Axial control valve for controlling the volume flow in a gas pipeline

Abstract

An axial control valve (10) for controlling the volume flow in a gas pipeline, comprising a housing (11) in which an upstream pre-chamber (20), which is bounded on the outside at least partially by an annular wall (21) provided with passage openings (22), and a further channel (19) arranged outside the annular wall (21) are formed, and a valve body (24) which is adjustable within the pre-chamber (20) and can be brought into sealing contact with an inner wall (25) of the annular wall (21), whereby at least some of the passage openings (22) can be closed, characterized in that the passage openings (22) are designed as bores with a passage axis B each, wherein the passage axis B of at least some of the passage openings (22) runs at an angle α in the range of 20° to 70° to the longitudinal axis L of the control valve (10),that the annular wall (21) is surrounded on its outer side facing away from the pre-chamber (20) at a distance a by a further annular wall (26) in which further passage openings (27) are formed, that the further passage openings (27) are formed as bores with a passage axis B' each, wherein the passage axis B' of at least some further passage openings (27) runs obliquely at an angle β in the range of 20° to 70° to the longitudinal axis L of the control valve (10), that the passage axes B of the passage openings (22) of the annular wall (21) run parallel to the passage axes B' of the further passage openings (27) of the further annular wall (26).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an axial control valve for controlling the volume flow in a gas line, comprising a housing in which an upstream pre-chamber, which is bounded on the outside at least partially by an annular wall provided with passage openings, and a further channel arranged outside the annular chamber are formed, and with a valve body which is adjustable within the pre-chamber and can be brought into sealing contact with an inner wall of the annular wall, whereby at least some of the passage openings can be closed.

[0002] A corresponding axial control valve serves to reliably and precisely adjust the volume flow of gaseous media, especially in natural gas technology.

[0003] An axial control valve of known design has a housing in which an upstream pre-chamber is formed, into which a gas, for example from a supply line, can flow. The pre-chamber is bounded, at least partially, on the outside by an annular wall provided with through-holes. The gas can flow through the through-holes and then enters a further channel located outside the annular wall, which is usually designed as an annular channel, and then flows out of the housing of the axial control valve.

[0004] Inside the housing is a valve body in which a valve body can be adjusted axially, i.e., along the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve. The valve body can be inserted into the pre-chamber and then forms a sealing contact with the inner wall of the annular wall. In the open position, the valve body is retracted to such an extent that it obstructs none or very few of the passages. As the valve body is moved axially, it increasingly obstructs more of the passages, thus reducing the volume of gas that can enter the downstream channel from the pre-chamber. In the closed position, the valve body covers all passages, preventing any gas flow.

[0005] The ring wall can have a net-like structure, or the passage openings can be designed as bores that run perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axial control valve and thus completely radially.

[0006] The gas enters the pre-chamber essentially in an axial direction, is then deflected by 90° to flow radially outwards through the flow openings, and then undergoes another deflection of 90° to flow in the downstream channel essentially in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, or parallel to it. Particularly at high flow velocities, loud flow noises occur, which are clearly audible even on the outside of the axial control valve and are perceived as unpleasant.

[0007] From DE 85 36 664 U1 a pressure reducing device with an additional switching protection device, consisting of two bodies that can move relative to each other, is known.

[0008] From US patent 4,860,993 A, a valve is known that is designed to reduce cavitation and noise emissions at high flow rates and pressures.

[0009] The invention is based on the objective of creating an axial control valve of the type mentioned, in which the noise generation is reduced.

[0010] This problem is solved according to the invention by an axial control valve with the features of claim 1. Here, too, the through-holes are designed as bores, each with a straight through-hole axis B, wherein the through-hole axis B of at least some, and preferably all, through-holes runs at an angle α in the range of 20° to 70° to the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve. In this way, the gas entering the pre-chamber in the axial direction is deflected not by 90°, but only by the angle α, which is less than 90°, and also undergoes a corresponding deflection of less than 90° after passing through the through-hole, before flowing again in the axial direction. It has been shown that these reduced deflections result in a significant reduction in noise generation due to the gas flow.

[0011] The passage openings are aligned such that a radially outer outlet cross-section of the passage opening is arranged axially to the downstream end of the axial spreader valve, offset from the axial position of the associated inlet cross-section of the passage opening.

[0012] Preferably the angle α is in the range of 30° to 60° and is particularly 45°.

[0013] A "bore" within the meaning of the invention is any straight passage that has a straight, non-curved path and a straight longitudinal axis or passage axis. The passage need not be produced by a drilling process; other manufacturing methods can also be used.

[0014] In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the passage axes of all passage openings are inclined at an angle α to the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve.

[0015] Crucially, the annular wall is surrounded on its outer surface, facing away from the pre-chamber, at a distance *a*, by another annular wall in which further passage openings are formed. An intermediate chamber is thus created between the inner annular wall and the outer annular wall, which serves as a turbulence chamber, resulting in a further reduction of the noise generated by the gas flow.

[0016] It is also essential that the additional flow openings are likewise designed as bores, each with a flow axis, the flow axis of at least some of these additional flow openings running at an angle β in the range of 20° to 70° to the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve. Furthermore, it is essential that the flow axes of the flow openings in the annular wall run parallel to the flow axes of the additional flow openings in the outer annular wall.

[0017] To reliably achieve sufficient turbulence of the gas flow in the intermediate chamber, the outlet cross-sections of the annular wall's through-holes can be arranged offset from the inlet cross-sections of the other through-holes of the outer annular wall in the direction of the axial control valve. This means that the gas flow exiting an outlet cross-section of an inner annular wall's through-hole undergoes a slight deflection before entering the corresponding inlet cross-section of the other through-hole of the outer annular wall. This prevents the through-holes of the inner annular wall from aligning with the through-holes of the outer annular wall.

[0018] The distance a, and thus the radial height of the intermediate chamber, is preferably in the range of 2mm to 20mm.

[0019] The invention is not limited to the axial control valve being flowed through in the direction described, but a reversal of the flow direction is also included in the invention.

[0020] Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a longitudinal section through an axial control valve, Fig. 2 an enlarged detail view of the passage openings of the annular wall of the axial control valve according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 an axial control valve according to the invention and Fig. 4 an enlarged detail view of the passage openings of the annular wall of the axial control valve according to Fig. 3.

[0021] Fig. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through an axial control valve 10, which has a housing 11 enclosing a housing interior 28. The housing 11 has an axial longitudinal axis L and is designed according to Fig. 1 flowing from right to left, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. The arrow F indicates the direction of flow.

[0022] On its upstream side, according to Fig. On the right side, the housing 11 has an inlet opening 29, which is surrounded by a circumferential flange 12, which serves for attachment to a pipeline.

[0023] On its opposite, downstream side, according to Fig. At its left end, the housing 11 has an outlet opening 30, which is surrounded by a circumferential flange 13, which serves for attachment to a further gas line.

[0024] A valve housing 17 is arranged in the housing interior 28 of the housing 11 and is attached to the housing 11 via supports 15 and 16 in such a way that a channel 19 is formed between the radial outer surface of the valve housing 17 and the inner wall of the housing 11.

[0025] In the valve housing 17 a valve body 24 is mounted along the longitudinal axis L and thus axially displaceable. Fig. Figure 1 shows the valve body 24 in a position extended from the valve housing 17 (lower illustration in Figure 1). Fig. 1) and in a position retracted into the valve housing 17 (top illustration in Fig. 1).

[0026] On the outside of the valve housing 11, a nozzle-shaped extension 14 is arranged, which transitions into an inner tube 18 that extends through the valve housing 11. A spindle drive (not shown) can be arranged in the tube 18 and the nozzle-shaped extension 14, the actuation of which allows the valve body 24 to be moved back and forth in the axial direction.

[0027] On the upstream side, immediately behind the inlet opening 29 of the valve housing 11, a pre-chamber 20 is formed, which is bounded in the area between the housing 11 and the valve housing 17 by an annular wall 21. Several passage openings 22 are provided in the annular wall 21, through which gas located in the pre-chamber 20 can enter the downstream channel 19.

[0028] How Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the valve body 24 can be adjusted axially within the pre-chamber 20, where it is in sealing contact with an inner wall 25 of the annular wall 21. When the valve body 24 is in its position shown in the upper half of the illustration, Fig. When the valve body 24 is in the retracted position shown in Figure 1 within the valve housing 17, all passage openings 22 in the annular wall 21 are open. The further the valve body 24 is extended axially from the valve housing 17 and retracted into the pre-chamber 20, the more passage openings 22 the valve body 24 seals. In this way, the number of passage openings 22 through which the gas can flow can be adjusted, which corresponds to adjusting and changing the gas flow rate. In a position fully extended into the pre-chamber 20, the valve body 24 seals all passage openings 22 in the annular wall 21, thus blocking the gas flow.

[0029] During normal operation, the gas is released at the point specified below. Fig. 1. The gas enters the pre-chamber 20 on the right side at the inlet opening 29, flows through the open passage openings 20 of the annular wall 21 and enters the downstream channel 19. In the channel 19, the gas flows around the valve housing 17 in the direction of the downstream section, according to Fig. 1 left end of the housing 11 and flows out of it at the outlet opening 30.

[0030] Fig. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the annular wall 21 with the through-holes 22. It can be seen that the through-holes 22 are not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve 10, but are inclined obliquely forward in the direction of flow. Specifically: Only one of the passage openings 22 is considered below, however, the same principles apply to all passage openings 22.

[0031] The passage opening 22 is designed as a bore with a passage axis B. The passage axis B intersects the longitudinal axis L at an angle α, which lies between 20° and 70° and, in particular, between 30° and 60°. Preferably, the angle α is 45°. The angle α is the smaller of the two acute angles on the side of the passage axis B facing away from the inlet opening 29. The gas flowing axially into the pre-chamber 20 through the inlet opening 29 is thus deflected at the angle α and flows through the obliquely oriented passage openings 22. A radially inner inlet cross-section of the passage opening 22 is closer to the inlet opening 29 of the housing 11 than the corresponding radially outer outlet cross-section of the respective passage opening.

[0032] The Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows a further development of the design of the axial control valve 10 according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The further development differs from the previously described embodiment in that the annular wall 21, on its radially outer side facing away from the pre-chamber 20, is surrounded at a distance a by a further annular wall 26, in which further passage openings 27 are formed. The distance a is in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm, and a turbulence chamber 31 is thus formed between the radially inner annular wall 21 and the radially outer further annular wall 26.

[0033] The further passage openings 27 of the further annular wall 26 are also designed as bores with a passage axis B'. The passage axis B' of at least some further passage openings 27 and preferably all further passage openings 27 run at an angle β in the range of 20° to 70° and preferably 45° to the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve 10. Fig. Figure 4 shows that the passage axes B of the passage openings 22 of the ring wall 21 run parallel to the passage axes B' of the further passage openings 27 of the further ring wall 26 when viewed in longitudinal section.

[0034] However, the through-openings 22 of the radially inner annular wall 21 and the further through-openings 27 of the radially outer further annular wall 26 are not aligned with each other, but the outlet cross-sections of the through-openings 22 of the radially inner annular wall 21 are offset from the inlet cross-sections of the further through-openings 27 of the further annular wall 26 in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the axial control valve 10, as shown in Fig. 4 is shown.

Claims

[1] Axial control valve (10) for controlling the volume flow in a gas pipeline, comprising a housing (11) in which an upstream pre-chamber (20) is bounded on the outside at least partially by an annular wall (21) provided with passage openings (22), and a further channel (19) arranged outside the annular wall (21) are formed, and with a valve body (24) which is adjustable within the pre-chamber (20) and can be brought into sealing contact with an inner wall (25) of the annular wall (21), whereby at least some of the passage openings (22) can be closed, characterized by, that the passage openings (22) are designed as bores, each with a passage axis B, wherein the passage axis B of at least some passage openings (22) runs at an angle α in the range of 20° to 70° obliquely to the longitudinal axis L of the control valve (10), that the annular wall (21) is surrounded on its outer side facing away from the pre-chamber (20) at a distance a by a further annular wall (26) in which further passage openings (27) are formed, that the further passage openings (27) are designed as bores, each with a passage axis B', wherein the passage axis B' of at least some further passage openings (27) runs at an angle β in the range of 20° to 70° obliquely to the longitudinal axis L of the control valve (10), that the passage axes B of the passage openings (22) of the annular wall (21) are parallel to the passage axes B' of the further passage openings (27) of the further ring wall (26). [2] Axial control valve according to claim 1, characterized by , that the angle α lies in the range of 30° to 60°. [3] Axial control valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the angle α is 45°. [4] Axial control valve according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the passage axes B of all passage openings (22) run at an angle α obliquely to the longitudinal axis L of the control valve (10). [5] Axial control valve according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the outlet cross-sections of the passage openings (22) of the annular wall (21) are arranged offset from the inlet cross-sections of the further passage openings (27) of the further annular wall (26) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) of the control valve (10). [6] Axial control valve according to claim 5, characterized by , that the distance a is in the range of 2mm to 20mm.

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