Erosion reducing valve plug and seat ring

• US 6,805,162 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Control Components Incorporated (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: Control Components Incorporated (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: Stratton, Laurence R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOX, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US10/316,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.3, 137/625.37, 137/625.38, 137/625.39, 251/118
• US Class Current: 137/625.37
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/42 Valve seats for double-seat valves F16K1/44
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 25/04 Arrangements for preventing erosion, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/08 for decreasing pressure or noise level and having a throttling member separate from the closure member , e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86791 Piston

Abstract

A valve arrangement comprises a valve housing, a valve seat and a valve plug. The valve housing defines an interior chamber and a flow opening for respectively receiving and discharging fluid. The seat ring is engaged to the valve housing and defines an angled seating surface and a spaced pair of channels positioned between the seating surface and the valve housing. The valve plug is axially slidable within the interior chamber and defines a valve plug seating surface configured at an angle complementary to that of the seat ring seating surface for creating a fluid-tight surface-to-surface seal. The valve plug further defines a spaced pair of projections configured to cooperate with respective ones of the channels such that disengagement of the valve plug seating surface from the seat ring seating surface defines a tortuous fluid path for reducing the velocity of the fluid flowing therethrough.

Claims

1. A valve arrangement, comprising:

a valve housing defining an interior chamber and a flow opening fluidly communicating with the interior chamber and allowing the fluid to escape the interior chamber;

a seat ring engaged to the valve housing at the flow opening, the seat ring defining a seating surface and a spaced pair of channels positioned between the seating surface and the valve housing; and

a valve plug axially slidable within the interior chamber and defining a valve plug seating surface and an outer surface, the valve plug seating surface being complementary to the seat ring seating surface such that direct engagement of the valve plug seating surface thereagainst creates a fluid-tight surface-to-surface seal, the valve plug further defining a spaced pair of projections positioned between the valve plug seating surface and the outer surface, the projections being sized and configured to cooperate with respective ones of the channels in a manner wherein the projections and the channels collectively define a tortuous fluid path for reducing the velocity of the fluid flowing toward the valve plug seating surface when disengaged from the seat ring seating surface.

2. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the seat ring has an annular configuration;

the valve plug has a cylindrical configuration;

each of the channels has an annular configuration and is concentrically positioned between the seating surface and the valve housing; and

each of the projections has an annular configuration and is concentrically positioned between the valve plug seating surface and the outer surface.

3. The valve arrangement of claim 2 further comprising:

an annular sleeve concentrically disposed within the interior chamber; and

an annular valve cage captured between the sleeve and the seat ring, the valve cage defining fluid passageways configured for reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing therethrough from the interior chamber;

the channels being concentrically positioned between the seat ring seating surface and the valve cage.

4. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein the channels and the projections are each configured such that the tortuous fluid path defines eight substantially right-angled turns.

5. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein the seat ring seating surface and the valve plug seating surface are formed at complementary angles.

6. The valve arrangement of claim 5 wherein the seat ring seating surface and the valve plug seating surface are formed at unequal angles such that the fluid-tight seal includes an edge-to-surface seal.

7. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the valve plug seating surface is recessed upwardly into the valve plug relative to the channels; and

the seat ring seating surface is disposed upwardly in an orientation complementary to the valve plug seating surface so as to be engageable thereto;

the upwardly disposed seating surfaces preventing direct impingement of the fluid against the valve plug seating surface.

8. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the valve plug partially defines an outer projection of the pair.

9. The valve arrangement of claim 8 wherein:

the outer projection of the pair is spaced inwardly from the outer surface; and

the projections cooperate with respective ones of the channels such that disengagement of the valve plug seating surface from the seat ring seating surface results in the tortuous fluid path defining ten substantially right-angle turns.

10. The valve arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the seat ring defines at least three annular concentric channels positioned between the seating surface and the valve housing;

the valve plug defines at least three annular concentric projections positioned between the valve plug seating surface and the outer surface; and

the projections cooperate with respective ones of the channels such that disengagement of the valve plug seating surface from the seat ring seating surface defines the tortuous fluid path.

11. The valve arrangement of claim 10 wherein the channels and the projections are each configured such that the tortuous fluid path defines at least twelve substantially right-angled turns.