Flexible Pump Valve Structure for Abrasive Slurry Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Valves used in process technology, particularly those in oscillating displacement pumps, face issues with the closing procedure due to high demands on guide design, leading to jamming, frictional wear, and significant wear when pumping heavy or abrasive mixtures, resulting in costly failures and frequent valve and pump issues.
Innovation Solution
A valve design featuring a closing body radially connected to the valve housing via flexible material elements at multiple axially spaced clamping points, allowing for precise axial guidance and reducing wear, with the option to omit metal guides, and using materials like elastomers or PTFE to minimize abrasion and energy loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closing body is guided tightly to ensure precise closure, then sealing performance is improved, but the valve jams and the guide rod breaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional metal guide structure entirely, extracting the guiding function from a separate mechanical component and integrating it into the flexible closing body itself, which eliminates the guide rod and its associated jamming and breaking problems
Solution Approach 2:
The closing body is made from a single piece of flexible material that can deform elastically during operation. This flexibility allows the closing body to navigate the valve seat geometry without requiring a rigid guide, preventing jamming while maintaining sealing contact
2Reliability
If the guide is made loose to prevent jamming, then operational reliability is improved, but frictional wear increases and the valve leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible closing body maintains continuous elastic contact with the valve seat geometry, providing self-guidance without the need for loose mechanical guides. This eliminates frictional wear between separate guide surfaces while preventing leakage through maintained sealing contact
Solution Approach 2:
The closing body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the valve, guides its own movement through elastic deformation, and distributes closure forces evenly. This self-guiding capability eliminates the need for separate guide structures and reduces wear
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the closing body is guided precisely to prevent wear, then service life is improved, but the guide design becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guiding function from complex mechanical guide structures and transfers it to the flexible closing body itself through elastic deformation, dramatically simplifying the overall valve design while extending service life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the closing body from rigid to flexible, allowing it to deform elastically during operation. This parameter change enables the closing body to adapt to the valve seat geometry without complex guides, reducing design complexity while maintaining precise alignment
4Stability of the object's composition
If traditional metal guides are used to support the closing body, then structural stability is improved, but material costs and abrasion resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The closing body is made from a single piece of flexible material that combines the functions of sealing, guiding, and structural support. This composite approach eliminates the need for separate metal guide components, reducing abrasion from metal-to-metal contact while maintaining structural stability through the flexibility and elasticity of the closing body material
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 enhances valve longevity, reduces material costs, and minimizes energy consumption by providing precise axial guidance and reducing wear, while maintaining fluid flow efficiency for both upflow and downflow operations with aggressive, abrasive, or toxic fluids.
Implementation Method 1
the closing body is radially connected to the valve housing by means of at least one element consisting of flexible material
Data Source
AI summary
A valve, a pump valve, and a pump including a pump valve has a valve housing in which a valve seat and a closing body that is movable in the axial direction, relative to the valve seat, are provided. The closing body is radially connected to the valve housing via at least one element made of flexible material and is radially connected to the valve housing at least at two axially mutually spaced clamping points by at least one element made of flexible material, in each case.