High pressure ball valve and packing

• US 9,500,285 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mogas Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mogas Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Alfred Lewis, Junier, M. Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bastianelli, John
• Application Number:
  US15/012,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20160146355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 251/172, 251/175, 251/192, 25131501-31516, 251314-317
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 41/026 for rotating valves
• 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 wherein the inner annular surface(s) of the valve seat(s) has an 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 the sealing face. A method to utilize the ball valve involves rotating the 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 surface of the inlet and outlet valve seats;

biasing the inlet valve seat against the flow control element with a Belleville spring;

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

rotating the valve stem to rotate the flow control element between open and closed positions;

applying a first pressurized fluid to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore to form a first fluid seal between a sealing face on a portion of the inner annular surface of the inlet valve seat in physical contact with 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 inlet 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 inlet valve seat between adjacent ones of the first plurality of support surfaces; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a second fluid seal between an outer annular surface of the inlet valve seat and an opposing surface of the valve body.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising maintaining the first pressurized fluid applied to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore 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 inlet end of the fluid flow bore.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

applying a second pressurized fluid to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore to form a third fluid seal between a sealing face on a portion of the inner annular surface of the outlet valve seat in physical contact with 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 outlet 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 outlet valve seat between adjacent ones of the second plurality of support surfaces; and

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

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising forming a fourth fluid seal between an outer annular surface of the outlet valve seat and an opposing surface of the valve body.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising maintaining the second pressurized fluid applied to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore 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.

7. The method of claim 4, 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.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising applying 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.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the inner end of the valve stem with a plurality of sides;

providing the recess in the flow control element with a corresponding number of opposing sides;

providing distances between the sides of the inner end of the valve stem and the opposing sides of the recess;

allowing an amount of lateral movement of the flow control element between the fluid flow bore outlet end and the fluid flow bore inlet end such that the application of the first pressurized fluid to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore results in lateral movement of the flow control assembly towards the inlet end.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a shoulder on the valve stem with an enlarged outer diameter formed on the valve stem wherein an 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.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disposing a plurality of packing rings 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;

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

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

12. 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, with respect to the flow control element, for sealing contact with, an inner annular surface, with respect to the flow control element 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 Belleville spring biasing the inlet valve seat against the flow control element;

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

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

a first plurality of support surfaces adjacent the inlet sealing face dimensioned and arranged to physically contact 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 inlet sealing face.

13. The valve of claim 12, further comprising:

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 second plurality of support surfaces adjacent the outlet sealing face dimensioned and arranged to physically contact 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 second plurality of support surfaces and the outlet sealing face.

14. The valve of claim 13, 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.

15. The valve of claim 13, 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.

16. The valve of claim 12, 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 outlet end and the fluid flow bore inlet end such that a pressure applied to the outlet end of the fluid flow bore results in lateral movement of the flow control assembly towards the inlet end.

17. The valve of claim 16, wherein the lateral movement of the fluid flow bore allows 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, and sealing contact between an outer annular surface of the outlet valve seat and the valve body when pressure is applied to the inlet end of the fluid flow bore.

18. The valve of claim 12, further comprising a spray and fuse coating on the inlet 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.

19. The valve of claim 12, 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.

20. The valve of claim 12, 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.