Anti-cavitation valve assembly

• US 7,152,628 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cla-Val
• Original Assignee: Cla-Val
• Inventors: Folk, Robert, Becker, David
• Primary Examiner(s): FOX, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US10/953,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.3, 137/625.33, 137/625.37, 137/625.38, 137/625.39
• US Class Current: 137/625.33
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 25/04 Arrangements for preventing erosion, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/04 for decreasing pressure or noise level, the throttle being incorporated in the closure member
• 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 137/86734 With metering feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86759 Reciprocating

Abstract

A valve assembly for reducing cavitation includes a seat disposed within a valve housing intermediate a fluid inlet and outlet thereof. A disc guide is associated with the seat so as to be slidably moveable relative to the seat. The seat includes a wall defining an inner-chamber and having elongated slots formed therein so as to direct fluid towards a central portion of the fluid chamber. The disc guide includes a wall having elongated slots formed on an upper portion thereof, and a non-slotted lower portion configured to substantially occlude the elongated slots of the seat when the disc guide is moved into a closed position.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for reducing cavitation, comprising:

a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a seat disposed within the housing intermediate the fluid inlet and outlet, the seat including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed in the seat wall; and

a disk guide associated with the seat such that the seat and disk guide are slidably movable relative to one another, the disk guide including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed in the disk guide wall, wherein the elongated slots are formed in the disk guide wall such so as to direct the fluid towards the housing at a non-direct angle;

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into a closed position, fluid is prevented from passing from the housing fluid inlet to the housing fluid outlet; and

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into an open position, fluid is directed from the housing fluid inlet through the seat elongated slots, into the seat inner chamber, into the disk guide inner chamber, and through the disk guide elongated slots to the housing fluid outlet resulting in reduced fluid pressure while minimizing cavitation.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat is fixed to the housing and the disk guide is moved relative to the seat.

3. The assembly of claim 2, including a hydraulic control means for selectively moving the disk guide.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat includes a bottom wall and a circumferential wall, the elongated slots being formed in the circumferential wall.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated slots are formed in the seat wall such so as to direct the fluid towards a center of the seat inner chamber.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the slots are formed in the seat wall at a direct angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the seat wall.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the disk guide wall includes a non-slotted lower portion configured to substantially occlude the elongated slots of the seat when the disk guide and seat are in their closed position.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the disk guide is adapted to substantially sealingly engage an upper edge of the seat.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated slots are formed in the disk guide at an offset angle other than ninety degrees.

10. A valve assembly for reducing cavitation, comprising:

a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a seat fixed to the housing intermediate the fluid inlet and outlet, the seat including a bottom wall, a circumferential wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and defining an inner chamber, and a plurality of elongated slots formed in the seat circumferential wall at a direct angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the seat wall so as to direct fluid towards a central portion of the seat inner chamber; and

a disk guide slidably associated with the seat, the disk guide including a top wall and a circumferential wall defining an inner chamber, and a plurality of elongated slots formed in an upper portion of the disk guide circumferential wall such so as to direct the fluid towards the housing at a non-direct angle, and a non-slotted lower portion configured to substantially occlude the elongated slots of the seat when the disk guide and seat are in moved into a closed position;

wherein the disk guide is moved into a closed position, fluid is prevented from passing from the housing fluid inlet to the housing fluid outlet; and

wherein the disk guide is moved into an open position, fluid is directed from the housing fluid inlet through the seat elongated slots, into the seat inner chamber, into the disk guide inner chamber, and through the disk guide elongated slots to the housing fluid outlet resulting in reduced fluid pressure while minimizing cavitation.

11. The assembly of claim 10, including a hydraulic control means for selectively moving the disk guide.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the disk guide is adapted to substantially sealingly engage an upper edge of the seat.

13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the elongated slots are formed in the disk guide at an offset angle other than ninety degrees.

14. A valve assembly for reducing cavitation, comprising:

a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a seat disposed within the housing intermediate the fluid inlet and outlet, the seat including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed at a direct angle in the seat wall, wherein each elongated slot has a correlating slot formed in the seat wall generally directly opposite it, the slots guiding the fluid to a central portion of the inner chamber such that the fluid converges upon itself; and

a disk guide associated with the seat such that the seat and disk guide are slidably movable relative to one another, the disk guide including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed in the disk guide wall;

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into a closed position, fluid is prevented from passing from the housing fluid inlet to the housing fluid outlet; and

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into an open position, fluid is directed from the housing fluid inlet through the seat elongated slots, into the seat inner chamber, into the disk guide inner chamber, and through the disk guide elongated slots to the housing fluid outlet resulting in reduced fluid pressure while minimizing cavitation;

wherein the seat includes a bottom wall and a circumferential wall, the elongated slots being formed in the circumferential wall being vertically oriented and of approximately the same dimension.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the seat is fixed to the housing and the disk guide is moved relative to the seat.

16. The assembly of claim 15, including a hydraulic control means for selectively moving the disk guide.

17. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the slots are formed in the seat wall at a direct angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the seat wall.

18. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the disk guide wall includes a non-slotted lower portion configured to substantially occlude the elongated slots of the seat when the disk guide and seat are in their closed position.

19. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the disk guide is adapted to substantially sealingly engage an upper edge of the seat.

20. A valve assembly for reducing cavitation, comprising:

a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a seat disposed within the housing intermediate the fluid inlet and outlet, the seat including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed at a direct angle in the seat wall, wherein each elongated slot has a correlating slot formed in the seat wall generally directly opposite it, the slots guiding the fluid to a central portion of the inner chamber such that the fluid converges upon itself; and

a disk guide associated with the seat such that the seat and disk guide are slidably movable relative to one another, the disk guide including a wall defining an inner chamber and a plurality of elongated slots formed in the disk guide wall;

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into a closed position, fluid is prevented from passing from the housing fluid inlet to the housing fluid outlet; and

wherein the disk guide and seat are moved into an open position, fluid is directed from the housing fluid inlet through the seat elongated slots, into the seat inner chamber, into the disk guide inner chamber, and through the disk guide elongated slots to the housing fluid outlet resulting in reduced fluid pressure while minimizing cavitation;

wherein the elongated slots are formed in the disk guide wall at an angular incidence so as to direct the fluid towards the housing at a non-direct angle, increasing the fluid path distance between the disc guide slots and the housing wall.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the seat is fixed to the housing and the disk guide is moved relative to the seat.

22. The assembly of claim 21, including a hydraulic control means for selectively moving the disk guide.

23. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the slots are formed in the seat wall at a direct angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the seat wall.

24. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the disk guide wall includes a non-slotted lower portion configured to substantially occlude the elongated slots of the seat when the disk guide and seat are in their closed position.

25. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the disk guide is adapted to substantially sealingly engage an upper edge of the seat.