Disc Valve Seat Grooves for Lower Edge Pressure Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automatic plate valves experience excessive wear, particularly at high pressure differences, due to edge pressures between the moving valve element and the fixed seat surface, which existing designs fail to mitigate effectively.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a plate valve with a valve seat featuring multiple groove-shaped recesses and through-channels that distribute fluid flow radially, reducing edge pressure by increasing the length of sealing edges and maintaining a smaller radial gap width, thereby distributing the force over a greater length, and includes a valve element with a larger number of sealing elements to reduce wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the valve seat has a single large opening, then the cross-sectional area is sufficient for fluid flow, but the edge pressure between valve element and seat surface is excessive causing high wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid flow capacityVSAvoidedge pressure and wear
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The valve seat opening is divided into multiple smaller openings (typically 2-10 openings) arranged radially around the valve element. Each opening has its own sealing element on the valve element. This segmentation distributes the total fluid flow capacity across multiple channels while reducing the edge pressure at each individual sealing contact point, thereby reducing wear on both the valve seat and valve element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the radial gap width of valve seat opening is reduced, then the edge pressure is reduced, but the cross-sectional area for fluid flow is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveedge pressureVSAvoidfluid flow capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The solution transitions from a single large radial opening to multiple smaller radial openings arranged circumferentially. By adding the circumferential dimension with multiple openings, the total cross-sectional area for fluid flow is maintained or increased while each individual opening has a reduced radial gap width, thereby reducing edge pressure at each sealing point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If multiple through-channels are connected to the same valve seat opening, then fluid distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid distributionVSAvoidvalve seat structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve seat is segmented into multiple through-channels, each leading to its own valve seat opening. This segmentation improves fluid distribution by providing dedicated flow paths to each opening, ensuring balanced flow distribution across all valve seat openings while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured as a single piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 configuration significantly reduces wear on the valve by distributing the pressure force over a longer edge length, minimizing edge stress and maintaining low internal pressure drop even at high differential pressures, making it suitable for applications like piston compressors and process plants.

Implementation Method 1

The valve seat has a plurality of through-channels which are fluid-conductively connected to the valve seat openings... at least some of the through-channels are at a different distance in the direction radial to the longitudinal axis to the longitudinal axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow distribution:

Implementation Method 2

the valve element comprises at least one sealing element which interacts with the valve seat openings in a sealing manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Implementation Method 3

when the pressure difference to be sealed has a value of more than 100 bar... the force resulting from the pressure difference is distributed over a greater total length of the sealing edges

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3762638B1Disc valve and method for operating the same
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION AG
  • EP3762638B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3762638B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3762638B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An automatic plate valve (1) comprises a valve seat (2), a valve catcher (3), a longitudinal axis (L) and a valve element (7) which is arranged between the valve seat (2) and the valve catcher (3) and which can move back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L), wherein the valve seat (2) has an end face (2a) which is oriented toward the valve catcher (3) and has a plurality of valve seat openings (2b), wherein the valve seat (2) has a plurality of passage ducts (6) which are connected to the valve seat openings (2b) in order to conduct fluid, wherein the valve element (7) comprises at least one sealing element (7a), which interacts with the valve seat openings (2b) in a sealing manner, and wherein at least some of the passage ducts (6) have a different distance to the longitudinal axis (L) in the radial direction (R) relative to the longitudinal axis (L), wherein the end face (2a) of the valve seat (2) has a plurality of groove-like recesses (2c), which form the valve seat openings (2b) on the end face (2a), wherein a plurality of passage ducts (6) open into the same recess (2c), and wherein a plurality of passage ducts (6) are connected to the same valve seat opening (2b) via the respective recesses (2c) in a fluid-conducting manner, and wherein at least some of said passage ducts (6) connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the same valve seat opening (2b) have different distances to the longitudinal axis (L).