Compact Ball Valve Retainer Assembly for Low-Rotation Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side entry compact valves experience excessive wear and damage to sealing elements due to relative rotational movement between valve components during assembly and disassembly, leading to reduced sealing effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece retainer system is introduced, where one section is rotationally locked and the other is threadably connected to the valve body, allowing linear movement to minimize relative rotational movement between sealing elements, thus reducing wear and enhancing sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single piece retainer is threadably connected to the valve body, then the retainer can be easily installed and removed, but relative rotational movement causes excessive wear to the sealing elements
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into two separate pieces: a first retainer piece that is rotationally locked to prevent wear on the seal between the valve seat and retainer, and a second retainer piece that is threadably connected to the valve body for ease of installation and removal. This segmentation allows each piece to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
2Reliability
If the retainer is rotationally locked to minimize wear, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but installation and removal become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into two separate pieces: a first retainer piece that is rotationally locked to prevent wear on the seal between the valve seat and retainer, and a second retainer piece that is threadably connected to the valve body for ease of installation and removal. This segmentation allows each piece to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
3Device complexity
If a single piece retainer is used, then the structure is simple, but rotational movement during assembly causes substantial wear and damage to seals
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into two separate pieces: a first retainer piece that is rotationally locked to prevent wear on the seal between the valve seat and retainer, and a second retainer piece that is threadably connected to the valve body for ease of installation and removal. This segmentation allows each piece to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
4Reliability
If the retainer allows linear movement, then wear on sealing elements is reduced, but the retainer may become loose during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into two separate pieces: a first retainer piece that is rotationally locked to prevent wear on the seal between the valve seat and retainer, and a second retainer piece that is threadably connected to the valve body for ease of installation and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded connection between the second retainer piece and the valve body is configured with appropriate thread pitch and engagement length to provide sufficient clamping force and positional stability while allowing minimal linear movement to accommodate thermal expansion and pressure variations without compromising seal durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A compact manifold ball valve having a valve body, valve ball, valve stem and two piece retainer system; the valve body including a valve chamber having first and second ends, and a first flow passage intersecting the valve chamber and valve ball. The valve ball can be trunnion supported and include pair of movable seat assemblies that can be used to seal the valve ball to the valve body. A two piece retainer can be used to hold in place the valve components, the two piece retainer including a first section which moves only linearly along with a second retainer piece that is a threaded ring that rotationally locks in place the first section of the two piece retainer. The two pieces of the retainer can be symmetrically located about the centerline of the flow passage of the valve body.