Diaphragm Valve Seal Structure for High-Temperature Airtight Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diaphragm valves face challenges in maintaining airtightness and alignment under high-temperature environments, with conventional designs complicating the configuration and impairing the cushioning properties of sealing elements.
Innovation Solution
A diaphragm valve design featuring an annular seal member and annular cushion member, where the seal member extends radially outwardly from the cushion member, with a gap between them, and a seal retention member maintaining concentric alignment, uses materials with different heat resistance properties to enhance airtightness and alignment performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid ring and elastic seal ring are used to maintain airtightness, then sealing pressure is increased, but the elastic seal ring cannot sufficiently exhibit cushioning properties under high-temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is segmented into multiple independent components: a rigid ring (152) for structural support, an elastic seal ring (160) for cushioning, and a newly added annular seal member (30) for primary sealing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with others, enabling the elastic seal ring to exhibit cushioning properties while maintaining airtightness through the combined action of all sealing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite sealing structures combining different materials with complementary properties. The rigid ring provides structural integrity, the elastic seal ring provides cushioning and followability, and the annular seal member (made of heat-resistant material) provides stable sealing under high temperature. This composite approach allows the system to maintain airtightness while preserving the cushioning properties of elastic materials even in high-temperature environments.
2Reliability
If the elastic seal ring is sandwiched and tightened between the rigid ring and sleeve, then airtightness is enhanced, but the configuration becomes complex and cushioning properties are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the primary sealing function from the elastic seal ring and assigns it to a newly added annular seal member (30) that is not sandwiched between rigid components. The elastic seal ring (160) is retained but its role is modified to provide cushioning and followability without bearing the full sealing load. This extraction reduces the complexity of the sealing structure while maintaining airtightness through the annular seal member.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular seal member (30) acts as an intermediary element between the rigid ring (152) and the valve seat surface. It transfers the sealing function from the previously overloaded elastic seal ring to itself, while the elastic seal ring continues to provide cushioning. This intermediary structure simplifies the overall sealing system by creating a clearer functional division among components.
3Reliability
If conventional sealing structures are used, then airtightness is achieved, but alignment performance deteriorates under high-temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The annular seal member (30) is designed with a preliminary alignment function through its geometric shape and positioning features. The member includes an inner peripheral surface that mates with the cylindrical inner surface of the annular accommodation portion, and a bottom surface that maintains a predetermined gap from the bottom surface of the accommodation portion. This preliminary alignment structure ensures proper positioning before the valve closes, preventing alignment deterioration under high-temperature conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a predetermined gap parameter between the bottom surface of the annular seal member (30) and the bottom surface of the annular accommodation portion (21). This gap parameter allows for thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining proper alignment. By changing the structural parameter from direct contact to gap-based positioning, the system maintains alignment performance across a wide temperature range including high-temperature environments.
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 design maintains airtightness and alignment performance even under high temperatures by utilizing materials with varying heat resistance, preventing cushioning property deterioration and enhancing followability to the valve seat surface.
Implementation Method 1
an annular cushion member (50) that is sandwiched between a surface, facing a bottom surface (21c), of the seal retention member (40) and the annular seal member (30), and the bottom surface (21c), and is retained in the annular accommodation portion (21)
Data Source
AI summary
A diaphragm valve including a valve disk suspended by a diaphragm airtightly sealing a valve chamber, and is moved in conjunction with a stem so that an annular seal member is at a valve closing position at which the annular seal member abuts on a valve seat surface or at a valve opening position at which the annular seal member is apart from the valve seat surface. The valve disk includes: a seal retention member including a cylindrical portion and retaining the annular seal member at a position concentric with a retention portion; and an annular cushion member sandwiched between the seal retention member and the annular seal member and retained in an annular accommodation portion at a position concentric with the retention portion. The annular seal member is retained in the annular accommodation portion so that the annular seal member extends more radially outwardly than the annular cushion member.