Variable Thickness Sealing Rings for Mineral Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealing rings in mineral extraction systems, such as those used in gate valves, with uniform cross-sectional thickness have limited sealing ability and cause undesirable stress and wear, leading to reduced performance and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
The development of sealing rings with variable cross-sectional thickness and complex shapes, manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques from corrosion-resistant materials like cobalt-based alloys and ceramics, which enhance stiffness, deflection, and contact forces, reducing stress and wear on components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing rings with uniform cross-sectional thickness are used, then manufacturing is simple, but sealing ability is limited and stress/wear is undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing ring is designed with variable cross-sectional thickness where different regions have different thicknesses optimized for their specific functions: thicker sections provide enhanced sealing contact pressure and wear resistance at the sealing interface, while thinner sections reduce overall stress and improve flexibility. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction by achieving superior sealing ability without requiring uniform thickness throughout the entire ring structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional thickness parameter is varied continuously or discontinuously along the circumference and/or axial direction of the sealing ring. By changing this geometric parameter spatially, the design achieves optimized sealing performance at critical interfaces while maintaining structural integrity and reducing overall stress, thereby resolving the contradiction between sealing ability and structural simplicity.
2Ease of manufacture
If sealing rings with uniform cross-sectional thickness are used, then manufacturing is easier, but stress and wear on components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing ring incorporates locally optimized thickness variations that provide enhanced material presence at high-stress sealing interfaces to improve wear resistance, while thinner sections in non-critical areas reduce overall stress concentration. This localized differentiation of structural properties achieves superior strength and wear resistance without significantly complicating the manufacturing process, as the variable thickness can be achieved through modern manufacturing techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing ring may incorporate composite material structures with varying material properties across different sections, combining materials with different hardness, elasticity, and wear resistance characteristics in specific regions to optimize both strength and manufacturing considerations.
3Reliability
If sealing rings with variable cross-sectional thickness are used, then sealing efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The variable cross-sectional thickness design focuses geometric complexity only where it is most needed for sealing performance, with simplified sections in non-critical areas. This targeted approach to local quality optimization achieves improved sealing efficiency while limiting the overall manufacturing complexity to only the essential regions requiring variable geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs additive manufacturing technology to replace traditional subtractive or formative manufacturing methods. This manufacturing paradigm substitution enables the efficient production of complex variable thickness geometries that would be difficult or expensive to manufacture using conventional methods, thereby reducing the practical manufacturing complexity despite the increased geometric complexity of the sealing ring.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a sealing component includes defining a configuration for the sealing component, wherein the configuration comprises a cross-section comprising a first wall and a second wall joined by a turning wall to form a generally U-shape, the first wall and the second wall comprising a variable cross-sectional thickness, wherein the cross-section is taken along a plane extending along an axial axis of the sealing component and the cross-section extends in a circumferential direction. The method also includes depositing a powder into a chamber, applying an energy source to the deposited powder, and consolidating the powder into a layer according to the defined configuration.