Valve Flow Adjustment Device Using Removable Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control valves face challenges in adjusting maximum flow rates without requiring disassembly and replacement of valve plugs and seats, leading to increased downtime and labor costs, especially when existing travel limiter devices are complex and difficult to install or remove.
Innovation Solution
A valve flow adjustment device with a removable collar having concentric bores of different diameters that engages a valve stem shoulder, allowing for two preselected travel positions without the need for special machining or threads, enabling quick adjustment of maximum flow capacity without shutting down the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a valve plug and valve seat are replaced to adjust flow parameters, then the desired flow parameters are achieved, but disassembly and reassembly time increases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The travel limiter is divided into a body portion and a collar portion that can be separately assembled and disassembled. The collar portion can be removed and replaced without disassembling the entire valve, allowing quick adjustment of flow parameters while minimizing downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The travel limiter is designed to be adjustable and reconfigurable. By changing the collar portion or adjusting the limiter position, the valve travel distance can be dynamically modified to achieve different flow parameters without replacing the entire valve assembly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If known travel limiting devices are used to provide multiple stem travel limits, then multiple flow capacities are achieved, but device complexity increases and installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complex internal mechanisms to achieve multiple travel limits, the invention uses a simple collar portion that can be rotated to different positions or replaced with collars having different dimensions. This inverted approach simplifies the device structure while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The travel limiter body is designed as a universal component that can work with different collar portions. The same body can accommodate various collar sizes and configurations, allowing multiple travel limits to be achieved through simple collar changes rather than complex multi-functional mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If known travel limiting devices are used, then multiple flow capacities are achieved, but removal and installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar portion is designed as a separate, modular component that can be quickly removed and replaced without affecting the rest of the valve assembly. This segmentation enables rapid changes between different flow capacities.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple collar portions with different dimensions can be prepared in advance. When flow capacity changes are needed, the appropriate pre-prepared collar can be quickly installed, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity.
4Reliability
If serrations or threads are added to the valve stem and travel limiting device, then the travel limiter can be secured, but manufacturing complexity increases and installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex serrations or threads to the valve stem, the invention uses a simple collar portion that fits over a smooth stem. The collar may have internal features for securing, but the stem itself remains simple, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A valve with a How adjustment device (60) in the form of a valve stem travel limiter includes a removable and reversible collar (62) having a passage therethrough to receive a valve stem (40) having a shoulder (54), the passage further includes two bores having different diameters. The flow adjustment device may be assembled to a valve stem to permit two different predetermined valve stern travel limits.