Detachable Gate Valve Plates for Faster Seal Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gate valves require significant time and effort for maintenance as they need to be detached from the position between chambers to replace deteriorated seal members, and there is a desire to minimize weight and costs associated with the valve plates.
Innovation Solution
A gate valve design where valve plates are detachably attached to a valve shaft using a fastening mechanism and support mechanisms, allowing for maintenance without detaching the entire valve from the chamber position, with a configuration that keeps the weight and costs of the valve plates low.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the whole gate valve is detached to perform maintenance work on valve plates, then the seal members can be replaced, but the maintenance time and effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The gate valve is segmented into modular components: the valve body remains installed between chambers while the valve plates are detached and replaced separately. The support plate serves as an intermediate component that can be accessed from the leading end side, allowing maintenance without complete disassembly of the entire valve assembly.
2Ease of repair
If the valve plates are made accessible from the leading end side for maintenance, then the maintenance workability improves, but the weight near the valve plates increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plates are extracted as separate replaceable components from the main valve body. The support plate is detachably attached to the valve shaft, allowing the valve plates to be removed and replaced without removing the entire valve assembly, thus maintaining accessibility while minimizing permanent weight addition.
3Ease of repair
If a support plate is detachably attached to the valve shaft for maintenance access, then the maintenance workability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is designed with dynamic attachment characteristics - detachably attached to the valve shaft from the leading end side. This allows the support structure to transition between installed and removed states, providing maintenance access when needed while simplifying the overall structure during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A gate valve is disposed between first and second chambers and allows a first opening leading to the first chamber and a second opening leading to the second chamber to be communicated and opens and closes. The gate valve includes a valve shaft, first and second valve plates that are attached to a leading end part of the valve shaft, an operation mechanism that moves these valve plates to an evacuation position at which the first opening and the second opening are communicated, a first closed position at which the first opening is closed by the first valve plate, and a second closed position at which the second opening is closed the second valve plate by operating the valve shaft, a fastening mechanism that attaches these valve plates to the valve shaft, and a support mechanism that fasten both end parts of these valve plates in a longitudinal direction.