Dynamic Flow Area Control in Regulating Ball Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control ball valves with rigid perforated discs face issues with pressure reduction efficiency across varying flow rates, leading to increased wear, noise, and cavitation due to fixed flow areas that decrease quadratically with throughput, necessitating matching to maximum flow rates and resulting in suboptimal performance at lower rates.
Innovation Solution
The control ball valve dynamically adjusts the flow areas of both the regulating and perforated discs by varying the angular position of the valve ball, creating parallel flow chambers with webs that support the discs, allowing the flow-through surface to adapt to flow rates, enabling a multi-stage pressure reduction independent of flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rigid perforated discs are used with fixed flow areas, then the valve can be matched to maximum flow rates, but pressure reduction efficiency decreases quadratically at lower flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the flow area of the perforated disc dynamic rather than fixed. The flow area changes with the angular position of the valve ball, allowing the system to adapt to different flow rates. When the valve ball rotates, it exposes different portions of the perforated disc, thereby dynamically adjusting the flow area to maintain optimal pressure reduction efficiency across varying flow conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the flow area parameter of the perforated disc based on the valve's operating conditions. As the valve ball angular position changes, the effective flow area through the perforated disc is modified, enabling the system to maintain high pressure reduction efficiency whether operating at full load or part load conditions.
2Productivity
If pressure differences are increased to maintain pressure reduction at lower flow rates, then pressure control is improved, but wear and cavitation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle is applied by dynamically adjusting the flow area of the perforated disc to match the current flow rate. This ensures that the pressure difference across the disc remains within optimal limits regardless of whether the valve is operating at high or low flow rates, thereby preventing excessive wear and cavitation while maintaining effective pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of high pressure differences at low flow rates into a benefit by using the valve ball's angular position to control the flow area. This prevents the formation of harmful cavitation and reduces wear by ensuring that pressure differences remain within safe limits, turning a potentially damaging condition into a controlled and beneficial operating parameter.
3Productivity
If pressure differences are increased for pressure control, then pressure reduction is improved, but noise emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the flow area of the perforated disc variable based on the valve ball's angular position. This dynamic adjustment ensures that pressure differences are kept within optimal ranges at all flow rates, preventing the generation of excessive noise while maintaining effective pressure reduction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the flow area parameter of the perforated disc according to the operating conditions. This ensures that the pressure difference parameter remains within limits that prevent noise generation, while still achieving the required pressure reduction effect across the full range of flow rates.
4Productivity
If the flow area of the perforated disc is reduced to maintain pressure reduction at lower flow rates, then pressure control is improved, but the structural design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the universality principle by using the valve ball to perform multiple functions: it controls the main flow path and simultaneously controls the flow area of the perforated disc. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms, maintaining pressure reduction efficiency across different flow rates without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of flow area control with the valve ball's primary function of controlling the main flow path. By combining these functions into a single component, the system achieves variable flow area adjustment without adding separate mechanisms, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving pressure reduction efficiency.
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 design ensures effective pressure reduction and noise control across a wide range of flow rates, reducing wear and cavitation while maintaining low noise emissions, by dynamically adjusting the flow-through surfaces of the discs based on the valve's angular position, allowing for efficient operation at both full and part load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the control ball valve is in the closed position after the valve ball has been rotated by 90 degrees, with the flow path between the inlet and outlet being sealed off by the outside of the valve ball
Implementation Method 2
A multi-stage pressure reduction takes place via the regulating disk and the perforated disk, which serve as throttle points
Implementation Method 3
the problem of cavitation can occur, ie the formation of vapor bubbles when the vapor pressure falls below a certain level, which causes extreme wear damage due to the vapor bubbles imploding
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The control valve (1) has a valve housing (2) that is provided with an inlet (3) and an outlet (4) with a vertically rotatable to a flow direction of a valve ball (5). A valve channel (12) is provided between an open and close position in which the inlet and the outlet are fluidly connected and separated from each other. A control disc (9, 14) is adjacent to the valve ball arranged with a perforated disc (16, 17). The flow-through surface of the perforated disc is dependent on the angular position of the valve ball.