Vortex-Flushed Ball Valve Cavity for Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball valve designs fail to effectively prevent or remove debris from the valve cavity, especially when the process fluid flow rate exceeds the purge fluid flow rate, leading to potential corrosion and operational interference.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a ball valve with vorticial flushing functionality, featuring multiple purge fluid inlet passages with tangentially oriented flow axes and a purge fluid drain, creating a vorticial flow path to facilitate debris removal from the cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a body purge is used to maintain positive pressure in the cavity, then debris entry is inhibited when the valve is fully open or closed, but the purge is not effective when the valve is operated between positions and process fluid flow rate exceeds purge fluid flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a spherical flow control element (ball) with tangential purge fluid inlet passages that direct flow along the spherical surface. This curvature-based design creates a vortex flow pattern that effectively sweeps debris from the cavity, overcoming the limitation of conventional radial purge designs where process fluid flow rate exceeds purge fluid flow rate during valve operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic flow dynamics by introducing purge fluid through tangential inlet passages that create a vortex flow pattern within the cavity. This hydraulic approach leverages the kinetic energy and rotational motion of the purge fluid to effectively remove debris, even when the valve is partially open and process fluid is flowing at higher rates than the purge fluid.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional purge fluid inlet passages are used with flow axes normal to the spherical surface, then simple construction is achieved, but ineffective debris removal occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric orientation of purge fluid inlet passages relative to the spherical surface. Instead of directing flow normal to the surface (symmetric approach), the passages are angled tangentially to create an asymmetric flow pattern that generates vortex motion. This asymmetric configuration significantly enhances debris removal effectiveness while remaining manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the spherical geometry of the flow control element to advantage by orienting purge fluid inlet passages tangentially to the spherical surface. This curvature-based approach naturally guides the purge fluid along the spherical surface, creating an effective vortex flow pattern that sweeps debris from all areas of the cavity, including regions inaccessible to conventional radial purge designs.
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
This solution enhances debris removal efficiency, ensuring proper valve operation for extended periods and reducing maintenance needs by creating a swirling flow that effectively flushes debris from the cavity, even when the process fluid flow rate is higher than the purge fluid flow rate.
Implementation Method 1
an orientation of the flow axis of the first purge fluid inlet passage transverse to a line normal to the spherical surface at the first location
Data Source
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AI summary
A ball valve has a purge fluid inlet passage into a cavity between a valve body and a flow control element, and has a purge fluid drain. The inlet passage is oriented at an angle relative to a normal line to the spherical ball surface at the location of the inlet passage, to promote vorticial flow of the purge fluid. A method introduces a purge fluid into a ball valve body cavity; removes the purge fluid from an outlet drain; and induces a vortex in a flow path of the purge fluid through the body cavity. The method can flush debris from the body cavity between operating cycles of the ball valve by at least temporarily opening the inlet and outlet before and/or after operation of the valve.