ANNULAR VALVE

• US 20130205986A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Rampen, William, Stein, Uwe
• Application Number:
  US13/810,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 91/418
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/00 Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/34 Cutting-off parts, e.g. valve members, seats F16K1/06, F16K1/12, F16K1/14, F16K1/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/44 Details of seats or valve members of double-seat valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 25/005 Particular materials for seats or closure elements

Abstract

An annular valve (1) has an annular valve member (4) and inner and outer annular valve seats (12, 14). Inner and outer sealing ridges (8, 10) are formed either on the annular valve member or on the valve seats. The inner sealing ridges are more resistant to plastic deformation than the outer sealing ridges. They may be thicker, or made from a harder material. Thus, the annular valve better resists damage arising from greater plastic deformation of the inner sealing ridge than the outer sealing ridge due to greater forces (Fi, Fo) acting on the inner sealing ridge than the outer sealing ridge in use.

Claims

1. An annular valve comprising an annular valve member and inner and outer valve seats, the annular valve member having a seat-facing surface which faces the annular valve seats, either the seat-facing surface of the annular valve member or the inner valve seat comprising an annular inner sealing ridge, either the seat-facing surface of the annular valve member or the outer valve seat comprising an annular outer sealing ridge, wherein the inner sealing ridge is more resistant to plastic deformation than the outer sealing ridge.

2. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the inner sealing ridge is formed, at least in part, from a material which is harder than the material or materials from which the outer sealing ridge is formed.

3. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the inner sealing ridge is formed, at least in part, from a material which has a higher yield strength than the material or materials from which the outer sealing ridge is formed.

4. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the inner sealing ridge is thicker than the outer sealing ridge.

5. An annular valve according to claim 4, wherein the cross-sectional area of the inner sealing ridge, normal to the axis of the annular valve member, is greater than the cross-sectional area of the outer sealing ridge, normal to the axis of the annular valve member, at an equivalent axial position within the ridges.

6. An annular valve according to claim 3, wherein, for at least the majority of the axial extent of the inner and outer sealing ridges, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the inner sealing ridge perpendicular to the axis of the annular valve member (Ai) to the cross-sectional area of the outer sealing ridge perpendicular to the axis of the annular valve (Ao) is in the range:

7. An annular valve according to claim 6, wherein for at least the majority of the axial extent of the inner and outer sealing ridges, Ai/Ao is substantially the same as, or greater than, Fi/Fo.

8. An annular valve according to claim 3, wherein the inner and outer sealing ridges taper as they extend axially from the seat-facing surface, wherein the annular valve member has an axis and the inner and outer sealing ridge taper at angles theta_i and theta_o relative to the axis, wherein

9. An annular valve according to claim 3, wherein

10. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the inner and/or outer sealing ridges each have a triangular profile, an ogival profile or an ogee-shaped profile.

11. An annular valve according to claim 10, wherein the thickness of the inner and outer sealing ridges is proportional throughout the axial extent of the inner and outer sealing ridges.

12. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the tips of the inner and outer sealing ridges are in the same plane.

13. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity of the inner and outer sealing ridges are selected so that the tips of the inner and outer sealing ridges deform elastically by substantially the same amount during operation.

14. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the annular valve has not been substantially run in.

15. An annular valve according to claim 1, wherein the annular valve has been run in.

16. A hydraulic machine comprising at least one working chamber of cyclically varying volume, a fluid line and an annular valve according to claim 1 regulating the flow of fluid between the working chamber and the fluid line.

17. A hydraulic transmission comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, a high pressure fluid line extending from an output side of the hydraulic pump to an input side of the hydraulic motor and a low pressure fluid line extending from an output side of the hydraulic motor to an input side of the hydraulic pump, wherein the hydraulic pump and/or the hydraulic motor are a hydraulic machine according to claim 16, wherein the hydraulic transmission comprises a controller which controls the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor and regulates the pressure in the high pressure fluid line thereby defining a maximum operating fluid pressure differential between the high pressure fluid line and the low pressure fluid line, wherein, for at least the majority of the axial extent of the inner and outer sealing ridges, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the inner sealing ridge perpendicular to the axis of the annular valve seat to the cross-sectional area of the outer sealing ridge perpendicular to the axis of the annular valve seat is substantially the same as the ratio of the force exerted on the inner sealing ridge by the annular valve seat to the force exerted on the outer sealing ridge by the annular valve seat when the annular valve is closed under predetermined operating conditions.

18. A method of running in an annular valve comprising the steps of providing a fluid working machine having a working chamber of cyclically varying volume, a low pressure fluid line, a high pressure fluid line, and an annular valve according to the first aspect of the invention located between the working chamber and either the low pressure fluid line or the high pressure fluid line to thereby regulate the flow of fluid between the working chamber and either the low pressure fluid line or the high pressure fluid line, and operating the fluid working machine with a predetermined frequency of cycles of working chamber volume and predetermined low and high pressure fluid line pressures, wherein the axial extent of the inner and outer sealing ridges deform by substantially the same amount.