Control Valve Attachment Structure With Flushable Weld Recess

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Solution Overview

Problem

Attachment devices for control valves often face issues with tightness and corrosion resistance, particularly under extreme conditions, and can create separate dead spaces that lead to oxidation of weld seams, compromising the integrity of the weld.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a base body with a cover section and a receiving extension that forms a circulation guide, fluidly connecting the valve housing's fluid chamber to a recess, allowing for flushing and preventing oxidation during welding, thus maintaining corrosion resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the attachment device is welded to the valve housing via a flat connection surface, then the connection is materially bonded and secure, but the connection point directly separates an external space from an internal passage, creating dead spaces that lead to oxidation of weld seams and compromised corrosion resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base body is divided into functionally distinct sections: a cover section for sealing the opening, a connecting wall for material bonding to the valve housing, and a receiving extension for the actuating rod. The connecting wall features a recess that segments the connection geometry to eliminate dead spaces while maintaining weld strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting wall is designed with a three-dimensional recess that extends around the central axis, creating a circumferential connection geometry. This dimensional change from a flat surface to a recessed structure eliminates dead spaces and allows proper weld penetration while maintaining connection strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If the recess is not fluidly connected to the valve housing, then the attachment device structure is simple, but separate dead spaces are created that lead to oxidation of the weld seam during welding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment device structureVSAvoidweld seam quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation guide acts as an intermediary fluid passage that connects the recess to the fluid chamber. This mediator allows flushing media to reach the recess area, preventing oxidation during welding without requiring direct exposure of the recess to the external environment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The circulation guide is pre-formed as an integral part of the base body structure, allowing the recess to be flushed before welding occurs. This preliminary flushing action removes potential contaminants and prevents oxidation during the subsequent welding process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of stationary object

If the receiving extension is arranged behind the connecting wall, then the attachment device structure is compact, but the recess cannot be fluidly connected to the fluid chamber, creating dead spaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment device volumeVSAvoidflushing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving extension is positioned asymmetrically relative to the connecting wall, extending forward rather than backward. This asymmetric arrangement, combined with the circumferential recess geometry, allows the circulation guide to access the recess while maintaining a compact overall structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP4450856A1Attachment device for an actuating valve and actuating valve having the attachment device
Publication Date: 2024.10.23 SAMSON AG
  • EP4450856A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4450856A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4450856A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an attachment device for a control valve (10) of a process plant, comprising at least one base body (36) which includes a cover section (38), wherein the cover section (38) is designed to close an opening (30) of a valve housing (12) of the control valve (10), wherein the base body (36) has a central axis (42) which extends through the cover section (38), wherein the base body (36) forms a connecting wall (32) which is designed as part of the cover section (38) and is designed to be materially bonded to the valve housing (12), in particular to a wall of the valve housing (12), wherein the connecting wall (32) extends substantially completely around the central axis (42) when viewed along the central axis (42), wherein the base body (36) has a recess on the cover section (38) towards the central axis (42) via the connecting wall (32). (44) limited,and with at least one receiving extension (46) which is provided for receiving an actuating rod (26) of the control valve (10) and extends on the cover section (38) towards an end face (48) of the base body (36), wherein the receiving extension (46) is arranged at least partially in front of the connecting wall (32) when viewed from the end face (48) along the central axis (42) and delimits the recess (44) on an outer side. It is proposed that the receiving extension (46) forms at least one circulation guide (50) which is designed to fluidically connect a fluid chamber (52) of the valve housing (12) to the recess (44) when connected to the valve housing (12).