Angle seat valve

Abstract

Angle seat valve, comprising: - a housing (10b) in which a flow path extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, - an inlet opening (11) arranged at the inlet end, - an outlet opening (12) arranged at the outlet end, - a valve arranged in the housing with a valve seat element (40) and a valve body element (30) resting against it on the front side, - an actuating element (20) arranged outside the housing, which is coupled to the valve body element via a coupling rod (20) and is designed to switch the valve body element back and forth between a closed and an open position by rotating the valve body element about a valve rotation axis (2), characterized in that - the valve seat element has exactly one valve seat opening (41) and one valve seat blocking surface (42), each extending over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis (2), and - the valve body element rests on the end face of the valve seat element and has exactly one valve body opening (31) and one valve body blocking surface (32), each of which extends over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an angle seat valve comprising: - a housing in which a flow path extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, - an inlet opening arranged at the inlet end, - an outlet opening arranged at the outlet end, - a valve arranged in the housing with a valve seat element and a valve body element resting against it on the front side, - an actuating element arranged outside the housing, which is coupled to the valve body element via a coupling rod and is designed to switch the valve body element back and forth between a closed and an open position by rotating the valve body element about a valve rotation axis,

[0002] Angle seat valves are used in a variety of applications and are designed to control the flow of a fluid through a line—that is, to open, restrict, or block it. The special design of an angle seat valve, as the name suggests, is that the valve assembly itself is arranged at an angle to the main flow direction through the valve housing. This angled arrangement has the fundamental advantage of allowing lower flow resistance compared to a valve in which the valve assembly is parallel to the main flow direction through the housing, forcing the fluid to flow perpendicular to the main flow direction, with two 90° deflections.

[0003] Angle seat valves can generally be designed as a screw spindle operated valve arrangement; here the valve body is lifted off and placed on the valve seat by an axial movement generated by a screw spindle, thereby increasing or decreasing the flow cross-section through the angle seat valve. This design is also known as a "rising spindle" design. Another, less common design of angle seat valve uses a disk valve arrangement. In this disk valve arrangement, a valve disk with two openings is placed in a sealed manner on a valve seat that also has two openings. The disk can be rotated relative to this valve seat so that the two openings of the valve body and valve seat are either aligned with one another or offset from one another, or throttling intermediate positions can be set.In these so-called angle-seat valves of the "non-rising spindle" design, the two openings in the valve body element and the valve seat element are arranged opposite each other, so that the valve body element can be rotated 90° relative to the valve seat element to switch between the open and closed positions. The blocking position can therefore be signaled ergonomically on the actuating element by aligning an elongated handle transversely to the flow direction of the valve. The flow direction can be clearly signaled by aligning this handle in the longitudinal direction of the flow direction after a 90° rotation.

[0004] A disadvantage of both known designs of angle seat valves, however, is that on the one hand they are susceptible to limescale build-up inside the angle seat valve, which can impair tightness when closed because a secure seal can no longer be created between the valve body and the valve seat. On the other hand, limescale build-up and contamination of the valve can also impair its smooth operation, causing the valve to stick in one position. Finally, a further problem with angle seat valves is that, despite the essentially advantageous angled alignment of the valve body and valve seat, the flow resistance is undesirably high even in the fully open position, which creates a disadvantageous throttling effect through the angle seat valve.

[0005] The object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages and to provide an advantageous valve design.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by an angle seat valve of the type described above, in which - the valve seat element has exactly one valve seat opening and one valve seat blocking surface, each extending over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis, and - the valve body element rests on the end face of the valve seat element and has exactly one valve body opening and one valve body blocking surface, each of which extends over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis.

[0007] The angle seat valve according to the invention is characterized in that only one opening is formed in the valve body element and correspondingly also in the valve seat element. This one opening accordingly extends over a circumferential angle of approximately 180°, thereby providing a large overall flow cross-section. The approximate specification "approximately" is to be understood in such a way that, for ideal use of the available flow cross-section, the opening of the valve body element and valve seat element can theoretically ideally extend over 180° and, accordingly, the remaining 180° circumferential angle on the valve body element and valve seat element can be used as a blocking surface, so that complete shut-off of the valve is achieved when the opening of the valve body element is completely covered by the blocking surface of the valve seat element.However, in order to enable a safe adjustment of this closed state and to avoid having to adjust an exact rotational angle position of the valve body element, the circumferential angle of the opening in the valve body element and / or the opening in the valve seat element is often reduced by approximately 1° to 2° or the edge of the opening is slightly offset from the center, whereby the closed state of the angle seat valve can be safely adjusted even in the event of slight angular mispositioning.

[0008] The angle seat valve according to the invention therefore departs from the conventional design and pivoting between the open and closed positions by 90° and instead provides for pivoting through a larger angle, typically 180°. On the actuating element of the angle seat valve, the open and closed positions can therefore no longer be directly identified in the known manner by orientation transversely or longitudinally to the flow direction of the valve. Advantageously, however, a lower flow resistance is achieved, which is achieved even though the opening cross-section provided by the valve body element and valve seat element can theoretically have the same area as the sum of the opening cross-sectional areas in conventional angle seat valves with a non-rising spindle.However, due to the provision of this cross-sectional area through a single opening, the angle seat valve according to the invention has a more favorable flow with lower resistance than is achieved with a flow through an angle seat valve with the same cross-sectional area, which is however divided into two or more openings.

[0009] Fundamentally, it should be understood that in the angle seat valve according to the invention, the valve body opening area and the valve seat blocking area must be dimensioned such that the valve seat blocking area can completely close the valve body opening area in order to achieve a completely closed state of the angle seat valve. Furthermore, it should be understood that the valve body opening area and the valve seat opening area are ideally congruent with each other, so that the opening cross-sections can be ideally aligned with each other for a maximum flow cross-section.

[0010] According to a first preferred embodiment, the valve seat element is designed as a fixed valve seat disc, and the valve body element rests against the valve seat disc at its end and is constructed as a rotatable valve body disc. The valve seat disc and the valve body disc are thus separate components and can be individually disassembled and thus replaced. This development is characterized by the fact that both the valve seat element and the valve body element are formed by discs and are therefore easily replaceable in the event of wear or calcification. Furthermore, the two discs can be made of ceramic material, plastic, metal, or a different material than, for example, the housing or the actuating element.

[0011] According to a first preferred embodiment, the valve body opening extends over a circumferential angle of more than 170° and less than 180°. Such a circumferential angle of the valve body opening allows a fully closed position to be reliably set without requiring the valve body element to be precisely adjusted to a specific angular position relative to the valve seat element. The preferred embodiment therefore achieves user-friendly and safe operation without having to accept a particularly disadvantageous reduction in the maximum flow cross-section.

[0012] It is even further preferred if the valve body opening extends over a first circumferential angle, and the valve seat blocking surface extends over a second circumferential angle that is greater than the first circumferential angle. According to this embodiment, the valve seat blocking surface extends over a larger circumferential angle than the valve body opening. This relative size difference ensures that the closed position of the valve is not achieved in a single, exact rotational angular position from valve body element to valve seat element, but instead that an angular range is provided in which this closed position is reliably achieved, wherein the angular range corresponds to the difference between the circumferential angles of the valve seat blocking surface and the valve body opening.

[0013] It is even more preferred if the valve rotation axis extends obliquely, in particular at an angle between 20° and 70°, to a flow direction through the housing. Such an oblique arrangement of the valve rotation axis to the flow direction through the housing achieves an advantageous compact construction while simultaneously providing a favorable hydrodynamic design of the angle-seat valve. It should be understood that the flow direction through the housing, in the case of a straight flow from the inlet to the outlet opening, is understood to be the connecting line between the center axis of the inlet opening and the congruent center axis of the outlet opening.In the case of angle seat valves, where the inlet and outlet openings are not parallel to each other, but the flow is angled, the flow direction is understood to be the plane in which the flow path through the valve lies and the angle of the valve rotation axis in a corresponding manner with respect to this plane.

[0014] It is even more preferred if the valve body element can be pivoted by 180° about the valve rotation axis and is adjusted between the fully closed position and the fully open position by such a pivoting by 180°. Such a pivoting by 180° achieves ideal utilization of the available opening and closing cross-sections on the valve body element or valve seat element, thereby achieving low flow resistance on the one hand and a secure closure of the valve on the other.

[0015] It is even further preferred if the valve body element has a recess in the side of the valve body blocking surface facing the valve seat element, which recess is surrounded on all sides by an edge that seals against the valve seat element. Such a recess in the valve body blocking surface reduces the contact area between the valve seat element and the valve body element, thereby reducing the actuation forces. Furthermore, such a recess can be used as a lubricant chamber, and either a lubricant designed to remain permanently in place can be arranged in this recess, or a reservoir of the fluid flowing through the valve can be established in this recess, which also achieves a lubricating effect to facilitate actuation of the valve.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, the angle seat valve can also be further developed in that the valve seat element has a recess in the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element, which recess is surrounded on all sides by a sealing edge against the valve body element. Such a recess in the valve seat blocking surface can similarly achieve a lubricating effect. In particular, if a corresponding recess is arranged on both sides in both the valve body element and the valve seat element, a favorable reduction in frictional forces and an improvement in the lubricating effect between the parts moving relative to one another can be achieved.

[0017] It is even further preferred if the valve seat blocking surface has a thickness that increases from the valve seat opening to the peripheral edge of the valve seat blocking surface on the surface facing away from the valve body element, in particular in such a way that the surface of the valve seat blocking surface facing away from the valve body element runs obliquely to the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element. According to this embodiment, a further problem that occurs during flow through angle seat valves is solved, which problem is that turbulence behind the valve body element creates flow resistance. By designing the side of the valve seat blocking surface that is not in contact with the valve body element at an angle oblique to the side facing the valve body element, the valve seat element thickens outwards in the radial direction in this area.This increase in the thickness of the valve seat element, visible in longitudinal section, can be wedge-shaped, for example, whereby the wedge surface can be straight or curved, for example, convex or concave. The hydrodynamic effect of this geometry is that unfavorable flow separation with turbulence in the flow direction behind the valve seat element is avoided. Instead, the fluid flows through the angle seat valve in a laminar flow or with minimal turbulence after passing through the openings of the valve body element and valve seat element.

[0018] It is particularly preferred if the angle of the inclined surface to the surface of the valve seat element adjacent to the valve body element corresponds to the angle by which the valve rotation axis is inclined relative to the flow direction through the valve, so that the inclined surface on the valve seat blocking surface runs parallel to the flow direction of the angle seat valve through the housing. In this case, a nearly ideal, turbulence-free flow is achieved.

[0019] It is particularly preferred if the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing away from the valve body element extends at an angle oblique to the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element, which angle corresponds to or deviates by less than 10° from the angle by which the valve rotation axis extends to the flow direction through the housing. By such an alignment of the angle of the obliquely extending surface on the valve seat blocking surface to the inclination of the valve rotation axis, or only a slight deviation of less than 10°, a virtually turbulence-free flow with low flow resistance can be achieved.

[0020] In principle, it should be understood that the materials used for the housing parts contacted by the flowing medium can be brass, gunmetal, stainless steel, cast steel, or plastic. It is particularly preferred if the valve seat element and / or the valve body element are made of a ceramic material or are coated with a ceramic material. Such a design of the valve seat element and valve body element from a ceramic material, such as zirconium oxide or aluminum oxide, is particularly advantageous for ensuring low wear and high resistance to calcification, and for implementing the valve with particularly smooth operation.

[0021] Finally, it is further preferred if the actuating element is not rotationally symmetrical about the valve rotation axis. Such a non-rotationally symmetrical design about the valve rotation axis ensures that the user is provided with both visual and tactile recognition from the outside in order to recognize the open or closed state of the angle seat valve. In particular, this can be implemented, for example, by designing the actuating element in the manner of a pointer or arrow and by arranging corresponding symbols or labels on the housing, to which this pointer or arrow is aligned in the open or closed position and which characterize the corresponding position symbolically or in writing.

[0022] In principle, it should be understood that a handle, toggle, or similar device can be used as the actuating element, but alternatively or additionally, an actuator such as a stepper motor, another electric drive, or a pneumatic drive can also be used. In this case, a switch position indicator can be provided, preferably below the actuator, with a pointer connected to the spindle. This pointer can also be used as a handle for emergency actuation in the event of a power failure.

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1 a side view of an angle seat valve according to the invention, Fig. 2 a front view of the angle seat valve of the Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a perspective view from the front top of the angle seat valve according to Fig. 1, Fig. 4 a perspective, longitudinally sectioned view from the rear top of the angle seat valve according to Fig. 1, Fig. 5 a longitudinal section of the angle seat valve according to Fig. 1, Fig. 6a, b and c a perspective view, a longitudinally sectioned side view and a front view of a valve body disc according to the invention, Fig. 7 a perspective view obliquely from below of a transmission element of the valve actuating mechanism, Fig. 8 is a perspective exploded view of the angle seat valve according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 9a, b a front view and a side view of a valve seat disc according to the invention.

[0024] Referring first to the Fig. 1-5, an angle seat valve according to the invention comprises a housing 10 with an inlet opening 11 and an outlet opening 12, through which a longitudinal flow axis 1 extends. An external thread for connecting a line or the like is provided at the outlet opening. This external thread can, for example, be designed with a self-sealing ring made of PTFE with a glass fiber content. Additionally, a collar for accommodating another EPDM O-ring for sealing can optionally be provided here.

[0025] A valve rotation axis 2 runs obliquely to this longitudinal flow axis 1, around which the valve housing 10 has an actuating housing section 10a that extends obliquely from a fluid guide section 10b of the housing. At the outer end of this actuating housing section 10a, an actuating element in the form of a toggle handle 20 is arranged, which is pivotally mounted about the valve rotation axis 2 by 180°. The toggle handle 20 is, as can be seen in particular from Fig. 5, is connected in a torque-resistant manner to a drive spindle 21 by means of a screw. The drive spindle 21 has, at its end opposite the toggle handle 20, a pot-shaped receiving portion 22 into which a valve body disc 30 is inserted in a torque-resistant manner. The torque-resistant connection between the spindle element 21 and the valve body disc 30 is achieved by the engagement of a projection 22a on the receiving portion 22 into a crescent-shaped recess 30a of the valve body disc 30.

[0026] The valve body disc 30 rests against a valve seat disc 40 at its end. The valve seat disc 40 is arranged in the valve housing 10 in a torque-resistant manner; this torque-resistant fastening of the valve seat disc 40 is achieved by two web projections 40a,b on the valve seat disc, which engage in corresponding grooves in the interior of the valve housing 10.

[0027] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the fully open position of the angle seat valve. In this fully open position, a valve body opening 31, which extends at an approximately 180° circumferential angle around the spindle rotation axis 2, is aligned with a congruent valve seat opening 41, so that fluid flowing through the inlet opening 11 can flow through these two openings 31, 41 in the valve body disc and the valve seat disc and thus reach the outlet opening 12. On this flow path from the inlet opening 11 to the outlet opening 12, the fluid flows in an elongated S-shaped path. A rearwardly inclined surface 44 of the valve seat disc in the region of a valve seat blocking surface 42 ensures that the fluid flows free of dead space and with little eddy current.

[0028] The diameter of the valve body disc and the valve seat disc is larger than the diameter of the inlet opening 11 and the outlet opening 12. This ensures that the passage cross-section of the valve body opening 31 and the valve seat opening 41 corresponds to the size of the cross-sectional area of the inlet opening 11 and the outlet opening 12, so that when the valve is fully open, no flow cross-section constriction occurs over the entire flow path.

[0029] In the illustrated open position, the valve body blocking surface 32 and the valve seat blocking surface 42 abut one another and enclose a lubricant chamber 50 between them. This lubricant chamber 50 is formed by two crescent-shaped, pocket-like depressions 33, 43 in the adjacent surfaces of the valve body blocking surface and the valve seat blocking surface. This allows for easy actuation of the valve.

[0030] A backflow preventer 60 is arranged in the valve housing 10 in the area upstream of the outlet opening 12. This backflow preventer is an optional feature of the angle seat valve according to the invention.

[0031] A flow guide surface 24 is formed on the spindle element 21, which ensures aerodynamic, eddy current-free guidance of the fluid entering through the inlet opening 11 to the valve body opening 31. When the actuating element 20 is pivoted by 180° about the valve rotation axis 2, the valve body opening is rotated into the area of the valve seat blocking surface 42, thereby closing the valve. The flow guide surface 24 is simultaneously pivoted into the upper dead space 13 within the actuating housing section 10a of the valve housing. The spindle element 21 is mounted in a screwed-in sleeve 26 in a sealed manner by means of two O-ring seals 25a,b; the sealed sleeve 26, in turn, is screwed into the upper section of the actuating housing section 10a in a sealed manner by means of an O-ring seal 26a.

[0032] In the Fig. 6A-C shows the valve body disc in more detail. Visible are the valve body opening 31, the crescent-shaped recess 30a for the torque-resistant connection to the projection on the spindle element 21, and the lubricant chamber 33 on the opposite side of the valve body locking surface 32. As can be seen, the valve body opening 31 extends over a circumferential angle of 180° and is crescent-shaped, located slightly outside the transverse center axis of the valve body disc.

[0033] Fig. 7 shows the spindle element 21 with the flow guide surface 24 and the receptacle 22 for the valve body disc with projection 22a.

[0034] Fig. Figure 8 shows an exploded view of the structural design of the angle seat valve according to the invention with the actuating element 20, the spindle element 21, the valve body disc 30, the valve seat disc 40 and the valve housing 10 with the non-return valve 60 and a drain valve 70 inserted therein.

[0035] In the Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B shows the valve seat disc 40 with the obliquely extending projection with surface 44 on the back of the valve seat locking surface and the valve seat opening 41. Also visible are the two projections 40a,b, which serve for torque-resistant anchoring in the interior of the valve housing.

Claims

[1] Angle seat valve, comprising: - a housing (10b) in which a flow path extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, - an inlet opening (11) arranged at the inlet end, - an outlet opening (12) arranged at the outlet end, - a valve arranged in the housing with a valve seat element (40) and a valve body element (30) resting against it on the front side, - an actuating element (20) arranged outside the housing, which is coupled to the valve body element via a coupling rod (20) and is designed to switch the valve body element back and forth between a closed and an open position by rotating the valve body element about a valve rotation axis (2), characterized by , that - the valve seat element has exactly one valve seat opening (41) and one valve seat blocking surface (42), each extending over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis (2), and - the valve body element rests on the end face of the valve seat element and has exactly one valve body opening (31) and one valve body blocking surface (32), each of which extends over a circumferential angle of approximately 180° around the valve rotation axis. [2] Angle seat valve according to claim 1, characterized by that the valve seat element is designed as a fixed valve seat disc (40) and the valve body element rests on the end face of the valve seat disc and is designed as a rotatable valve body disc (30). [3] Angle seat valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the valve body opening extends over a circumferential angle of more than 170° and less than 180°. [4] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the valve body opening extends over a first circumferential angle, and the valve seat blocking surface extends over a second circumferential angle which is greater than the first circumferential angle. [5] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the valve rotation axis extends obliquely, in particular at an angle between 20° and 70°, to a flow direction of the housing. [6] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the valve body element can be pivoted by 180° about the valve rotation axis and is adjusted by such a pivoting by 180° between the fully closed position and the fully open position. [7] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the valve body element has a recess (33) in the side of the valve body blocking surface facing the valve seat element, which recess is surrounded on all sides by an edge sealingly adjacent to the valve seat element (40). [8] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the valve seat disc has a recess (43) in the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element, which recess is surrounded on all sides by an edge sealingly adjacent to the valve body element (30) and creates a lubricant chamber. [9] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the valve seat blocking surface has a thickness increasing from the valve seat opening to the peripheral edge of the valve seat blocking surface on the side facing away from the valve body element, in particular in such a way that the surface (44) of the valve seat blocking surface facing away from the valve body element runs obliquely to the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element. [10] Angle seat valve according to the preceding claim and claim 4, characterized by that the surface (44) of the valve seat blocking surface facing away from the valve body element extends at an angle obliquely to the side of the valve seat blocking surface facing the valve body element, which angle corresponds to or deviates by less than 10° from the angle by which the valve rotation axis extends to the flow direction of the housing. [11] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the valve seat element and / or the valve body element are made of a ceramic material or are made of plastic or metal or are coated with a ceramic material. [12] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the actuating element is not rotationally symmetrical about the valve rotation axis. [13] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing is made of brass, gunmetal, stainless steel, cast steel or plastic or that individual or all parts of the housing that come into contact with the medium flowing through are made of brass, gunmetal, stainless steel, cast steel or plastic. [14] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the actuating element comprises a handle and / or an actuator, such as an electric drive such as a stepper motor or a pneumatic drive, wherein a pointer is preferably arranged adjacent to the actuator, which pointer is connected to the coupling rod and acts as a switching position indicator, wherein furthermore the pointer is preferably also designed as a handle for emergency actuation in the event of a power failure. [15] Angle seat valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a thread, in particular an external thread, is formed at the outlet opening for connecting a line, wherein the thread preferably has a self-sealing ring made of PTFE with a glass fiber content and further preferably a collar is formed for receiving a further EPDM O-ring for sealing.

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