Explosion Isolation Ball Valve With Low-Inertia Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball valves used for explosion decoupling in process pipelines are complex and have high mass inertia, which hinders their response behavior during explosions, and are problematic in terms of abrasion and product deposits in pneumatic conveying systems.
Innovation Solution
A ball valve design featuring a housing tube with coaxial bearing rings, a rotatably driven valve body with sealing rings, and circular segment-shaped stop recesses for reduced mass inertia and improved sealing and kinematics, allowing for quick response and effective sealing during explosions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ball valves are used for explosion isolation, then sealing function is achieved, but mass inertia is high which hinders response behavior during explosions
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve body is segmented into a spherical shell and a separate spherical insert with sealing surfaces. This allows the heavy spherical shell to remain stationary while only the lighter insert needs to rotate for sealing, significantly reducing the moving mass inertia while maintaining effective sealing contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing surfaces are localized to specific regions on the spherical insert rather than requiring the entire ball valve body to be heavy and sealed. This concentrates the sealing function in a localized area with minimal mass, improving response behavior during explosions.
2Productivity
If conventional ball valves are used in pneumatic conveying systems, then flow control is achieved, but abrasion and product deposits occur
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body and sealing surfaces utilize spherical geometry which allows for smooth flow of pneumatic conveying materials. The curved surfaces prevent material deposition and reduce abrasion compared to conventional angular valve designs, maintaining productivity while minimizing harmful effects.
3Reliability
If complex ball valve assemblies are used for explosion protection, then sealing and automatic closing function are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function and the explosion protection function are merged into a single spherical insert component. The same rotating element that provides sealing also serves as the explosion protection mechanism, eliminating the need for separate complex assemblies and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical insert serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing contact, enables automatic closing during explosions through its rotational movement, and maintains flow control. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A ball valve, in particular for explosion isolation in process pipelines, comprises: - a housing pipe (2) coaxial with the through-flow direction (F), - bearing rings (6, 7) which are flanged respectively onto the end faces (3, 4) of the housing pipe (2) and have bearing shoulders (29) that engage in the internal opening of the housing pipe (2), - a valve body (14), in the basic form of a ball ring having a continuous through-flow opening (15), mounted between the bearing shoulders (29) via sealing rings (27, 28) inserted therein so as to be driven in rotation about an axis of rotation (D), extending perpendicularly to the through-flow direction (F), between a respectively stopped closed and open position, - a rotary drive (11) for the valve body (14), and - stop recesses (18, 19) which are formed directly in the valve body (14) and form end stops (22, 23) for stop protrusions (24, 25) on the housing pipe (2) in order to define the closed and open position of the valve body (14).