Ball Valve Bridging Elements for Linear Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ball valves exhibit non-linear fluid flow control due to the nature of the valve ball rotation, making precise control of fluid flow through them impossible without downstream measurement.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating bridging elements with non-circular profiles and strategically positioned baffle elements within the valve ball's apertures to alter fluid flow, ensuring a linear relationship between the valve's rotation and fluid flow rate, and using a dedicated actuator for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional ball valve with a cylindrical bore is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fluid flow control is non-linear making precise control impossible without downstream measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve aperture is segmented into multiple sections by introducing bridging elements that divide the single cylindrical bore into separate flow regions. These bridging elements create distinct inlet and outlet sections that can be independently controlled, enabling linear flow regulation through rotational positioning of the ball.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ball valve aperture are given different functional qualities by positioning bridging elements at specific locations. The bridging elements create zones with varying flow resistance and characteristics, allowing the valve to achieve linear flow control by rotating the ball to different angular positions that expose different local flow paths.
2Ease of operation
If the valve ball is rotated to control flow, then the valve operation is simple, but the overlap between bore and inlet/outlet is non-linear with respect to rotation degree
Solution Approach 1:
The bridging elements are pre-positioned on the ball at specific angular locations and orientations during manufacturing. This preliminary configuration ensures that when the ball rotates, the bridging elements automatically expose and conceal flow paths in a linear manner, pre-establishing the relationship between rotation angle and flow rate without requiring complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridging elements act as intermediary structures between the rotating ball and the fixed inlet/outlet ports. As the ball rotates, the bridging elements mediate the flow transition by gradually exposing or blocking the flow paths, creating a linear relationship between rotation angle and flow rate that simplifies control while improving precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If downstream measurement is added to achieve precise flow control, then flow accuracy is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve achieves self-regulating linear flow control through its internal bridging element configuration. The geometric arrangement of the bridging elements on the rotating ball automatically creates a linear relationship between rotation angle and flow rate, allowing the valve to regulate flow precisely without requiring external measurement devices, control systems, or feedback mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A ball valve apparatus with an improved linearity of fluid flow therethrough is provided. The ball valve includes a valve housing including a housing inlet and a housing outlet; a valve ball receivable within the valve housing, the valve ball having a bore therethrough, a ball inlet and ball outlet of the valve ball which are in fluid communication with the bore, a fluid flow path through the ball valve apparatus being defined at least in part by the housing inlet, housing outlet, ball inlet, ball outlet and the bore. There is also provided a valve stem engagable with the valve ball and. To control the fluid flow through the apparatus such that there is a linear or substantially linear relationship between at the angular position of the valve ball and the fluid flow through the apparatus, there may be provided at least one bridging element, positioned on the fluid flow path to alter a fluid flow thereacross and/or ball outlet, and/or at least one of the ball inlet and ball outlet may have a non-circular profile. A ball valve for such an apparatus is also provided, in addition to method of improving the linearity of fluid flow through a ball valve apparatus.