Axially Movable Check Valve Bushing for Chatter-Free Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Check valves experience valve chatter and instability due to balanced closing and opening forces, leading to reduced flow capability and undesirable backflow.
Innovation Solution
A check valve design incorporating a valve element, a valve body with an annular valve seat insert, and a bushing that allows for axial movement, featuring a tapered flow guide surface and a secondary seal surface to manage fluid flow and pressure, ensuring consistent sealing and reduced turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the opening force is made measurably greater than the closing force to prevent valve chatter, then valve stability improves, but the full stroke of the valve element is reduced and overall flow capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element is designed with dynamic movement characteristics that allow it to respond differently to opening and closing forces. The element can achieve full stroke during opening while maintaining stability during closing through controlled movement phases, resolving the contradiction between stability and flow capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system changes operational parameters during its cycle - the valve element operates at different positions and velocities during opening versus closing. By varying these parameters dynamically, the system achieves both full stroke for flow capability and controlled closing for stability without compromise.
2Reliability
If a spring biasing member is used to provide closing force, then the valve can maintain sealing under backpressure, but the valve element may become stuck in the closed position under high differential pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element is segmented into multiple functional zones: a sealing surface for maintaining closure under backpressure, and a relief area that prevents excessive force buildup. This segmentation allows the valve to seal reliably while avoiding stuck conditions during high differential pressure events.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring biasing member applies partial closing force rather than maximum force at all times. The spring is pre-loaded to provide sufficient sealing force under normal backpressure conditions, but not enough to overcome high differential pressure that would cause the valve to stick, allowing easy operation while maintaining sealing.
Data Source
AI summary
A check valve includes a valve element and a valve body having a body housing, an annular valve seat insert, a bushing, and a biasing member. The body housing includes an outer circumferential wall extending between an inlet port and an outlet port to define a valve cavity therebetween. The valve seat insert is seated in a body seat surface surrounding the inlet port. The bushing is disposed in the valve cavity and defines a central bore, with the bushing including an outboard end surface axially engageable with the valve seat insert. The biasing member is disposed between a bearing portion of the body housing and an inboard end of the bushing to allow for axial movement of the bushing with respect to the body seat surface. The valve element extends through the bushing central bore and is movable between a closed position and an open position.