Elastomeric Valve Bonnet Sealing Stem Directly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valves in dairy and food processing environments face challenges in maintaining hygiene due to product deposition and bacterial growth in crevices between stainless steel parts, gaskets, and bushings, making cleaning difficult and requiring multiple components that are hard to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A valve design with a valve bonnet passage having varying cross-sectional areas, where the valve stem seals directly against the sidewall in narrower sections, eliminating the need for gaskets and bushings, and incorporating a lubricant-filled ring-shaped volume for easy cleaning and reduced wear, using materials with different moduli of elasticity for optimal sealing and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple stainless steel parts with gaskets and bushings are used to ensure tightness and prevent seizing, then the valve achieves reliable sealing and reduced friction, but the number of components increases and cleaning becomes difficult due to crevices between parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (valve bonnet, bushings, gaskets, sealing elements) into a single integrated valve body made of elastomeric material. The valve stem passes directly through the elastomeric valve body which provides both structural support and sealing function, eliminating the need for separate metal components and gaskets. This reduces the total component count while maintaining sealing reliability through the inherent elasticity and conformability of the elastomeric material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates problematic intermediate components such as metal bushings, gaskets, and sealing lips that create crevices and difficult-to-clean areas. By removing these separate sealing components and relying on the elastomeric valve body itself to provide both structural and sealing functions, the design simplifies the component structure while improving cleanability.
2Reliability
If multiple stainless steel parts with gaskets and bushings are used to ensure tightness and prevent seizing, then the valve achieves reliable sealing and reduced friction, but cleaning becomes difficult due to crevices between parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (valve bonnet, bushings, gaskets, sealing elements) into a single integrated valve body made of elastomeric material. The valve stem passes directly through the elastomeric valve body which provides both structural support and sealing function, eliminating the need for separate metal components and gaskets. This reduces the total component count while maintaining sealing reliability through the inherent elasticity and conformability of the elastomeric material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates problematic intermediate components such as metal bushings, gaskets, and sealing lips that create crevices and difficult-to-clean areas. By removing these separate sealing components and relying on the elastomeric valve body itself to provide both structural and sealing functions, the design simplifies the component structure while improving cleanability.
3Force
If bushings of low friction polymer or rubber are used to avoid seizing between stainless steel parts, then friction is reduced, but the number of services between parts increases and cleaning becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (valve bonnet, bushings, gaskets, sealing elements) into a single integrated valve body made of elastomeric material. The valve stem passes directly through the elastomeric valve body which provides both structural support and sealing function, eliminating the need for separate metal components and gaskets. This reduces the total component count while maintaining sealing reliability through the inherent elasticity and conformability of the elastomeric material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental material parameter of the valve body from rigid stainless steel to elastomeric material. This material transformation provides inherent low-friction properties, flexibility, and sealing capability, eliminating the need for separate polymer bushings. The elastomeric material naturally conforms to the valve stem, providing continuous contact and sealing without requiring additional friction-reducing components.
4Reliability
If gaskets or sealing lips are used to secure tightness between valve parts, then sealing reliability is improved, but the area between sealing lips and structural parts creates difficult-to-clean crevices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (valve bonnet, bushings, gaskets, sealing elements) into a single integrated valve body made of elastomeric material. The valve stem passes directly through the elastomeric valve body which provides both structural support and sealing function, eliminating the need for separate metal components and gaskets. This reduces the total component count while maintaining sealing reliability through the inherent elasticity and conformability of the elastomeric material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates problematic intermediate components such as metal bushings, gaskets, and sealing lips that create crevices and difficult-to-clean areas. By removing these separate sealing components and relying on the elastomeric valve body itself to provide both structural and sealing functions, the design simplifies the component structure while improving cleanability.
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 solution provides a more hygienic, low-maintenance valve with reduced component count, effective sealing, and easy cleanability, as demonstrated by successful wear tests and EHEDG-compliant cleanability tests, eliminating the need for polymer bushings and elastomer seals.
Implementation Method 1
the valve bonnet in the area of the passage comprises a material, where said material has a higher modulus of elasticity than the material of the valve stem. Thus the valve stem has a lower modulus of elasticity and will be elastic deformed when operated thru the passage, and thereby creating the sealing effect between the stem and the valve bonnet
Implementation Method 2
incorporating a lubricant-filled ring-shaped volume for easy cleaning and reduced wear
Data Source
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AI summary
A valve comprising a valve housing (102) with a valve bonnet (105), an inlet opening (103) and an outlet opening (104), the valve bonnet (105) having a passage (106) for a valve stem (107), the passage (106) having a sidewall (123) and the valve stem (107) comprising a valve disk (110) for closing the valve by bringing the valve disk (110) in contact with a valve seat (111) in the valve housing (102), the passage (106) in the valve bonnet (105) comprising at least a first section (120) with a first cross sectional area and a second section (116) with a second cross sectional area that is smaller than the first cross sectional area. The sidewall (123) in the passage (106) is in direct contact with the valve stem (107) at the second section (116) with the second cross sectional area.