Gate Valve Slide Guide for Radial Seal Replacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gate valves used in blast furnaces experience high wear due to constant exposure, necessitating frequent maintenance to ensure gas-tight shut-off, which is complicated by the need to disassemble the slide housing to replace the slide seal.

Innovation Solution

The slide guide is connected to the slide housing via a flange connection, allowing it to be removed radially, enabling the slide guide and seal to be replaced without disassembling the housing, with guide halves providing a double-acting seal and axial support for simplified maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the slide plate is arranged between the upper part of the housing and the lower part of the housing, then the housing forms a slide guide, but the housing must be disassembled to replace the slide seal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing structureVSAvoidslide seal replacement
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The slide guide is segmented from the housing and formed as a separate component (slide guide body) that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the slide guide to be detached radially from the housing without disassembling the housing structure, enabling easy replacement of the slide seal while maintaining a integrated housing design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the slide seal is arranged in a seal receptacle formed in the housing upper part, then the seal is protected, but the housing must be disassembled to access the seal for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseal protectionVSAvoidseal maintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The seal receptacle is integrated with the slide guide body as a unified component rather than being formed directly in the housing. This allows the entire slide guide assembly containing the seal receptacle to be removed as one unit, providing both seal protection within the receptacle and easy accessibility for maintenance through radial removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The slide guide body acts as an intermediary component between the housing and the slide seal. It provides a protected environment for the seal through the seal receptacle while simultaneously serving as a removable carrier that facilitates easy access to the seal for maintenance without requiring housing disassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If frequent maintenance is required to ensure gas-tight shut-off, then reliability is maintained, but operational time is lost due to complex disassembly procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas-tight shut-offVSAvoidoperational time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The slide guide is designed as a separable component that can be quickly removed radially from the housing, enabling frequent maintenance of the slide seal to ensure gas-tight shut-off without time-consuming disassembly procedures. This segmentation allows rapid access to the seal for inspection and replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The slide guide is pre-configured with the seal receptacle and sealing elements in a ready-to-install arrangement. This preliminary preparation allows the maintenance personnel to simply remove the entire slide guide assembly, replace the seal, and reinstall the complete assembly without performing complex intermediate steps, thereby minimizing operational time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3707450B1Gate valve
Publication Date: 2021.10.27 TMT TAPPING MEASURING TECH SARL
  • EP3707450B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3707450B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3707450B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a gate valve (20) comprising a valve disk (32) which can move in a valve guide (29) in a valve housing (26) between a closing position and an open position, the valve guide (29) being provided with a valve seal for achieving a gas-tight closing position, the valve guide (29) being connected to the valve housing (26) via a flange connection such that the valve guide (29) can be removed from the valve housing (26) radially in relation to a flow axis of the gate valve (20).