Multi-piece Valve Plug Retaining Sleeve for Erosive Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valve plugs in severe service applications, such as the petrochemical industry, face rapid wear and reduced operating life due to erosive fluid conditions, particularly when exposed to particulate and high viscosity fluids, and the connections between valve plug tips and inserts using sintering or brazing are brittle and prone to failure.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece flow control apparatus with a retainer or sleeve that captures and secures a valve plug tip and insert, providing a compressive force and eliminating tensile stresses, allowing for the use of different materials and reducing the risk of fracturing, and can be factory-installed or retrofitted into existing valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If sintering or brazing is used to connect valve plug tips and inserts, then the valve plug can resist erosive fluids and particulate, but the connection becomes brittle and prone to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plug assembly is divided into separate components (valve plug tip, insert, and retainer) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The retainer acts as a separate fastening component that mechanically secures the tip to the insert without requiring brittle thermal bonding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces thermal bonding mechanisms (sintering/brazing) with a purely mechanical fastening system using the retainer. This mechanical system applies compressive forces to secure the connection, eliminating the brittle nature of thermal bonds while maintaining connection strength.
2Productivity
If conventional valve plugs are used in severe service applications, then they can control fluid flow, but they experience rapid wear and reduced operating life
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plug assembly uses composite construction with different materials optimized for specific functions: the valve plug tip uses erosion-resistant material (such as tungsten carbide or ceramic), the insert uses structurally sound material (such as stainless steel), and the retainer uses ductile material (such as monel or stainless steel). This composite approach maximizes wear resistance while maintaining overall component strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the valve plug assembly use different materials with properties optimized for their specific functional requirements. The tip portion uses highly erosion-resistant material to withstand particulate impact, while the insert and retainer use materials optimized for mechanical strength and ductility.
3Reliability
If a multi-piece flow control apparatus is used, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plug tip is nested within the retainer, which in turn is nested within the insert. This nested arrangement allows all components to be housed within a compact volume, minimizing the space required while maintaining the multi-piece construction that provides reliable connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it fastens the valve plug tip to the insert, centers the assembly, and provides structural support. By combining multiple functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is reduced despite the multi-piece construction.
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-piece flow control apparatus for use with fluid valves are described. An example flow control apparatus described herein includes a sleeve having first and second ends, the first end including a lip. A valve plug tip is disposed in the sleeve and has a shoulder engaged with an inner surface of the lip. An insert is disposed in the second end of the sleeve and engaged with the valve plug tip to urge the shoulder of the valve plug tip against the inner surface of the lip. The insert has an opening to receive a stem of the valve.