Annular-Gap Valve Seal with Mirror-Symmetric Rings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing annular gap seals for valves experience leakage flows due to wear, inadequate radial adjustment, and inconsistent material properties, especially at varying operating temperatures, which compromise their ability to prevent backflows.
Innovation Solution
The design features two mirror-symmetric sealing rings with C-profiles and a stabilizing coiled spring, allowing for self-reinforcement under pressure differentials and enhanced sealing by pressing against a peripheral lug and groove wall, ensuring tightness in both intended and reverse flow directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single annular gap seal is used, then the structure is simple, but leakage flows occur due to wear and aging
Solution Approach 1:
The single annular gap seal is divided into two separate sealing rings positioned mirror-symmetrically in the groove. Each sealing ring has a sealing lip that presses against the piston and a sealing surface that presses against the groove wall. This segmentation allows each ring to independently maintain sealing contact, compensating for wear and aging effects that would compromise a single seal.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional annular gap seal is used, then the radial adjustment capability is limited, but leakage flows increase due to insufficient adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing rings are designed with the ability to dynamically adjust their radial position. The mirror-symmetric configuration allows each sealing ring to respond to pressure differentials and wear conditions by adjusting its contact pressure and position against the piston and groove wall, maintaining optimal sealing contact under varying operating conditions.
3Ease of manufacture
If material properties are not consistent, then manufacturing is easier, but sealing performance deteriorates at temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing rings are designed to exploit parameter changes, specifically temperature variations and pressure differentials, to maintain sealing performance. The mirror-symmetric configuration ensures that both sealing rings respond equally to temperature changes, maintaining consistent sealing contact. The design allows the material properties to vary within acceptable ranges while the geometric configuration compensates for these variations.
4Device complexity
If a single sealing ring is used, then the device is simpler, but backflow protection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
While the overall configuration is symmetric, each sealing ring is designed with asymmetric sealing surfaces and lips that are optimized for bidirectional sealing. The sealing lip geometry and contact surfaces are configured to effectively seal against fluid pressure from either direction, providing robust backflow protection. This asymmetric design within each ring, combined with the symmetric dual-ring configuration, achieves superior bidirectional sealing compared to a single ring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration significantly minimizes leakage flows and maintains effective sealing across different temperatures, providing improved resistance to backflows and ensuring tightness in both flow directions.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing surface of the first sealing ring being able to be pressed fluid-tight against a groove wall in the blocked position by the fluid from the high-pressure side
Implementation Method 2
the C-profile of the first sealing ring facing toward the low-pressure side is expandable in the blocked position by the fluid from the high-pressure side
Implementation Method 3
The sealing rings of the annular gap seal have C-profiles and the C-profile of the first sealing ring facing toward the low-pressure side is expandable
Data Source
AI summary
An annular-gap seal for a valve, blocks the fluid flow from a high-pressure side to a low-pressure side. The valve has a cylinder, through which the fluid flows and in which a piston is axially displaced. In the blocked position, an annular gap between the piston and the cylinder can be sealed by the annular gap seal, which lies in a groove that runs around the cylinder. To increase the sealing action of the gap seal, two sealing rings lie adjacent to one another mirror-symmetrically in the groove. In the blocked position, fluid from the high-pressure side causes a sealing lip of a first sealing ring that faces the low-pressure side to be pressed in a fluid-tight manner against the piston and a sealing face of the first sealing ring to be pressed in a fluid-tight manner against the wall of the groove.