270° Ball Valve Geometry for Linear High-Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball valves with flow limiting discs provide either linear control with limited flow or high, non-linear flow, but not both simultaneously, leading to unpredictable fluid flow control as the valve rotates from closed to fully open positions.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with a movable valve member that rotates 270 degrees, featuring an inlet opening extending around the circumference from a narrow slot region to a full bore region, allowing for linear control of fluid flow proportional to the degrees of rotation, and including a valve stem and actuator engagement for precise fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional ball valves use flow limiting discs with 90-degree rotation, then linear control is achieved, but maximum flow rate is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is designed with a dynamic inlet opening that changes geometry during rotation, transitioning from a narrow slot at 0 degrees to a full bore opening at 270 degrees. This dynamic geometry change enables the valve to achieve both linear flow control and high maximum flow rate, resolving the contradiction between flow control quality and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the rotation angle parameter from the conventional 90 degrees to 270 degrees, and modifies the inlet opening geometry parameter to extend from a narrow slot region to a full bore region. These parameter changes enable the valve to achieve Cv values up to 11.7 while maintaining linear flow control characteristics throughout the rotation range
2Productivity
If ball valves achieve high flow coefficients with full bore configuration, then maximum flow rate increases, but flow control becomes non-linear and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member incorporates different local geometries within its inlet opening: a narrow slot region for precise control at low flow coefficients and a full bore region for high flow coefficients. This local quality differentiation allows the valve to maintain linear flow control characteristics across the entire rotation range while achieving high maximum flow rates, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly is disclosed. The valve assembly may a valve body defined by an inlet port, an outlet port and flange. A movable valve member comprises an inlet opening extending from a leading edge surface present at a narrow slot region to trailing edge surface present at about a full bore region wherein the angle between the leading edge surface and trailing edge surface at the center of valve member is about 270 degrees. The fluid flow from the inlet port of the valve body to one or more outlet openings is controlled by the rotation of the valve member. Rotation of movable valve member enables linear controlling of the fluid flow wherein the control of fluid flow is proportional to the degrees of rotation from 0 to about 270 degrees.