed valve seat is fitted into a valve seat hole on one side of the valve body; A split valve seat assembly is provided in the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body. The split valve seat assembly includes an inclined valve seat and a wedge-shaped insert plate. The wedge-shaped insert plate is vertically inserted into the valve body and slides and wedges tightly with the inclined surface of the inclined valve seat. When it moves downward, it can radially push the inclined valve seat to fit against the ball. A sphere is movably assembled within the flow channel hole and sandwiched between the fixed valve seat and the inclined valve seat; Pre-tightened disc springs abut against the outside of the fixed valve seat and the wedge-shaped insert plate, respectively, to provide sealing pre-tightening force; The valve cover is sealed and fixed at the assembly port to axially press the preloaded disc spring.

2. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inclined valve seat and the wedge-shaped insert plate form a mutually cooperating inclined surface, and the inclined surface is set at a 5° angle relative to the vertical plane of the valve body.

3. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A C-shaped metal sealing ring is disposed between the inclined valve seat and the valve body.

4. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The preloaded disc spring includes: A first disc spring and a second disc spring, the first disc spring abutting against the outside of the fixed valve seat, and the second disc spring abutting against the outside of the wedge-shaped insert.

5. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The preloaded disc spring also includes: The disc spring support has a cylindrical hole on the upper part of the wedge-shaped insert plate, and the disc spring support is inserted and fixed in the cylindrical hole. The second disc spring is sleeved on the outside of the disc spring support.

6. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A valve cover sealing ring is provided between the valve body and the valve cover.

7. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The valve stem, packing, and packing gland are provided. The valve stem is inserted into the center of the valve cover. The packing fills the gap between the valve stem and the valve cover. The packing gland presses the packing together to form a dynamic seal on the valve stem.

8. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the ball is at its smallest when it is in the fully open position, and the ball is inserted into the valve body through the mounting port on the top of the valve body in the fully open position.

9. The ball valve mounted on a split inclined valve seat without tooling disassembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The C-shaped metal sealing ring is a high-temperature resistant metal sealing component.

10. A method for disassembling and assembling a ball valve mounted on a beveled valve seat without tooling, characterized in that, The method is performed using the tool-free disassembly and assembly of the split inclined valve seat ball valve as described in any one of claims 1-9, and includes assembly and disassembly steps. The assembly steps are as follows: Step 1: Install the fixed valve seat equipped with the pre-tightened disc spring into the valve seat hole on one side of the valve body; Step 2: With the ball fully open, insert it into the flow channel hole of the valve body from the assembly port on the top of the valve body; Step 3: Install the C-shaped metal sealing ring, then insert the inclined valve seat into the valve seat hole on the other side of the valve body, and vertically insert the wedge-shaped insert plate so that the wedge-shaped insert plate moves downward to push the inclined valve seat to fit the ball; Step 4: Insert the disc spring support into the cylindrical hole at the top of the wedge-shaped insert plate, and fit the second disc spring on the outside of the disc spring support; Step 5: Assemble the valve stem, packing and packing gland in sequence to form the valve cover assembly. Seal and fix the valve cover to the top assembly port of the valve body. Tighten each pre-tightened disc spring by axially pressing the valve cover to complete the overall assembly. The disassembly step is the reverse of all the assembly steps described above.

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