High pressure ball valve and seat

• US 9,366,345 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mogas Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mogas Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Alfred Lewis, Junier, M. Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bastianelli, John
• Application Number:
  US14/974,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20160102769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• Field of Search: 251/172, 251/175, 251/192, 25131501-31516, 251314-317
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/06 with plugs having spherical surfaces; Packings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0642 the spherical plug being insertable from one and only one side of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0663 Packings
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0689 between housing and plug
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0694 Spindle sealings
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/188 Sealing effected by the flowing medium
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/20 for plugs with spherical surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/205 Sealing effected by the flowing medium

Abstract

A ball valve for ultra-high pressure applications wherein the inner annular surface(s) of the valve seat(s) has an annular sealing face in sealing engagement with the flow control element, support surfaces adjacent the sealing face in contact with the flow control element, and vent grooves between adjacent support surfaces and between the sealing face and the support surfaces. A method to utilize the bidirectional ball valve involves rotating the valve stem and control element and maintaining a pressure of 275.8 MPa (40,000 psi) or more for at least 1 hour without leaking before opening or after closing the valve.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

locating a flow control assembly in a fluid flow bore disposed through a valve body, the fluid flow bore having an inlet end and an outlet end, the flow control assembly comprising a flow control element disposed between inlet and outlet valve seats and having an outer surface for sealing contact with an inner annular surfaces of the inlet and outlet valve seats;

rotating the flow control element between open and closed positions;

forming a seal between a sealing face of the inner annular surface of the outlet valve seat and the outer surface of the fluid flow control element;

physically contacting the outer surface of the flow control element with a first plurality of support surfaces located on the inner annular surface adjacent the sealing face of the outlet valve seat;

separating adjacent ones of the first plurality of support surfaces with a like plurality of vent grooves on the inner annular surface of the outlet valve seat between adjacent ones of the first plurality of support surfaces;

separating the first plurality of support surfaces from the sealing face of the outlet seal with an annular vent groove on the inner annular surface of the outlet valve seat between the respective sealing face and the support surfaces; and

applying a pressurized fluid to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore to form a fluid seal between the flow control element, the outlet valve seat and the valve body.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the pressurized fluid applied to the inlet end at a pressure of greater than 275.8 MPa (40,000 psi) and a temperature of greater than or equal to about 200°

C. for at least 1 hour without leaking past the flow control element into the outlet end of the fluid flow bore.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a seal between a sealing face of the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat and the outer surface of the fluid flow control element;

physically contacting the outer surface of the flow control element with a second plurality of support surfaces located on the inner annular surface adjacent the sealing face of the inlet valve seat;

separating adjacent ones of the second plurality of support surfaces with a like plurality of vent grooves on the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat between adjacent ones of the second plurality of support surfaces;

separating the second plurality of support surfaces from the sealing face of the inlet seal with an annular vent groove on the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat between the respective sealing face and the support surfaces; and

applying a pressurized fluid to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore to form a fluid seal between the flow control element, the inlet valve seat and the valve body.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an inner end of a valve stem comprises a plurality of sides to engage a recess in the flow control element having a corresponding number of opposing sides, and distances between the sides of the inner end of the valve stem and the opposing sides of the recess are dimensioned to allow for an amount of lateral movement of the flow control element between the fluid flow bore inlet end and the fluid flow bore outlet end such that a pressure applied to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore results in lateral movement of the flow control assembly towards the outlet end.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising preventing blowout of the stem with a shoulder having an enlarged outer diameter formed on the valve stem wherein the outside diameter of the shoulder is greater than an inside diameter of a portion of the valve body, a portion of a bracket attached to the valve body, a bushing attached to the valve body, or a combination thereof, disposed around the valve stem between the outer end of the valve stem and the shoulder.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising spraying and fusing a coating on the outlet sealing face and the first plurality of support surfaces, the spray and fuse coating comprising metals from Groups 6-12 of the periodic table of the elements alone, or in compounds comprising elements from Groups 13-16 of the periodic table of the elements.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising spraying and fusing a coating on the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat, the spray and fuse coating comprising metals from Groups 6-12 of the periodic table of the elements alone, or in compounds comprising elements from Groups 13-16 of the periodic table of the elements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching the outlet valve seat to the valve body using a plurality of threaded members, radially spaced about an outer radial edge of the outlet valve seat, and engaged with the outlet valve seat and the valve body.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising biasing the inlet valve seat against the flow control element.

10. A valve comprising:

a valve body comprising a fluid flow bore disposed therethrough having an inlet end, an outlet end and a flow control assembly located within a portion of the fluid flow bore;

the flow control assembly comprising a flow control element disposed between, and having an outer surface in sealing contact with an inner annular surface of an inlet valve seat and an inner annular surface of an outlet valve seat, wherein the flow control element is rotatable between an open and a closed position;

a valve stem extending from an outer end through a packing bore disposed radially around the valve stem in the valve body to an inner end of the valve stem, wherein the inner end of the valve stem rotationally engages a recess disposed in the flow control element;

an outlet sealing face on a portion of the inner annular surface of the outlet valve seat dimensioned and arranged to sealingly engage a portion of the outer surface of the fluid flow control element;

a first plurality of support surfaces adjacent the outlet sealing face dimensioned and arranged in physical contact with the outer surface of the fluid flow control element; and

a first plurality of respective vent grooves disposed between adjacent ones of the first plurality of support surfaces, and between the first plurality of support surfaces and the outlet sealing face.

11. The valve of claim 10, further comprising:

an inlet sealing face on a portion of the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat dimensioned and arranged to sealingly engage a portion of the outer surface of the fluid flow control element;

a second plurality of support surfaces adjacent the inlet sealing face dimensioned and arranged in physical contact with the outer surface of the fluid flow control element; and

a second plurality of respective vent grooves disposed between adjacent ones of the second plurality of support surfaces, and between the first plurality of support surfaces and the outlet sealing face.

12. The valve of claim 10, wherein the inner end of the valve stem comprises a plurality of sides, the recess in the flow control element has a corresponding number of opposing sides, and distances between the sides of the inner end of the valve stem and the opposing sides of the recess are dimensioned to allow for an amount of lateral movement of the flow control element between the fluid flow bore inlet end and the fluid flow bore outlet end such that a pressure applied to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore results in lateral movement of the flow control assembly towards the outlet end.

13. The valve of claim 12, wherein the lateral movement of the fluid flow bore allows sealing contact between an outer annular surface of the outlet valve seat and the valve body when pressure is applied to the inlet end, and sealing contact between an outer annular surface of the inlet valve seat and the valve body when pressure is applied to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore.

14. The valve of claim 10, further comprising a spray and fuse coating on the outlet sealing face and the first plurality of support surfaces, the spray and fuse coating comprising metals from Groups 6-12 of the periodic table of the elements alone, or in compounds comprising elements from Groups 13-16 of the periodic table of the elements.

15. The valve of claim 11, further comprising a spray and fuse coating on the inlet and outlet sealing faces and the first and second plurality of support surfaces, the spray and fuse coating comprising metals from Groups 6-12 of the periodic table of the elements alone, or in compounds comprising elements from Groups 13-16 of the periodic table of the elements.

16. The valve of claim 10, further comprising a shoulder on the valve stem with an enlarged outer diameter formed on the valve stem wherein the outside diameter of the shoulder is greater than an inside diameter of a portion of the valve body, a portion of a bracket attached to the valve body, a bushing attached to the valve body, or a combination thereof disposed around the valve stem between the outer end of the valve stem and the shoulder.

17. The valve of claim 10, wherein the outlet valve seat is attached to the valve body using a plurality of threaded members, radially spaced about an outer radial edge of the outlet valve seat, and engaged with the outlet valve seat and the valve body.

18. The valve of claim 17, further comprising a spring to bias the inlet valve seat against the flow control element.

19. The valve of claim 10, further comprising a valve stem packing system comprising:

a plurality of packing rings disposed in the packing bore, the packing rings having an inner diameter disposed around the valve stem and an outer diameter disposed adjacent a cylindrical surface of the packing bore;

an inner anti-extrusion ring in the packing bore between the packing rings and an inner end of the packing bore; and

an outer anti-extrusion ring in the packing bore between the packing rings and a packing gland.