JP2745272B2 - Thermo-responsive steam trap - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steam trap for automatically discharging condensate generated in various steam-using equipment and steam pipes, and more particularly, to a steam trap which is heated and cooled by steam and condensate and expanded according to the temperature. The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive steam trap for discharging condensate below a desired temperature out of the system by using a temperature control element containing a contracting medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The basic structure of a thermally responsive steam trap is known, for example, from Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-46318. As understood from the publication, the outer peripheral edge of the diaphragm is fixed between the upper and lower two dish-shaped wall members, the expansion medium is sealed in the internal space between the upper wall member and the diaphragm, and the valve member is connected to the diaphragm. The temperature control element is disposed in the valve chamber communicating with the inlet, and the valve member is driven through the diaphragm by utilizing the expansion and contraction of the expansion medium, thereby connecting the outlet with the valve chamber. The valve member is adapted to be detached and seated on the valve seat member having the above.

[0003] When high-temperature steam flows into the valve chamber, the expansion medium expands, and the valve member is seated on the valve seat member, and the outlet path is closed. This prevents the discharge of steam. Also, when low-temperature condensate flows in, the expansion medium contracts, causing the valve member to move away from the valve seat member and open the outlet path. As a result, the condensate is discharged out of the system.

[0004]

However, in such a thermo-responsive steam trap of this type, the on-off valve operation is repeated little by little after the expansion and contraction temperature of the expansion medium, so that the condensate cannot be recovered. And it is not desirable because it may be mistaken for a steam leak. Further, there is a problem that the valve member and the valve seat member are worn out early, causing steam leakage.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat-responsive steam trap that performs an intermittent on-off valve operation.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical means of the present invention is to provide a valve seat having an inlet, a valve chamber, and an outlet formed by valve casing and having an outlet path. A member disposed between the valve chamber and the outlet, two upper and lower wall members, a diaphragm having an outer peripheral edge fixed between the two wall members, an expansion medium sealed between the upper wall member and the diaphragm, a diaphragm; A valve member connected to a valve member disposed in the valve chamber, and the valve member is detached and seated on the valve seat member by displacement of the diaphragm due to expansion and contraction of the expansion medium to open and close the outlet path. An annular groove was formed on the upper surface of the member, the bottom wall of the annular groove was formed inward toward the inside substantially in parallel with the lower surface of the lower wall member, and the inner peripheral wall of the annular groove was formed on an inclined surface facing the valve seat member. It is characterized by the following.

[0007]

The operation of the above technical means is as follows.
At the time of opening the valve member, which is separated from the valve seat member, the condensate flowing between the annular groove bottom wall on the upper surface of the valve seat member and the lower surface of the lower wall member has an inclined surface formed on the inner peripheral wall of the annular groove. As a result, the flow is changed in the direction of the valve member, and flows out from the outlet through the outlet passage while applying a force in the valve opening direction to the valve member. In order for the expansion medium to expand from this state to seat and close the valve member to the valve seat member, extra expansion is required to overcome the force in the valve opening direction due to condensate. Therefore, in order for the expansion medium to contract and the valve member to be separated from the valve seat member and open, the excess expansion must be contracted, and the intermittent on-off valve operation can be performed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment showing a specific example of the above technical means will be described (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In FIG. 1, an upper case 1 and a lower case 2 are screwed together to form a valve chamber 3 therein.
Is formed. The upper case 1 has an inlet 4 and the lower case 2 has an outlet 5. A valve seat member 7 is screwed to a partition 6 between the valve chamber 3 and the outlet 5. In the center of the valve seat member 7, a through-out passage 8 that connects the valve chamber 3 and the outlet 5 is formed.

A temperature control element 9 is located above the valve seat member 7. The temperature control element 9 includes an upper wall member 11 having an inlet 10, a plug member 12 for sealing the inlet 10, a first diaphragm 14 forming a housing chamber 13 between the upper wall member 11, An expansion medium 15 sealed in the chamber 13, a valve member 16 which is detachably seated on the valve seat member 7 to open and close the outlet passage 8, a second diaphragm 18 for fixing the valve member 16 together with the annular member 17, a first and a second diaphragm 18. Lower wall member 19 which fixes the outer peripheral edges of the two diaphragms 14 and 18 between the upper wall member 11
And a stopper 20 fixed to the upper wall member 11. The expansion medium 15 is formed of water, a liquid having a lower boiling point than water, or a mixture thereof.

The temperature control element 9 is accommodated in a bottomed cylindrical mounting member 21 fixed and held between the partition wall 6 and the valve seat member 7, and is fixed by a snap ring 22. At the lower end of the mounting member 21, two condensate passage windows 23 are opened on both sides.

An annular groove 25 is formed on the upper surface of the valve seat member 7. The bottom wall 26 of the annular groove 25 is formed so as to be gradually lower from the outside toward the inside in a direction substantially parallel to the lower surface of the lower wall member 19, and a narrow passage space 27 through which condensate flows with the lower surface of the lower wall member 19.
To form The inner peripheral wall 28 of the annular groove 25 is formed as an inclined surface inclined upward and inward toward the valve member 16. The valve member 16 has a through hole 24 at the center, and its lower peripheral surface is separated from and seated on an annular seal surface 29 formed by an upper surface between the outlet passage 8 of the valve seat member 7 and the annular groove 25.

When the temperature of the fluid flowing into the valve chamber 3 from the inlet 4 is high, the expansion medium 15 expands, displacing the valve member 16 downwardly through the first and second diaphragms 14 and 18, and as a result, The lower surface around the through hole 24 of the valve member 16 is seated on the annular seal surface 29 of the valve seat member 7, and the outlet path 8 is formed.
To prevent outflow of hot fluid or vapor. When the fluid temperature becomes lower than a predetermined value due to heat radiation or the like, the expansion medium 1
5 is contracted, the valve member 16 is separated from the valve seat member 7, and the outlet path 8 is opened. The low-temperature fluid, that is, the condensate,
The fluid flows through the passage space 27 between the base member 6 and the lower surface of the lower wall member 19, and flows out from the outlet passage 8 to the outlet 5 while applying a force in the valve opening direction to the valve member 16 by the inner peripheral wall 28 of the annular groove 25.

[0013]

The present invention has the following specific effects. As described above, the thermally responsive steam trap according to the present invention comprises:
Since intermittent on-off valve operation can be performed, there is no mistake for steam leakage at the time of condensate discharge, and wear of the valve member and valve seat member is less likely to occur. It can be carried out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a thermally responsive steam trap according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a temperature control element and a valve seat member of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 3 valve chamber 4 inlet 5 outlet 7 valve seat member 8 outlet path 9 temperature control element 11 upper wall member 14 first diaphragm 15 expansion medium 16 valve member 18 second diaphragm 19 lower wall member 25 annular groove 26 bottom wall 27 passage space 28 inner peripheral wall 29 annular seal surface

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An inlet, a valve chamber, and an outlet are formed by valve casing, a valve seat member having an outlet path is disposed between the valve chamber and the outlet, and two upper and lower wall members and two wall members are provided. A temperature control element including a diaphragm having an outer peripheral edge fixed therebetween, an expansion medium sealed between the upper wall member and the diaphragm, and a valve member connected to the diaphragm is disposed in the valve chamber, and the expansion and contraction of the expansion medium is performed. In which the valve member is separated from and seated on the valve seat member by the displacement of the diaphragm due to the opening and closing of the outlet path,
An annular groove is formed on the upper surface of the valve seat member, the bottom wall of the annular groove is formed inward toward the inside substantially in parallel with the lower wall member lower surface, and the inner peripheral wall of the annular groove is formed on an inclined surface facing the valve seat member direction. A thermally responsive steam trap characterized by being formed.