Gate Valve Plate Spring Package for Sealing Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gate valves with wedge-shaped slide plates and multiple circumferential springs face issues such as rattling, damage to sealing surfaces, and complex, costly alignment due to tolerances, especially when handling high and low differential pressures.
Innovation Solution
A plate spring package comprising disc springs with varying spring forces and travels is used, combined with spherical pressure pieces and complementary recesses, allowing for optimal alignment and power transmission, reducing friction and enabling reliable sealing without wedging the gate plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If multiple circumferential springs are arranged around the slide plates, then the slide plates can be pressed against the seat rings, but the structure becomes complex and expensive, and alignment precision deteriorates due to tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual circumferential springs are merged into a single integrated plate spring package with disc springs arranged in series. This combination maintains the necessary spring force while dramatically simplifying the structure, reducing the number of components, and eliminating alignment issues between multiple springs.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate spring package segments the spring force delivery into discrete disc springs arranged in series, where each disc spring contributes to the overall force while allowing controlled deflection. This segmentation enables precise force management without requiring multiple complex spring assemblies.
2Force
If multiple circumferential springs are used to press slide plates against seat rings, then sealing force is provided, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to tolerance accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple springs are merged into a single plate spring package that acts as one integrated component. This eliminates the tolerance accumulation problem that occurs when multiple separate springs are assembled, as there is only one component to manufacture and install with precise dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring package design allows the overall spring force parameter to be adjusted by changing the number, dimensions, or material properties of individual disc springs within the package, while maintaining consistent alignment and positioning through the integrated structure.
3Reliability
If large spring force is applied continuously to seal slide plates, then sealing reliability improves, but friction increases causing the slide plates to become wedged
Solution Approach 1:
The plate spring package provides dynamic spring force that adapts to operating conditions. At low differential pressures, the springs exert sufficient force for sealing. At high differential pressures, the slide plates lift off the seat rings, reducing contact and friction, while the spring force automatically adjusts to match the applied pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring force parameter changes based on the operating pressure conditions. The disc springs are designed with specific force-deflection characteristics that provide high force when needed for sealing at low pressures, but allow force reduction when high pressures are applied, preventing excessive friction and wedging.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If the slide plates are lifted off the seat rings, then friction is reduced, but the slide plates shift and rattle
Solution Approach 1:
The plate spring package acts as a counterbalancing force that holds the slide plates in a neutral position when lifted from the seat rings. This prevents uncontrolled shifting and rattling by providing a restoring force that maintains positional stability without requiring continuous contact with the seat rings.
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 cost-effective and reliable gate valve capable of sealing both high and low differential pressures with reduced friction and manual locking, ensuring operational reliability and preventing damage to sealing surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a plate spring package (23) comprising a plurality of disc springs (41), each with a first spring force and a first spring travel, and a plurality of disc springs (42), each with a second spring force and a second spring travel, is accommodated in this space
Implementation Method 2
each slide plate on the side facing the other slide plate has a recess in which a pressure piece is arranged, each pressure piece having a recess on the side facing the other pressure piece, the two recesses together forming a space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a gate valve with a housing (1), two seat rings (20) arranged in the housing (1), and two slide plates (12) arranged between the seat rings (20), which can be brought into contact with the two seat rings (20) via an actuating device (7). According to the invention, each slide plate (12) has, on the side facing the respective other slide plate (12), a depression (28), in which a respective pressure pad (22a, 22b) is arranged, wherein each pressure pad (22a, 22b) has a recess (34, 37) on the side facing the respective other pressure pad, the recesses (34, 37) together forming a chamber (40) in which a spring assembly (23) is accommodated, comprising a plurality of plate springs (41) with a respective first spring force and a first spring deflection and a plurality of plate springs (42) with a respective second spring force and a second spring deflection, wherein the first spring force is greater than the second spring force and the first spring deflection is less than the second spring deflection.