Ball Valve Insert Piece for Adaptable Flow Aperture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball valves face limitations in modifying flow control properties without altering the basic structure, requiring expensive modifications and potential turbulence issues due to the lack of adaptable flow control solutions.
Innovation Solution
An insert piece with a flow control portion and a support portion is mounted inside the central flow channel of a ball valve, allowing for quick and inexpensive modification of flow control properties by directing and fastening the flow, featuring a tubular or axial rod configuration with locking elements for secure mounting and minimal structural changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the basic ball valve structure is modified to change flow control properties, then flow control adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve is divided into a basic structure and a separate insert piece. The insert piece is a standalone component that can be inserted into the ball valve body without modifying the basic structure. This segmentation allows different insert pieces with various flow control configurations to be used with the same basic valve, improving adaptability while keeping the base structure simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert piece acts as an intermediary element between the user's flow control needs and the basic ball valve structure. Instead of modifying the valve body directly, the insert piece mediates the flow control function by being inserted into the valve, allowing flow property changes without structural modifications to the main valve.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the basic ball valve structure is modified to change flow control properties, then flow control adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the flow control function into a separate insert piece, the basic valve can be manufactured in large quantities as a standard product. Different insert pieces can then be produced more economically and swapped as needed, reducing the overall manufacturing cost compared to producing multiple customized valve variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The basic ball valve body is designed with universal characteristics that can accommodate multiple types of insert pieces. This universality allows a single basic valve design to serve multiple flow control applications, reducing manufacturing costs through economies of scale while maintaining adaptability.
3Manufacturing precision
If flow control properties are modified in traditional ball valves, then flow control precision is improved, but installation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insert piece serves as a pre-configured intermediary component that embodies precise flow control characteristics. Instead of modifying the valve during installation, the precise flow control is built into the insert piece beforehand, allowing for quick installation by simply inserting the pre-designed component into the valve body.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow control precision is achieved through preliminary design and manufacturing of the insert piece. The insert piece is pre-configured with specific flow control features during its separate manufacturing process, so that during installation, no complex modifications are needed - the precision is already built-in, reducing installation time and complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 6~9
AI summary
An insert piece, a flow control ball, a ball valve and method of modifying properties of a ball valve. The insert piece (11) is an elongated piece comprising a flow control portion (16) and a support portion (17). The insert piece is mountable removably to a central flow channel (8) of a flow control ball (7) of a ball valve (1). The flow control portion of the insert piece comprises a flow aperture (15) which is fluid connection with a central flow passage of the support portion. Flow properties of the ball valve may be affected by the shape and dimensions of the flow aperture.