Four-Disc Frictionless Ball Valve for Bidirectional Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball valves experience internal leakage due to seal wear from impurities and high operational torque, and lack real-time leak detection capabilities, making them inconvenient for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A four valve disc frictionless ball valve design featuring a wedge-shaped valve core and valve discs with guide keys and grooves, along with sealing rings and graphite filling layers, allows for frictionless operation and bidirectional sealing, reducing wear and enabling real-time leak detection through detection holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ball valves use close contact between valve body and valve seat for sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but the sealing surface is scratched by hard impurities causing seal failure and internal leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The single sealing surface is segmented into multiple sealing surfaces by dividing the valve seat into upper and lower parts with different sealing angles. The first sealing surface (30 degrees) and second sealing surface (45 degrees) are separated, allowing the valve core to seal at different locations during opening and closing cycles, preventing continuous contact and wear at one location.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve core is designed to perform preliminary sealing action at the first sealing surface before reaching the second sealing surface. The upper valve seat sealing ring provides initial sealing, and the lower valve seat sealing ring provides secondary sealing, ensuring sealing is established before the valve core undergoes significant movement that could expose it to impurities.
2Ease of operation
If conventional ball valves operate with high functional torque during opening and closing, then valve stem jamming is reduced, but the valve core and valve seat are abraded generating leakages
Solution Approach 1:
Different sealing surfaces are assigned different local qualities in terms of sealing angles. The first sealing surface has a 30-degree angle optimized for low torque operation, while the second sealing surface has a 45-degree angle optimized for sealing performance. This local differentiation allows the valve to operate with reduced torque while maintaining reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system dynamically switches between different sealing mechanisms. During normal operation, the upper valve seat sealing ring provides sealing with low torque. When the valve core rotates, the lower valve seat sealing ring engages to provide additional sealing. This dynamic switching allows the system to adapt to different operational states, reducing overall wear.
3Reliability
If conventional ball valves require valve removal for leak detection and maintenance, then internal components can be inspected, but real-time maintenance capability is poor making operation inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic particle detection device is introduced as an intermediary tool that can detect leaks externally without requiring valve disassembly. The device uses magnetic particles to trace leakage paths through the valve body, allowing operators to detect internal sealing issues from the outside, thus eliminating the need for time-consuming valve removal while maintaining accurate leak detection.
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 prevents seal damage from impurities, reduces operational torque, and ensures leakage-free operation, enhancing the valve's service life and operational reliability, suitable for frequent use in oil pipelines.
Implementation Method 1
A sealing rubber ring is arranged at a position where the closed-position valve disc contacts the inner wall of the valve body
Implementation Method 2
A shaft sleeve, a graphite filling layer, and a filling gland are successively arranged from the inside to the outside between the upper valve cover and the upper valve stem
Data Source
AI summary
A four valve disc frictionless ball valve includes a spherical valve core assembly, wherein the spherical valve core assembly includes a wedge-shaped valve core. A closed-position valve disc is respectively installed on a pair of closed-position wedge-shaped sides. A closed-position guide key is respectively arranged at the middle positions of the pair of closed-position wedge-shaped sides along an axial direction. A closed-position guide groove is arranged on each closed-position valve disc along the axial direction. An open-position valve disc is respectively installed on a pair of open-position wedge-shaped sides. An open-position guide key is respectively arranged at the middle positions of the pair of open-position wedge-shaped sides along the axial direction. An open-position guide groove is arranged on each open-position valve disc along the axial direction.