Multiport Severe Service Ball Valve Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Severe service ball valves face challenges with dead volume in flow paths leading to solids accumulation and extreme stress due to thermal cycling, especially in applications with high pressures, temperatures, and corrosive fluids.
Innovation Solution
A multiport valve design featuring a valve body with a main bore and auxiliary bores, where a spherical flow control element is positioned in each auxiliary bore with metal-to-metal sealing, minimizing dead space and stress through precise spacing and configuration, allowing for independent operation between open and closed positions for fluid flow or isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multiport manifold with intermediate flanged connections is used to provide multiple paths, then pathway redundancy and maintenance capability are improved, but dead volume increases leading to solids accumulation and thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple valve functions into a single integrated multiport valve body with multiple bores intersecting at a common intersection point. This eliminates the need for separate manifolds and flanged connections, thereby reducing dead volume where solids could accumulate while maintaining pathway redundancy through multiple flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a three-dimensional bore intersection configuration where multiple bores intersect at a common point within the valve body. This spatial arrangement minimizes dead volume by ensuring all flow paths converge at a single point rather than having extended connection areas, thus preventing solids accumulation while providing multiple flow directions.
2Reliability
If metal-to-metal sealing is used in severe service ball valves, then sealing reliability under high pressure and temperature is improved, but solids buildup and thermal cycling stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow paths into multiple separate bores that intersect at a common point, with each bore providing an independent flow path. This segmentation eliminates dead volume areas where solids could build up, while the metal-to-metal sealing is maintained at the seat interfaces within each bore to ensure sealing reliability under severe service conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates dead volume spaces from the valve design by configuring all bores to intersect at a common point with minimal spacing. This removes the problematic areas where solids could accumulate, while retaining the necessary metal-to-metal sealing surfaces for reliable operation under high pressure and temperature.
3Ease of operation
If auxiliary bores are positioned far from the main bore axis, then flow control is improved, but dead space increases causing solids accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions auxiliary bores to intersect the main bore at a common intersection point within the valve body, utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement. This configuration allows flow control functionality while minimizing dead space by ensuring all bores converge at a single point rather than extending far from the axis, thus preventing solids accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The common intersection point of multiple bores serves multiple functions: it enables flow control for each auxiliary bore, provides a compact configuration that minimizes dead space, and facilitates thermal equilibrium. This multi-functional design achieves flow control without creating excessive dead space that would lead to solids accumulation.
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 minimizes dead volume for reduced solids accumulation and stress, enhancing operational reliability in severe service conditions by maintaining minimal dead space and facilitating efficient fluid flow while allowing for effective servicing and redundancy in critical process elements.
Implementation Method 1
a spherical flow control element located in each of the auxiliary bores with a respective valve seat in metal-to-metal sealing contact to form a seal between the flow control element and the valve body
Data Source
AI summary
A multiport severe service ball valve comprising a main bore in fluid communication with a plurality of auxiliary bores arranged about the main bore such that a maximum spacing between a flow control element of the auxiliary bore and an outer surface of the main bore is less than two times a diameter of the main bore. Systems comprising the multiport severe service ball valve and methods of using it are also disclosed.