Non-Pressure Relieving Ball Valve Slotted Ring Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-relieving ball valves with graphite gaskets face difficulties in achieving double isolation, as they struggle to provide the necessary force for the seat to abut the ball, leading to fluid ingress issues, and are restrictive to applications where O-rings and lip seals are not suitable.
Innovation Solution
A non-pressure relieving ball valve design incorporating a slotted ring between the seat and sealing gasket, made of metallic or non-metallic materials, which allows pressurized fluid to enter gaps and provide extra force from the backside of the seat to ensure continuous abutment with the ball, preventing fluid flow from the valve cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a non-relieving ball valve design with bidirectional seats and graphite gaskets is used to achieve double isolation, then flow restriction from both sides is improved, but the seat cannot maintain continuous abutment with the ball due to insufficient force generation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple functional components: the seat, graphite gasket, slotted ring, and pusher ring. Each component has a specific function - the slotted ring creates pressure differential zones, the pusher ring transmits force to the seat, and the graphite gasket provides sealing. This segmentation allows the system to generate sufficient abutment force through pressure differential while maintaining double isolation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher ring acts as an intermediary component between the slotted ring and the seat. It receives the force generated by the pressure differential across the slotted ring and transmits it to the seat, ensuring continuous abutment with the ball. This intermediary mechanism solves the force transmission problem in non-relieving valve designs.
2Force
If O-rings or lip seals are used as sealing elements in non-relieving ball valves, then self-energizing action provides sufficient seat abutment force, but these sealing elements are not suitable for specific applications requiring graphite gaskets
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the sealing system by introducing the slotted ring and pusher ring mechanism. Instead of relying on the self-energizing action of O-rings or lip seals, the system uses pressure differential across the slotted ring to generate force, transmitted through the pusher ring to the seat. This parameter change enables the use of graphite gaskets while maintaining sufficient seat abutment force.
3Reliability
If conventional non-relieving design is used with graphite gaskets, then double isolation is restricted, but the valve body and seat experience excessive stress due to trapped pressurized fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The valve cavity is segmented into multiple zones by the slotted ring, which has slots that allow controlled fluid communication. This segmentation enables pressure differential generation for seat actuation while preventing complete pressure equalization, maintaining double isolation capability while managing stress distribution across the valve body and seat.
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 design effectively prevents fluid flow at both upstream and downstream ends, enhancing valve performance, reducing maintenance costs, and accommodating high and low temperature applications, while working with graphite gaskets.
Implementation Method 1
The slotted ring of the non-pressure relieving ball valve is adapted to permit ingress of pressurized fluid in gaps which are defined by the slotted ring to provide desired extra force from a back side of the seat towards the ball
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the field of ball valves. The present disclosure envisages a non-pressure relieving ball valve that comprises: a stem connected to a handle regulating flow of pressurized fluid entering in the ball valve, a ball coupled to the stem and configured to control flow of the pressurized fluid through the ball valve, a seat abutting the ball to retain it in place, a sealing gasket provided in the ball valve and configured to restrict the flow of the pressurized fluid through the ball valve when the ball valve is in closed position, and a slotted ring configured to be fitted in the ball valve between the seat and the sealing gasket. The slotted ring is adapted to permit ingress of pressurized fluid in slots defined on the slotted ring to enable balancing of fluid pressures on either side of the seat.