Steam Valve Inclined-Surface Support to Suppress Stop Valve Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam valves face challenges in suppressing wear of the stop valve when the slave valve and main valve are fully opened, as the planar surfaces engagement in existing configurations fails to effectively prevent rotation and rattling, leading to increased wear.
Innovation Solution
The steam valve design incorporates a first inclined surface on the valve rod and a second inclined surface inside the main valve, both with the same inclination angle, which abut when the slave and main valves are fully opened, supporting the main valve and preventing sliding and rotation, along with a compression coil spring to maintain separation and reduce wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If planar surfaces of the valve rod and valve body are engaged in contact, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the main valve cannot be effectively supported to prevent rotation and rattling when fully opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the conventional planar contact surfaces with inclined surfaces that have specific geometric shapes. The first inclined surface on the valve rod and the second inclined surface inside the main valve body create a tapered contact geometry that enables effective support and prevents rotation and rattling of the main valve when fully opened, while still maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Ease of operation
If the main valve is not fixed to the valve rod, then the main valve can move freely to open the steam flow path, but the main valve rotates and rattles causing increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined surfaces create a tapered guide structure that allows the main valve to move freely in the opening direction while simultaneously providing lateral support to prevent rotation and rattling. The geometric shape of the inclined surfaces ensures smooth movement without fixation while maintaining stability during operation.
3Reliability
If inclined surfaces are added to the valve rod and main valve, then the main valve is properly supported to prevent rotation and rattling, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined surfaces serve multiple functions simultaneously: they guide the main valve during opening movement, provide lateral support to prevent rotation and rattling, and maintain the seal between the valve components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate support structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
4Reliability
If the first and second inclined surfaces are separated when valves are closed, then the valves can seal properly, but the surfaces must be precisely positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined surfaces are designed with specific geometric relationships and inclination angles that ensure proper sealing when the valves are closed. The curved or tapered geometry provides natural alignment features that guide the surfaces into correct positioning, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements compared to flat surfaces that would require exact parallelism and perpendicularity.
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
This configuration effectively suppresses the wear of the stop valve by ensuring proper alignment and support of the main valve, reducing maintenance frequency and enhancing the operation efficiency of the power generation system.
Implementation Method 1
The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface abut against each other when the slave valve and the main valve are in a fully opened state
Implementation Method 2
a compression coil spring to maintain separation and reduce wear
Data Source
AI summary
A steam valve having a first inclined surface, which is formed at the distal end portion of a valve rod and in which the outer diameter of the valve rod increases from the distal end toward the base end of the valve rod, and a second inclined surface, which is formed on the inside of a portion of a main valve that is positioned on the base-end side of the valve rod and which inclines with the same inclination angle as the first inclined surface. In a state in which a slave valve and the main valve are closed the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are separated from each other, and when the slave valve and the main valve are in a fully open state the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface abut each other.