Fluid-Reservoir Sealing Ring for Gate Valve Wall Irregularities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing technologies face challenges in achieving an effective seal on larger uneven wall surfaces, particularly with gate valves, as they struggle to adapt to irregularities and maintain a consistent sealing performance across varying temperatures and pressures.
Innovation Solution
A sealing ring with a fluid-filled reservoir and a rigid ring carrier, where the sealing body is made of a thermoplastic elastomer and has a second solid sealing bead, allowing for flexibility and pressure resistance, and is designed to adapt to uneven surfaces by redistributing fluid within the reservoir, ensuring a consistent seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional sealing ring with uniform material is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to larger unevenness in the wall area
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing ring is divided into two distinct sealing beads with different material properties. The first sealing bead uses a softer material for better adaptation to uneven surfaces, while the second sealing bead uses a harder material for structural stability. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without requiring complex overall redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing ring combines two different rubber compounds with distinct properties - a softer compound for the first sealing bead that contacts the wall, and a harder compound for the second sealing bead that contacts the slide plate. This composite material approach enables the single sealing ring to handle both adaptation to unevenness and maintenance of sealing pressure simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a softer sealing material is used to adapt to uneven surfaces, then adaptability improves, but resistance to compression and force absorption decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the sealing ring are assigned different material qualities based on their functional requirements. The first sealing bead uses softer material locally where wall contact occurs to maximize adaptation, while the second sealing bead uses harder material locally where force transmission and compression resistance are needed. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between softness for adaptation and hardness for strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-material sealing ring is used, then manufacturing is simple, but sealing performance varies with temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing ring employs two rubber compounds with different thermal and mechanical properties. The softer first sealing bead maintains flexibility and sealing contact across temperature variations, while the harder second sealing bead provides structural integrity and force transmission. This composite construction enhances reliability across temperatures while remaining manufacturable through conventional extrusion processes.
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 robust and adaptable sealing mechanism that maintains a high sealing effect on both flat and uneven surfaces, is resistant to temperature fluctuations, and can absorb significant forces, ensuring reliable operation across different conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The area of the sealing bead that is closer to the wall is compressed more, as a result of which the fluid is displaced into the other area of the reservoir.
Implementation Method 2
The first sealing bead, which faces the wall and contains the reservoir or the fluid, is characterized in that it is very flexible and can also adapt to larger wall irregularities
Implementation Method 3
The sealing body can easily be arranged around the ring carrier by means of the dividing area and due to its elasticity.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A double-acting sealing ring (1) for use in a gate valve (2) which is attached in the area of a wall (4) having an outlet opening (3) in order to enable the closure of the outlet opening (3), wherein the sealing ring (1) has a ring carrier (11) with a circumferential sealing body (12) which comprises a sealing bead (13) facing the wall (4) and a sealing bead (14) facing a gate plate (7), wherein the sealing bead (13) facing the wall (4) has a reservoir (16) at least partially filled with a fluid which extends along the sealing bead (13). The invention also relates to a gate valve (2) which has a corresponding sealing ring (1).