Flow regulation type hard sealing fixed ball valve

Abstract

The utility model discloses a flow adjusting type hard sealing fixed ball valve which aims at solving the problems that a traditional ball valve is lagged in flow adjustment, poor in sealing reliability and the like. An inlet and an outlet of the valve body are communicated through a pressure balance pipe, a built-in piston, a movable ejector rod and the like form a pressure balance linkage assembly, and the pressure difference can be sensed in real time and the ball opening degree can be adjusted. The follow-up disc is matched with the limiting stop lever to achieve multi-stage opening locking, the pre-tightening force of the compression spring is adjusted through a screw-nut structure, and the pressure triggering threshold value is accurately set. The hard sealing structure adopts metal-to-metal matching of the ball body and the sealing face of the valve body, and self-sealing is achieved under the working conditions of high pressure and particle-containing media. The ball valve has the functions of automatic flow regulation, accurate threshold value control and high reliability, is suitable for the fields of petrochemical engineering, natural gas transportation and the like, effectively improves the stability and safety of a fluid control system, and reduces the manual regulation cost and the leakage risk.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of valve technology, and in particular to a flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of industrial fluid transportation and control, ball valves are widely used in industries such as petrochemicals, natural gas, and water supply and drainage due to their advantages such as compact structure, low flow resistance, and rapid opening and closing. Traditional fixed ball valves typically use manual or electric methods to control the rotation of the ball to achieve the opening and closing of the medium, but they have significant limitations in flow regulation. Their opening adjustment relies on the operator's experience and is difficult to respond in real time to changes in system pressure and flow, resulting in large flow fluctuations and affecting production efficiency and system stability.

[0003] With the continuous improvement of industrial automation, the requirements for the precision and intelligence of fluid control systems are becoming increasingly stringent. In complex operating conditions, such as long-distance pipeline transportation and multi-equipment coordinated operations, system pressure fluctuates with changes in flow rate and temperature. Traditional ball valves cannot adaptively adjust their opening, easily leading to problems such as pressure imbalance and energy waste. For example, in natural gas pipelines, if valves cannot adjust the flow rate in a timely manner, it may result in excessively high local pressure, increasing the risk of pipeline leakage; or excessively low pressure, affecting transportation efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a ball valve that can automatically adjust the flow rate according to pressure changes.

[0004] Currently, some ball valves on the market with flow regulation functions either employ complex electronic control systems, resulting in high costs and difficult maintenance; or rely on a single mechanical structure, making it impossible to accurately set the regulation threshold and adapt to different operating conditions. Furthermore, traditional ball valves mostly use soft-seal structures, which are prone to aging and wear in harsh environments with high temperatures, high pressures, and particulate media, leading to leaks and seriously affecting system safety. Developing a ball valve that combines automatic flow regulation, precise threshold control, and highly reliable sealing has become an urgent technical challenge. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by proposing a flow-regulating hard-seal fixed ball valve.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A flow-regulating hard-seal fixed ball valve includes a valve body with a spherical cavity inside. Each end of the spherical cavity has a valve seat mounting port. A ball is housed inside the valve body and installed within the spherical cavity. A medium flow hole is located at the center of the ball. The outer surface of the ball is spherical and mates with the sealing surface of the valve body to achieve a seal. A valve seat is located on the top of the valve body, and a valve stem is rotatably inserted into the valve seat. A mounting bracket is located on the side wall of the valve body, and a sliding sleeve is located at the end of the mounting bracket. A limit stop is slidably embedded inside the sliding sleeve. A locking component is located on the outer circumference of the valve stem to fix the position of the limit stop. An inlet pressure pipe and an outlet pressure pipe are located at the inlet and outlet ends of the valve body, respectively. Both the inlet and outlet pressure pipes are connected to the interior of the valve body. The output ends of the inlet and outlet pressure pipes are connected to the same pressure balance pipe, which contains a pressure balance linkage component for controlling the opening angle inside the valve body.

[0008] The above technical solution involves connecting the valve body inlet and outlet through a pressure balance pipe, using a built-in pressure balance linkage component to control the opening angle, achieving automatic locking of the valve opening, and dynamically balancing the flow rate based on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet, thereby reducing manual intervention, lowering risks, and improving ease of operation.

[0009] Preferably, the pressure balance linkage assembly includes a piston that is slidably embedded in the inner wall of the pressure balance tube. A movable push rod is provided laterally at one end of the piston near the inlet pressure tube and slides to the outside of the pressure balance tube. The end of the movable push rod extending to the outside of the pressure balance tube abuts against the bottom side wall of the limit stop rod.

[0010] The above technical solution involves connecting a piston to a movable push rod. The pressure difference drives the piston to move and push the limit stop rod, converting the pressure signal into mechanical action, forming a closed-loop feedback system to precisely control the valve opening.

[0011] Preferably, the locking assembly includes a follower disc coaxially sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem, with multiple locking grooves evenly spaced on the outer circumferential surface of the follower disc, the top of the limit stop rod being detachably slidably embedded in the locking groove, and a pressure regulating assembly for controlling the trigger threshold of the movable push rod being provided on the upper part of the mounting bracket.

[0012] Through the above technical solutions, the locking groove of the follower disc cooperates with the limit stop to achieve multi-position locking of the valve stem, provide multi-level opening adjustment capability, ensure that the valve is stable in the preset position, and prevent drift caused by pressure fluctuations.

[0013] Furthermore, the pressure regulating assembly includes a screw inserted laterally into the upper part of the mounting bracket, a nut threaded onto the screw, the nut being fixed to the upper side wall of the mounting bracket, a ring sleeve at the end of the screw, a compression spring embedded inside the ring sleeve, and the end of the compression spring abutting against the side wall of the limit stop bar.

[0014] Through the above technical solutions, the screw-nut mechanism can adjust the preload of the compression spring, and different pressure trigger thresholds can be set to make the valve adapt to different working conditions.

[0015] Furthermore, a limiting rod is provided at the end of the piston near the outlet pressure tube, and the limiting rod abuts against the inner wall of the end of the pressure balance tube.

[0016] Through the above technical solutions: the piston is equipped with a limit rod to limit the maximum stroke, prevent excessive piston displacement that could lead to structural damage, and protect the pressure balance component for safe operation.

[0017] Preferably, the valve seat is provided with a worm gear drive assembly at the top, and its output end is connected to the valve stem, while the input end of the worm gear drive assembly is provided with a handwheel.

[0018] Through the above technical solutions, the worm gear transmission assembly enables the handwheel and valve stem to be linked, providing redundancy for manual control. It can be manually operated when automatic adjustment fails, thereby improving system reliability.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0020] 1. Through the linkage between the pressure balancing pipe and components such as the piston and movable push rod, the inlet and outlet pressure difference can be sensed in real time, facilitating the adjustment of valve opening. When the inlet pressure is greater than the outlet pressure, the system can freely adjust the opening angle of the ball to ensure stable flow output. When the inlet pressure is less than the outlet pressure, the ball can be automatically locked to prevent damage caused by continuous pressure input. This eliminates the need for frequent manual intervention, significantly improving the system's automation level and operating efficiency.

[0021] 2. Utilizing a pressure regulating assembly consisting of a screw, nut, and compression spring, the pressure trigger threshold can be precisely set according to actual operating conditions. Whether in high-pressure industrial pipelines or low-pressure civil pipelines, the sensitivity of valve regulation can be flexibly controlled by adjusting the preload of the compression spring, enhancing the equipment's adaptability to different pressure environments and broadening its application scenarios.

[0022] 3. On the one hand, the hard seal structure uses a ball to tightly fit the valve body sealing surface, achieving self-sealing under the action of medium pressure. It is resistant to high pressure and wear, and is suitable for harsh working conditions such as media containing particles. On the other hand, under abnormal working conditions, the limit stop bar and the locking groove work together to forcibly lock the valve stem, preventing malfunctions that could cause pipeline damage. Combined with the manual adjustment function, it ensures that the system can still operate safely in case of failure, providing comprehensive protection for operational safety.

[0023] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve proposed in this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view of the flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve proposed in this utility model.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure balance linkage assembly structure of the flow regulating hard-seal fixed ball valve proposed in this utility model;

[0027] Figure 4 The flow regulating type hard seal fixed ball valve proposed in this utility model Figure 2 A magnified schematic diagram of the local structure at point A;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the locking assembly structure of the flow regulating hard-seal fixed ball valve proposed in this utility model.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Valve body; 2. Inlet pressure pipe; 3. Outlet pressure pipe; 4. Pressure balance pipe; 5. Piston; 6. Limit rod; 7. Movable push rod; 8. Limit stop rod; 9. Sliding sleeve; 10. Valve seat; 11. Valve stem; 12. Worm gear drive assembly; 13. Handwheel; 15. Follower plate; 151. Locking groove; 16. Mounting bracket; 17. Screw; 18. Nut; 19. Ring sleeve; 20. Compression spring. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments.

[0031] Example 1, referring to Figures 1 to 5

[0032] A flow-regulating hard-seal fixed ball valve includes a valve body 1. The valve body 1 has a spherical cavity inside, with valve seat mounting ports at both ends. A ball is installed inside the spherical cavity, with a medium flow hole at its center. The outer surface of the ball is spherical and mates with the sealing surface of the valve body 1 to achieve a seal. A valve seat 10 is located on the top of the valve body 1, and a valve stem 11 is rotatably inserted into the valve seat 10. A mounting bracket 16 is located on the side wall of the valve body 1, with a sliding sleeve 9 at its end. A limit stop 8 is slidably embedded inside the sliding sleeve 9. A locking assembly for fixing the position of the limit stop 8 is located on the outer circumference of the valve stem 11. An inlet pressure pipe 2 and an outlet pressure pipe 3 are respectively located at the inlet and outlet ends of the valve body 1. Both the inlet and outlet pressure pipes 2 and 3 are connected to the interior of the valve body 1. The output ends of the inlet and outlet pressure pipes 2 and 3 are connected to the same pressure balance pipe 4. A pressure balance linkage assembly for controlling the opening angle inside the valve body 1 is located inside the pressure balance pipe 4.

[0033] In this embodiment, the pressure balancing linkage assembly includes a piston 5 slidably embedded in the inner wall of the pressure balancing tube 4. A movable push rod 7 is laterally provided at one end of the piston 5 near the inlet pressure tube 2 and extends slidably to the outside of the pressure balancing tube 4. The end of the movable push rod 7 extending outside the pressure balancing tube 4 abuts against the bottom side wall of the limiting stop rod 8. The locking assembly includes a follower plate 15 coaxially sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem 11. Multiple locking grooves 151 are evenly spaced on the outer circumferential surface of the follower plate 15. The top end of the limiting stop rod 8 is detachably slidably embedded in the locking groove 151. The upper part of the mounting bracket 16 is provided with a threshold for controlling the triggering of the movable push rod 7. The pressure regulating assembly includes a screw 17 horizontally inserted into the upper part of the mounting bracket 16, a nut 18 threaded onto the screw 17, the nut 18 being fixed to the upper side wall of the mounting bracket 16, a ring 19 at the end of the screw 17, a compression spring 20 embedded inside the ring 19, the end of the compression spring 20 abutting against the side wall of the limit stop 8, a limit rod 6 at the end of the piston 5 near the outlet pressure pipe 3, the limit rod 6 abutting against the inner wall of the end of the pressure balance pipe 4, a worm gear drive assembly 12 at the top of the valve seat 10, and its output end connected to the valve stem 11, and a handwheel 13 at the input end of the worm gear drive assembly 12.

[0034] The working principle of this embodiment:

[0035] Working principle under normal operating conditions: inlet pressure > outlet pressure

[0036] Pressure balance linkage component activation: When the medium flows in from the inlet pressure pipe 2 and the inlet pressure is greater than the outlet pressure, the piston 5 in the pressure balance pipe 4 moves towards the outlet end under the action of the pressure difference until the limit rod 6 at the end of the piston abuts against the inner wall of the pressure balance pipe, thus limiting the piston stroke.

[0037] Unlocking the valve stem: When the valve stem is unlocked after the pressure is normal, the movable top rod 7 separates from the limit stop rod 8. The rebound force of the compression spring 20 causes the limit stop rod 8 to reset and separate from the locking groove 151, so the valve stem can continue to rotate.

[0038] Automatic opening adjustment: After unlocking, the valve stem can continue to rotate under the action of the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet, which drives the medium flow hole in the ball to change the opening, increase the flow area and increase the outlet pressure.

[0039] Pressure threshold adjustment: The compression of the compression spring can be adjusted by rotating screw 17. Clockwise rotation increases the spring preload, requiring a higher pressure difference to unlock the valve stem; counterclockwise rotation decreases the trigger pressure difference threshold to adapt to different pressure system requirements.

[0040] Working principle under abnormal operating conditions where outlet pressure > inlet pressure

[0041] When the outlet pressure is greater than the inlet pressure, such as when the outlet pipe is blocked:

[0042] Piston reverse movement: Under the action of reverse pressure difference, the piston slides towards the inlet end, and the movable push rod retracts into the pressure balance tube with the piston, disengaging from the limit stop rod and unable to apply thrust to the limit stop rod.

[0043] Mechanical locking protection: The limit stop bar continuously applies pressure to the compression spring and overcomes the resistance, so that its top end is firmly locked into the locking groove of the follower plate. The valve stem is forcibly fixed to prevent the ball from rotating accidentally due to reverse pressure, or to prevent the valve stem from being manually rotated, thus avoiding the danger caused by abnormal increase in pipeline pressure.

[0044] Manual intervention: Operators can manually adjust the opening of the ball or close the valve by turning the handwheel 13, which drives the valve stem through the worm gear transmission group 12, and at the same time check for abnormal causes such as pipeline blockage.

[0045] Regardless of the automatic adjustment system status, turning the handwheel can directly drive the valve stem for initial system commissioning and setting the opening, emergency operation when automatic adjustment fails, and rapid shut-off of media flow in emergencies. The ball and the sealing surface inside the valve body adopt a metal hard seal structure. The higher the media pressure, the tighter the ball fits against the valve seat 10, forming a "self-sealing" effect. It has high pressure resistance and wear resistance characteristics and is suitable for harsh working conditions such as media containing particles and high temperature and pressure.

[0046] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or changes made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model, based on the technical solution and the inventive concept of the present utility model, should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A flow-regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve, comprising a valve body (1), wherein the valve body (1) has a spherical cavity inside, and valve seat mounting ports are respectively provided at both ends of the spherical cavity; a ball is provided inside the valve body (1), the ball is installed in the spherical cavity, a medium flow hole is provided at the center of the ball, and the outer surface of the ball is spherical, which cooperates with the sealing surface of the valve body (1) to achieve sealing, characterized in that, The valve body (1) is provided with a valve seat (10) at the top, and a valve stem (11) is rotatably inserted into the valve seat (10). The valve body (1) is provided with a mounting bracket (16) on the side wall, and a sliding sleeve (9) is provided at the end of the mounting bracket (16). A limiting stop (8) is slidably embedded inside the sliding sleeve (9). A locking component for fixing the position of the limiting stop (8) is provided on the outer circumference of the valve stem (11). An inlet pressure pipe (2) and an outlet pressure pipe (3) are provided at the inlet and outlet ends of the valve body (1), respectively. The inlet pressure pipe (2) and the outlet pressure pipe (3) are both connected to the inside of the valve body (1). The output ends of the inlet pressure pipe (2) and the outlet pressure pipe (3) are connected to the same pressure balance pipe (4). A pressure balance linkage component for controlling the opening angle inside the valve body (1) is provided inside the pressure balance pipe (4).

2. The flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure balance linkage assembly includes a piston (5) that is slidably embedded in the inner wall of the pressure balance tube (4). The piston (5) has a movable push rod (7) laterally provided at one end near the inlet pressure tube (2) and slides to the outside of the pressure balance tube (4). The movable push rod (7) extends to the outside of the pressure balance tube (4) and abuts against the bottom side wall of the limiting stop rod (8).

3. The flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The locking assembly includes a follower disc (15) coaxially sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem (11). The outer circumferential surface of the follower disc (15) is provided with a plurality of locking grooves (151) at equal intervals. The top end of the limiting stop (8) is detachably slidably embedded in the locking groove (151). The upper part of the mounting bracket (16) is provided with a pressure regulating assembly for controlling the trigger threshold of the movable push rod (7).

4. The flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pressure regulating assembly includes a screw (17) that is horizontally inserted into the upper part of the mounting bracket (16). The screw (17) is threaded with a nut (18). The nut (18) is fixed to the upper side wall of the mounting bracket (16). The end of the screw (17) is provided with a ring (19). A compression spring (20) is embedded inside the ring (19). The end of the compression spring (20) abuts against the side wall of the limiting stop (8).

5. The flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The piston (5) is provided with a limiting rod (6) at one end near the outlet pressure tube (3), and the limiting rod (6) abuts against the inner wall of the end of the pressure balance tube (4).

6. The flow regulating type hard-seal fixed ball valve according to claim 5, characterized in that, The valve seat (10) is provided with a worm gear drive assembly (12) at the top, and its output end is connected to the valve stem (11). The worm gear drive assembly (12) is provided with a handwheel (13) at its input end.

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