Valve Arrangement With Segmented Piston Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbomachinery systems, particularly steam turbines, face challenges in maintaining safety, reliability, and low maintenance while dealing with fluctuating renewable energy sources and high-pressure fluid flows, often requiring high actuating forces and costly spare parts.
Innovation Solution
A valve arrangement with a movable piston element and a sealing element featuring indentations of different materials, designed to reduce fluid flow between the piston and stationary elements, allowing for low actuating forces and improved sealing, using additive manufacturing for material application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional valve arrangements are used with high-pressure fluid flow, then sealing reliability is maintained, but actuating forces become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into multiple sealed chambers (first chamber, second chamber, third chamber) that are hydraulically connected. This segmentation allows the high-pressure fluid to act on multiple surfaces of the piston element simultaneously, distributing the sealing requirement across multiple interfaces while reducing the net actuating force through pressure balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates pressure equilibrium across different chambers by connecting them through sealed passages. The piston element experiences balanced pressures on its surfaces, reducing the net force required to move the valve while maintaining sealing integrity through the equipotential pressure distribution.
2Reliability
If complex sealing systems are implemented to ensure safety, then reliability improves, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sealing functions are merged into a single integrated piston element design. The piston element simultaneously provides sealing against the first chamber, second chamber, and third chamber through its geometric configuration, eliminating the need for separate sealing components for each chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston element serves multiple functions: it acts as a sealing surface for all three chambers, a pressure transmission element, and a mechanical linkage to the valve seat. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components while maintaining comprehensive sealing coverage.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional valve designs are used, then manufacturing experience is available, but manufacturing costs and spare part expenses remain high
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the piston element are designed with locally optimized properties: the first end requires high sealing quality for the first chamber, the second end for the second chamber, and the third end for the third chamber. This allows targeted manufacturing approaches for each region while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The valve arrangement significantly reduces actuating forces by over 90%, enables reliable and low-maintenance operation, and allows for precise control with electromechanical drives, enhancing system flexibility and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the valve arrangement includes a sealing element, such as a labyrinth seal, on the outer surface of the piston element, which is designed such that a flow of fluid between the stationary element and the outer surface of the piston element is reduced or prevented
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a valve arrangement. The present invention further relates to a fluid flow control element. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a turbomachine system comprising such a valve arrangement and/or fluid flow control element. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method and a use relating to the valve arrangement and/or the fluid flow control element.