High pressure ball valve

Abstract

The utility model relates to pipeline valves, specifically for use as a device for changing the flow direction of a working fluid in turbo-piston units included in systems for measuring the quantity and quality of oil and petroleum products. A high-pressure ball valve, comprising a steam supply pipe to each fluid outlet and springs positioned in blind holes in the seat capable of exerting pressure on the plug, a sleeve comprising longitudinal and annular channels, and a seat comprising projections on the inner surface configured to be positioned in the sleeve's longitudinal channels and capable of reciprocating movement therein, improves operational reliability by eliminating distortions, stabilizing the plug's position, and allowing steam flows to pass through (purge). The technical result consists in increasing the operational reliability of the high-pressure ball valve. 5 clauses, 5 figs.

Description

[0001] Technical field

[0002] The utility model relates to pipeline fittings intended for use as a device for changing the direction of the flow of the working medium in turbo-piston units included in systems for measuring the quantity and quality of oil and petroleum products, in particular to a high-pressure ball valve.

[0003] Technology Level

[0004] Ball valves for separating media are known from the prior art. They utilize a metal bellows design. This design limits the service life of the valve's distribution unit due to cyclic loads, susceptibility to fatigue failure, and loss of mechanical properties under thermal stress. Furthermore, the bellows require regular maintenance and replacement, increasing operating costs. Repairs are often complicated by the need to dismantle the components, further increasing costs and reducing overall system reliability. Such devices include products from Velan, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, and others.

[0005] A four-way valve is known, registered by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Aramco Services Company (international application WO 2016164442, priority date 06.04.2016). The four-way valve has a body with an inlet and an outlet, a first circulation port and a second circulation port, the four-way valve additionally has a valve plug located inside the valve body, with valve body seals that seal the fluid between the valve body and the valve plug, the valve plug can rotate between a forward seat position to direct fluid from the inlet to the first circulation port and a reverse seat position to direct fluid from the inlet to the second circulation port. The disadvantage of this solution is a complex and unreliable damping system that requires adjustment, low reliability, and the possibility of sudden failures due to the lack of a pressure relief device.

[0006] There are solutions that eliminate the use of bellows in the design by replacing this structural element with springs, such ball valves also have their own characteristics and disadvantages.

[0007] A number of patents from ASF-Razvitie disclose a ball valve design that utilizes spring-loaded seats, eliminating the bellows. Patent RU 234024, priority date March 19, 2025, for a ball valve with a throttling plate stack aims to reduce flow cavitation by incorporating flow dividers in the form of a throttling plate stack with through holes. Drawbacks of this solution arise when using this ball valve with dense and heterogeneous working fluids, which are typical in oil and gas processes: liquids and gases with inclusions, cracking; the plate system with flow dividers is functional for conditions close to normal conditions (NC).When solid particles, two- or three-phase liquids (including liquids of varying densities, air, etc.) appear, such a system will prove fragile due to clogging of the holes and labyrinth channels, reducing the flow rate of the assembly and the overall efficiency of the ball valve. Patent RU 235614, priority date April 13, 2025, for a ball valve with perforated seats discloses a valve design comprising seats on the inlet and outlet flanges with end perforations along a plane perpendicular to the flow and directed toward the pipeline, and a set of seat springs. In this particular case, the holes on the end surface of the seat are designed as a petal groove.The disadvantage of this solution is a decrease in the valve's efficiency and reliability due to the clogging of the holes during operation by inhomogeneities in the working medium, which occurs in the oil and gas industry. Conversely, this creates a large area of ​​resistance to the flow of the medium, which will lead to additional cavitation, the need for repairs, difficulties in cleaning, reduced reliability, and jamming. The proposed solution eliminates the use of flow elements in the seat design, but adds blind holes for spring installation and protrusions on the seat surface that communicate with the bushing channels, improving the reliability of the valve assembly.

[0008] Patent RU 237145 is known for a ball valve using disc springs, with a priority date of May 22, 2025. Its design features springs, specifically disc springs with a compression seat, which serves as a seal and separation mechanism instead of a bellows, as well as a steam passage. To achieve uniform distribution, at least three springs are used, evenly distributed over the seat surface. This design solves the fundamental difficulties associated with using a bellows by using springs and also eliminates any structural elements that could lead to clogged fluid flow during operation.In order to increase the operational reliability of a high-pressure ball valve using springs in the design, in the present technical solution the sleeve contains longitudinal and annular channels that conduct steam for purging, and the seat contains projections on the inner surface, designed with the possibility of placement in the longitudinal channels of the sleeve and reciprocating movement in them.

[0009] The patent used as a prototype is CN 205781024 (priority date 25.05.2016), which discloses a sealing design for a high-pressure ball valve seat, which includes a body and a ball, between which a valve seat is located, wherein the seat is secured with a pressure ring, which is rigidly fixed with a screw to the seat support. The seat support contains blind holes for sealing rings A and B at the points of contact with the seat and body, and the hole in contact with the body additionally has a retaining ring, and a hole for pressure compensation is provided on the lower surface of the seat. The disadvantage of this design is the rigid fixation of the seat, pressure ring, and seat support (in the terminology of this solution - a sleeve) with screws, as well as the placement of springs in the valve body itself, which are located between the body and the seat support, i.e.In the event of mechanical failure of one or more springs, the entire assembly must be dismantled. Otherwise, the failure may cause the ball to become misaligned and jam. Furthermore, the seat and its support are not designed to vent the valve and stabilize pressure, as the opening does not directly exit into the valve cavity and is not a flow-through. The design is also complicated by the holes for the O-rings. All of this negatively impacts installation and removal, and the high probability of ball misalignment in the event of failure of one of the components suggests the proposed design is not reliable enough.

[0010] The technical objective of this solution is to create a high-pressure ball valve design that eliminates the rigid fixation of elements adjacent to the ball, and also eliminates the placement of springs in the valve body, eliminating the distortion of the ball plug and ensuring the possibility of purging with steam.

[0011] The technical result is to increase the reliability of the high-pressure ball valve with springs by placing the springs in the blind holes of the seat and using a bushing with longitudinal and annular channels that communicate with the projections of the seat with the possibility of purging with steam from the branch pipe. This design stabilizes the position of the plug and is less prone to displacement, and also allows for the passage of steam flows.

[0012] Essence Revealed

[0013] This technical result is achieved by using a ball valve with a seat with blind holes for spring installation and protrusions on the inner surface. These protrusions stabilize the plug position and are less prone to displacement. They also effectively separate the media and maintain steam flow. Springs are located around the perimeter of the seat and press the seat against the plug, adhering to the flange. This also compensates for thermal expansion of the metal components, maintains the required seat-to-plug contact force, and provides effective vibration isolation during start-up and shutdown modes. An additional technical benefit is the ease of spring replacement.

[0014] The claimed utility model differs from its closest analogue in that the saddle design contains blind holes for installing springs and protrusions on the inner perimeter.

[0015] Brief description of drawings

[0016] Fig. 1 - General view;

[0017] Fig. 2 - Main positions, frontal section;

[0018] Fig. 3 - Location of the spring in the seat cavity, spring travel;

[0019] Fig. 4 - Tap medium outlet, axonometry;

[0020] Fig. 5 - Crane environment output, 3D,

[0021] where 1 is the tap body;

[0022] 2 - spindle;

[0023] 3 - medium output node;

[0024] 4 - plug;

[0025] 5 - bushing;

[0026] 6 - spring;

[0027] 7 - flange;

[0028] 8 - internal cavity of the body;

[0029] 9 - saddle;

[0030] 10 - saddle projection;

[0031] 11 - blind hole in the seat;

[0032] 12 - longitudinal channel of the sleeve;

[0033] 13 - annular channel of the sleeve;

[0034] 14 - steam supply pipe.

[0035] Implementation

[0036] The claimed utility model is implemented as follows.

[0037] The ball valve comprises a valve body 1 made of durable materials resistant to environmental influences and providing adequate protection of the internal components from corrosion, most often made of metal, in particular stainless steel. Body 1 contains a cavity 8 containing a spindle 2 with a plug 4. Plug 4 is spherical with through holes and rotates within body 1, changing the direction of the working fluid flow. When the holes in plug 4 align with terminal assemblies 3 in body 1, unimpeded fluid flow is ensured, allowing the free flow of liquid or gas. Movement of plug 4 is possible thanks to spindle 2, which is connected to an external control mechanism, allowing the operator to control the flow of the medium in the ball valve.

[0038] Flange 7 is the component through which the fluid exits. It can have several configurations depending on the specific needs of the system, ensuring uniform flow distribution and adapting to optimize operation in various conditions. Also located on the body is a steam supply pipe 14, the inner end of which is connected to annular channel 13 of sleeve 5.

[0039] The sleeve 5 serves to maintain the plug 4, seat 9, and springs 6 in the desired position, since the plug 4 frequently rotates and must remain sealed when closing and opening without distortion. The sleeve 5 also provides steam access to the springs, seat, and the internal cavity of the tap 8. The sleeve 5 contains longitudinal channels 12 and an annular channel 13. The annular channel 13 is located on the outer surface of the sleeve radially over the entire surface parallel to the edge of the sleeve 5 and is connected to the longitudinal channels of the sleeve 12, which are distributed evenly over the outer surface of the sleeve 5 and are perpendicular to the longitudinal annular channel 13, communicating with it.The location of the longitudinal channel 13 is selected in accordance with the design of the ball valve so that the outlet of the steam supply pipe 14 is directed into the annular channel 13, while the supplied steam for purging the body 1 of the ball valve from coke and the remains of the medium first enters the annular channel 13 of the sleeve, is evenly distributed along the longitudinal channels 12 and passes into the gap between the seat 9, the sleeve 5 and the flange 7, which remains accessible for purging thanks to the pressure springs 6 and then into the internal cavity 8 of the body 1 of the ball valve.

[0040] The seat 9 is located between the plug 4 and the sleeve 5 and performs the function of engagement with the plug 4, the seat is acted upon by springs 6, pressing it against the plug 4. On the surface of the seat facing the sleeve there are blind holes 11 for mounting the springs 6, the springs are not rigidly fixed and are held due to pressure, and can be easily replaced in case of failure. The seat 9 contains projections 10 on the surface of the internal diameter, wherein the projections 10 are directed inward and do not exceed the level of the seat in height, designed with the possibility of placement in the longitudinal channels of the sleeve 12 and reciprocating movement therein. Functionally, the projections of the seat 10 stabilize the position of the seat 9, which interacts with the plug 4 and springs 6, and also participate in the passage of steam, since are located in the longitudinal channels 12 of the bushing 5 to form a gap for the passage of steam flows from the steam supply pipe 14.The projections of the seat 10 are capable of reciprocating movement within the longitudinal channels of the sleeve 12 during compression and expansion of the springs 6, without blocking the flow of steam and adapting to the pressure in the internal cavity of the housing 8. The number of projections 10 of the seat is equal to the number of longitudinal channels 12, necessary to ensure the precise positioning of the seat 9 and the sleeve 5 on the same axis, eliminating distortion. It is important that the projections 10 of the seat 9 are directed inward and do not exceed the internal diameter of the sleeve 5, so as not to interfere with the working stroke of the springs 6, are located in the longitudinal channels 12 of the sleeve, forming a gap with the possibility of reciprocating movement therein and do not interfere with the passage of steam.It has been proven that this combination of seat and sleeve provides better stabilization of the plug position and is less prone to displacement, and also effectively participates in the conduction of steam (purging) from the steam supply pipe, which generally leads to increased reliability and durability of the high-pressure ball valve.

[0041] Springs 6 are located on each channel and functionally replace the bellows. Spring 6 rests on seat 9 on one side and flange 7 on the other, depending on the characteristics of the flow of the medium in the valve, spring 6 can compensate for the thermal expansion of plug 4, dampen the impact of the flow of the medium due to non-uniformity, which adapts it to the requirements of the system. Springs 6 are evenly distributed over the surface of the seat and are placed in blind holes of the seat 11 with the ability to exert pressure on the plug 4. In particular, when the flows of the working medium pass through the valve, springs 6 can be compressed or expanded to adapt to changing conditions, ensuring stable operation, mainly compensating for the thermal expansion of the metal components of the body 1 and the plug 4, the required seat-to-plug contact force is maintained. Spring travel (Fig.3) determines the difference in positions between the “open” position of the spring, where the passage of hot steam flows is ensured, and the “pressed” position, where compensation for geometric changes in the components of the structure during operation is visible due to the elasticity of the springs 6, as well as openness for the passage of steam in any of the intermediate positions.

[0042] The device operates as follows.

[0043] When the operator turns the spindle 3, the ball plug 4 begins to rotate in the body 1 of the valve 1. Depending on the position of the ball plug 4, the openness of the medium flows inside the valve changes, which allows the working medium to be directed to the desired medium outlet unit 3. If the direction of the plug 4 coincides with the outlet of the medium 3, the internal cavity 8 is completely sealed due to the tight fit of the ball plug 4 to the seat 9. Springs 6, located in the blind holes of the seat 10, press the seat 9 in contact with the flange 7 and the sleeve 5, and also compensate for the thermal expansion of the metal components, providing pressure on the plug 4 and minimizing displacements.

[0044] When high-pressure steam is supplied from the pipe 14, one end of which is connected to the annular channel 13 of the sleeve 5, the steam is evenly distributed over the longitudinal heating elements 12 of the sleeve 5. After this, the steam passes into the gap between the seat 9, the sleeve 5 and the flange 7, the springs 6 and the projections of the seat 10, which remains accessible for purging due to the pressure springs 6 and further into the internal cavity of the ball valve body 8. Hot steam creates excess pressure inside the cavity of the valve 8, creating a steam cushion, which, in addition to cleaning the internal surfaces, ensures sealing and, together with dust and residues of the working medium, is discharged into the general flow. Cleaning of hard-to-reach components is possible thanks to the design of the high-pressure ball valve with a sleeve with a steam channel system. This helps prevent the accumulation of dust and coke, facilitating their removal, which leads to an extension of the service life of the ball valve, and, as a result, an increase in the overall reliability of the ball valve.

[0045] Also, by engaging the projections of seat 10 in the longitudinal channels of sleeve 12, the number of which is identical, additional structural stabilization is provided, minimizing distortion in the assembly without restricting steam flow due to the gap. Translational movement of projections 10 in channels 12 is possible with different positions of springs 6.

[0046] Thus, due to the high-pressure spring-loaded ball valve containing a steam supply pipe for each fluid outlet, the springs being housed in blind holes in the seat, the bushing containing longitudinal and annular channels, and the seat containing projections on the inner surface designed to be positioned within the bushing's longitudinal channels and allow reciprocating movement within them, operational reliability is enhanced by eliminating distortion, stabilizing the plug position, and allowing steam flow (purge) to pass through. This enhances the overall reliability and durability of the ball valve, extending its service life, which collectively leads to a significant reduction in production, maintenance, and repair costs.

Claims

1. A high-pressure ball valve comprising a body with an internal cavity and medium outlet assemblies, in which a ball plug is placed with the possibility of rotation, wherein each medium outlet assembly contains a flange, a sleeve, a seat, springs, characterized in that it contains a steam supply pipe for each medium outlet, the springs are placed in blind holes of the seat with the possibility of exerting pressure on the plug, the sleeve contains longitudinal and annular channels, and the seat contains projections on the inner surface, made with the possibility of placement in the longitudinal channels of the sleeve and reciprocating movement in them.

2. A high-pressure ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the projections of the seat are designed to enter the longitudinal channels of the sleeve to form a gap for the passage of steam flows from the steam supply pipe.

3. A high-pressure ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the number of longitudinal channels of the sleeve is equal to the number of projections of the seat.

4. A high-pressure ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal channels are distributed evenly over the outer surface of the sleeve.

5. A high-pressure ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular channel is made parallel to the edge of the sleeve and is connected at a right angle to the longitudinal channels of the sleeve with the possibility of passing steam flows from the steam supply pipe.

6. A high-pressure ball valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular channel is connected to the steam supply pipe to provide the ability to conduct steam into the internal cavity of the body.

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