Double-Disk Slide Valve Sealing with Resilient Bias
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Solution Overview
Problem
Double-disk slide valves face high operational forces and wear due to high contact pressure between sealing rings and housing sealing seats, leading to complex structures and increased maintenance costs, especially when dealing with contaminated gases or liquids.
Innovation Solution
A double-disk slide valve design featuring a bridging pipe with sealing rings that utilize a resilient element, such as cup spring assemblies, to maintain contact pressure with housing sealing seats and shut-off plates, combined with a compact and easily maintainable structure, including a seat unit and flushing/sealing steam system for cleaning and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bias of the resilient corrugated pipe is increased to achieve sufficient sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but friction between sealing rings and housing sealing seats increases, requiring substantial operating forces and causing high wear
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple independent sealing rings mounted on separate sealing supports, allowing each sealing ring to be optimized independently. The resilient element is also segmented into multiple spring assemblies distributed around the periphery, enabling localized sealing pressure adjustment without increasing overall operating force
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying force directly to the bridging pipe to achieve sealing, the invention inverts the approach by mounting sealing rings on resiliently biased sealing supports that actively press against the housing sealing seats. This reverses the force application direction, using the resilient elements to generate sealing pressure rather than relying on external actuation forces
2Ease of operation
If a restoring device with rollers and lead-in grooves is added to reduce friction during valve actuation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases significantly with many individual components requiring precise matching
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the friction-reduction function from the complex roller and lead-in groove mechanism and integrates it directly into the sealing supports themselves. The sealing supports are designed with curved guide surfaces that guide the sealing rings during actuation, eliminating the need for separate rollers and lead-in grooves while maintaining low-friction operation
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions are merged into the sealing supports: they provide resilient bias for sealing, guide the sealing rings during actuation through curved surfaces, and support the bridging pipe. This consolidation eliminates numerous separate components (rollers, lead-in grooves, actuating bars) while achieving the same operational ease
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the bridging pipe is made freely movable along housing sealing seats to reduce wear, then durability is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to loss of contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing supports are designed as resilient elements that dynamically adapt to varying operating conditions. The spring assemblies can compress and extend to maintain optimal contact pressure between sealing rings and housing sealing seats throughout the valve's operational range, allowing the bridging pipe to move freely while preserving sealing reliability
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 achieves a high sealing efficiency with reduced operational forces and lower maintenance costs, while maintaining a simple and robust structure, minimizing wear and allowing for easy access and replacement of components.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the two housing sealing seats rests, by the action of a resilient element, under predetermined pressure against the sealing ring(s) associated with the bridging pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A double-disk slide valve (10), the shut-off plates (16, 17) of which are displaceable by means of an actuator rod (21) and which is provided with a bridging pipe (22) having two sealing rings (23, 24) that are in operative engagement with corresponding housing sealing seats (14, 15) of the slide valve housing (11) when the slide valve is in the open position. At least one of the two housing sealing seats (14, 15) rests, by the action of a resilient element (25), under predetermined pressure against the sealing ring(s) (23, 24) associated with the bridging pipe (22) when the slide valve is in the open position and against the peripheral edge of the shut-off plate(s) (16, 17) when the slide valve is in the closed position.