Top Entry Ball Valve Flat Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional top entry ball valves have complex designs that require skilled technicians for assembly and disassembly, are costly to manufacture, and often create multiple leakage paths due to their intricate construction, necessitating specialized tools and trained operators.
Innovation Solution
A top entry ball valve with flat surfaces on the ball valve element allowing easy insertion and rotation, and protective rings reinforcing soft valve seats to prevent deformation and provide backup fire seals, enabling simpler assembly and manufacturing using standard machining operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional wedge designs are used with angled seats and tapered balls, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases and assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve element is changed from a traditional spherical shape to a shape with two flat opposite surfaces, allowing it to be inserted perpendicular to its operating orientation and then rotated into position. This parameter change simplifies the insertion process while maintaining sealing performance through the flat surfaces aligning with the valve seats.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of inserting the ball at an angle to match the seat inclination (traditional approach), the invention inverts the approach by inserting the ball perpendicular to the operating orientation and then rotating it into position. This reversal of the insertion sequence simplifies the initial insertion process.
2Reliability
If caged ball designs are used with complete assembly in cage, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into separable components: the ball valve element with flat surfaces can be independently manufactured and then assembled into the housing. This segmentation allows standard machining operations to be used for each component rather than requiring complex integrated casting or forging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball valve element design with flat surfaces serves multiple functions: it provides a simplified insertion method, maintains sealing contact with the seats, and allows rotation into the correct operating orientation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If trunnion seat assemblies are used with mechanical anchoring, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases and leakage paths increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex trunnion mechanical anchoring system is removed entirely. Instead, the ball valve element is simply inserted and rotated into position, relying on the flat surfaces to maintain stable contact with the valve seats during operation. This extraction of unnecessary components reduces complexity while maintaining stability.
4Manufacturing precision
If specialized tools and skilled operators are used for assembly, then assembly precision is improved, but loss of time increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball valve element with flat surfaces is designed to be self-aligning during insertion and rotation. The flat surfaces naturally guide the ball into the correct orientation relative to the valve seats, eliminating the need for specialized alignment tools or highly skilled operators. This self-service approach reduces assembly time and training requirements while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A top entry ball valve comprises a housing with a central cavity communicating with two bores which define a flow path through the housing. A ball valve element is provided and comprises a through bore. The ball valve element is rotatably mounted within the central cavity for rotation about an axis for selectively aligning the through bore with the housing bores. The ball valve element further comprises first and second flat surfaces on opposite sides of the ball valve element. The flat surfaces are perpendicular to the axis. The top entry ball valve further comprises first and second seats which are configured to provide a seal between the ball valve element and the central cavity. First and second protective rings are provided for receiving and supporting at least a portion of the first and second seats.