Composite Butterfly Valve Disk for Corrosion and Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional butterfly valves made entirely of steel are prone to corrosion, heavy, and costly, making precise processing difficult and mass production impossible, while also having a short lifespan in applications like seawater desalination and wastewater treatment.
Innovation Solution
A butterfly valve design featuring a metal disk body with two plastic layers, where the first plastic layer is formed through insert molding and has a higher melting point than the second, providing enhanced corrosion resistance and acid resistance, while maintaining strength and allowing for lightweight construction and precise processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a butterfly valve is made entirely of steel, then its strength is high, but it is easy to be corroded, its weight is heavy and its manufacture cost has increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal disk body (steel) with plastic layers (PTFE and Nylon). The metal framework provides structural strength while the plastic layers provide corrosion and chemical resistance. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by allowing the valve to maintain high strength from the metal while gaining corrosion resistance from the plastic coating layers.
2Strength
If a butterfly valve is made entirely of steel, then its strength is high, but its weight is heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of metal framework with plastic layers reduces weight while maintaining strength. The plastic layers have lower density than steel, so replacing portions of the steel structure with plastic material decreases the overall weight of the valve while the metal framework continues to provide the necessary structural strength.
3Strength
If a butterfly valve is made entirely of steel, then its strength is high, but precise processing is difficult and mass production is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The composite manufacturing approach allows the metal disk body to be formed by molding rather than complex steel processing. The plastic layers are then applied through coating or lamination processes. This combination of molding and coating techniques is more suitable for mass production compared to traditional steel machining, enabling standardized manufacturing while maintaining structural strength.
4Strength
If a butterfly valve is made entirely of steel, then its strength is high, but its manufacture cost has increased
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure reduces manufacturing cost by using less expensive plastic material for the outer layers and forming processes rather than expensive steel machining. The metal framework can be produced more efficiently through molding, and the plastic layers can be applied through cost-effective coating or lamination processes, overall reducing material and processing costs while maintaining necessary strength.
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
The solution enhances corrosion resistance, reduces manufacturing costs, and enables mass production while maintaining similar strength to steel valves, with a butterfly valve lifespan exceeding 10 years and a significant weight reduction from 1 kg to 350 g.
Implementation Method 1
a first plastic layer formed of a first plastic on the disk body; and a second plastic layer formed of a second plastic on the first plastic layer
Data Source
AI summary
A body covering a disk in a butterfly valve comprises: an upper body; and a lower body, wherein an inserting space is formed by combining the upper body with the lower body, the disk is inserted into the inserting space, and at least one of the upper body and the lower body includes a framework formed of a metal and a plastic layer formed on the framework.