Monolithic Gate Valve Seat Assembly for Leak Path Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gate valves experience leaks due to fluid flowing around the gate and into the valve body at high pressure over time, leading to significant maintenance and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A gate valve assembly with a single seat configuration that eliminates leak paths by using a monolithic seat directly interfacing with the valve body, incorporating annular seal assemblies and spring-energized seals to provide dynamic sealing at both high and low pressures, reducing potential leak paths to two, and eliminating the need for a seat retainer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional gate valve design with multiple components (seat retainer, separate seals) is used, then manufacturing and assembly are straightforward, but multiple leak paths develop over time leading to valve failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the seat retainer, seals, and seat into a single monolithic seat assembly. This integration eliminates the interfaces between separate components where leaks typically occur, reducing multiple potential leak paths to just two controlled interfaces while maintaining reliable sealing under high pressure conditions
2Reliability
If multiple seal interfaces are used to prevent leaks, then sealing is improved, but the number of potential failure points increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the seals and seat retainer into the monolithic seat assembly, the patent reduces the number of interfaces between components. This eliminates leak paths at the interfaces between separate seal components and the seat retainer, leaving only two controlled leak paths while maintaining comprehensive sealing coverage
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional seal configurations are used, then manufacturing costs are controlled, but maintenance and replacement costs increase due to leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic seat assembly integrates multiple functions into a single manufacturable component, which may increase initial manufacturing complexity but eliminates the need for multiple separate seals and retainers. This reduces assembly steps, potential assembly errors, and field maintenance requirements, ultimately lowering total cost of ownership despite potentially higher initial manufacturing investment
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 ensures reliable sealing at both high and low pressures, reducing maintenance and machining costs, and providing a fail-safe mechanism that maintains sealing even if one seal fails, thus enhancing the valve's reliability and classification.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating annular seal assemblies and spring-energized seals to provide dynamic sealing at both high and low pressures
Implementation Method 2
spring-energized seals to provide dynamic sealing
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment includes a gate valve comprising: a valve body including a cavity coupled to a channel having proximal and distal portions; a gate to seal and unseal the channel; proximal and distal seats adjacent the gate; wherein (a) the proximal seat traverses towards the gate and stops at a first position when the gate is closing and the proximal channel portion is more highly pressurized than the cavity, and (b) the distal seat slides away from the gate and stops at a second position when the gate is closing and the cavity is more heavily pressurized than the distal channel portion. Other embodiments are described herein.