Valve Insertion Housing With Integral Gate Valve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve insertion methods for pipes require large excavations, damage the pipe integrity, and make it difficult to attach or remove valve bonnets and gates, often leaving them coupled even after brief operations.
Innovation Solution
A sealing housing system with a lower and upper housing portion that encircles the pipe, featuring a integral valve assembly and sealing members to create an airtight seal, allowing for optional attachment of a valve bonnet, gate, or blind flange, enabling selective use or removal based on application needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a large excavation is performed to access the existing pipe, then the pipe becomes accessible for valve insertion, but the pipe integrity is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing housing is divided into an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion that can be separately positioned and secured around the pipe. This segmentation allows the housing to be installed without requiring large-scale excavation, as each portion can be independently attached to accessible areas of the pipe, thereby maintaining pipe integrity while providing operational access.
2Ease of operation
If a cutting machine is used to create a slit in the existing pipe, then the gate can be inserted into the pipe, but the pipe integrity is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The gate valve assembly is nested within the sealing housing, which itself is nested around the existing pipe. This nested configuration allows the gate to be inserted and operated through the housing without requiring direct cutting into the pipe, as the housing provides a protective and functional envelope that accommodates the valve mechanism while preserving the pipe structure.
3Reliability
If the valve bonnet and gate are attached to the existing pipe after cutting, then flow control is achieved, but removal becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The valve bonnet and gate assembly is designed with dynamic attachment characteristics, allowing it to be securely fastened to the sealing housing during operation to ensure reliable flow control, while also enabling easy removal when needed. The connection mechanisms between components are designed to provide both stability during use and flexibility for拆卸, transforming the static attachment problem into a controllable dynamic system.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the valve bonnet and gate remain coupled to the pipe after brief operation, then equipment is always available, but unnecessary maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve bonnet and gate assembly is designed to be temporarily attached to the sealing housing for brief operations, then easily removed and stored for future use. Rather than permanently installing expensive valve components on the pipe, the system allows for temporary deployment and recovery of the equipment, reducing unnecessary maintenance costs while maintaining adaptability for future operations when the components can be reattached to the housing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments provide systems and methods for valve insertion and linestopping. In one embodiment, the system comprises a sealing housing having a lower housing portion and an upper housing portion that are each dimensioned to partially surround an exterior surface of an existing pipe in an airtight state. In one embodiment, an integral valve assembly is disposed at least partially within an integral valve housing section of the upper housing portion. The integral valve assembly comprises a valve movable between an open position in which the valve provides an open pathway through an opening in the upper housing portion, and a closed position in which the valve provides a seal adjacent to the opening. The upper housing portion may be adapted to selectively receive each of an adapter plate for a cutting machine, a valve bonnet, and a blind flange. Optionally, the valve bonnet and the gate may be removed from engagement with the upper housing portion when the valve of the integral valve assembly is in the closed position, and a blind flange may be secured to the upper housing portion after the valve bonnet and the gate are removed. Therefore, the user advantageously has an option of whether to leave the valve bonnet and the gate coupled to the sealing housing for certain applications, or may remove the valve bonnet and the gate for other applications.