JP3355386B2 - 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.

When a high-temperature fluid having a predetermined temperature or more flows into the valve chamber, the expansion medium expands, displacing the diaphragm in the valve closing direction, seating the valve member on the valve seat member, and closing the outlet passage. This prevents the discharge of steam. When a low-temperature fluid having a predetermined temperature or less flows, the expansion medium contracts, and the diaphragm is displaced in the valve opening direction by the fluid pressure in the valve chamber, so that the valve member is separated from the valve seat member and the outlet path is opened. . As a result, condensate and air are discharged out of the system.

[0004]

However, in such a thermoresponsive steam trap of this type, the displacement of the diaphragm caused by expansion and contraction of the expansion medium causes the valve member to rapidly open and close the outlet passage. There has been a problem that a sudden flow of fluid occurs on the inlet side or the outlet side, causing water hammer.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoresponsive steam trap which does not perform a sudden opening / closing 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 temperature control element comprising a wall member, a diaphragm having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the wall member, and an expansion medium sealed between the wall member and the diaphragm; , The plurality of temperature control elements
Are arranged side by side in the axial direction to form each temperature control element.
If the response of each diaphragm to pressure change is different
The temperature control element facing the outlet path is formed with a valve portion for opening and closing the outlet path, and an elastic member for biasing the temperature control element in the valve opening direction is provided. It is.

The responsiveness of the diaphragms constituting the respective temperature control elements to changes in pressure may be varied by changing the thickness, the presence or absence of ripples and the shape of ripples, or by using materials having different elastic forces. Can vary.

[0008]

The operation of the above technical means is as follows.
Multiple temperature control elements are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the outlet path
And each diaphragm constituting each temperature control element
Is formed with different responsiveness to pressure change
At the time of closing the valve, the diaphragm is sequentially displaced from the diaphragm which is sensitive to the pressure change due to the expansion of the expansion medium, and the valve gradually approaches the valve seat member in a stepwise manner according to the displacement of each of the diaphragms to completely close the outlet passage. . When the valve is opened, the diaphragm is displaced sequentially from the diaphragm that is sensitive to the pressure change due to the contraction of the expansion medium, and the valve part is separated from the valve seat member in accordance with the displacement of each diaphragm, and is gradually separated from the valve seat member. Fully open. As described above, the opening and closing operation is performed stepwise, and is not performed suddenly.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment showing a specific example of the above technical means will be described (see FIGS. 1 to 3). Upper case 1 and lower case
A valve casing having a valve chamber 3 therein is formed by screwing the thing 2 with a screw 2. The upper case 1 has an inlet 4 and the lower case 2 has an outlet 5. A valve seat member 6 is screw-connected between the valve chamber 3 and the outlet 5. In the center of the valve seat member 6, a through-outflow path 7 that connects the valve chamber 3 and the outlet 5 is formed.

Above the valve seat member 6, two temperature control elements 8, 9 arranged vertically one above the other are located. The temperature control elements 8 and 9 are wall members 11 having inlets 10a and 10b, respectively.
a, b and a plug member 12a, which seals the inlets 10a, b.
b, diaphragms 14a, b forming storage chambers 13a, b between the wall members 11a, b, expansion media 15a, b sealed in the storage chambers 13a, b, and diaphragms 14a, b.
The connecting members 16a and 16b are fixed to the center of the b, and the fixing wall members 17a and 17b are fixed to the outer peripheral edges of the diaphragms 14a and 14b between the wall members 11a and 11b. The lower surface of the plug member 12b of the lower temperature control element 9 forms a valve portion 18 which is detachably seated on the valve seat member 6 to open and close the outlet passage 7. The diaphragm 14a is formed thinner than the diaphragm 14b. Also, ripples are formed on the diaphragms 14a and 14b. The expansion media 15a, 15b are formed of water, a liquid having a lower boiling point than water, or a mixture thereof.

The temperature control elements 8 and 9 are urged upward by a coil spring 19 as an elastic member disposed below the lower temperature control element 9, and the upper temperature control element 8
The outer circumference of the upper surface of the wall member 11a is held against the lower surfaces of the plurality of ribs 20 formed on the inner circumference of the upper casing 1. The outer circumferences of the temperature control elements 8 and 9 are guided vertically by a plurality of ribs 21 formed on the inner circumference of the lower casing 2.

When the temperature of the fluid flowing into the valve chamber 3 is low, as shown in FIG. 1, the expansion media 15a and 15b contract, and the diaphragms 14a and 14b are displaced toward the wall members 11a and 11b, respectively. . The temperature control element 9 is lifted upward by the elastic force of the coil spring 19, and the valve portion 18 is separated from the valve seat member 6 and the outlet path 7 is fully opened.

When the temperature of the fluid flowing into the valve chamber 3 increases due to the discharge of the low-temperature fluid, the expansion medium 15
a and b expand. First, the thinly formed diaphragm 14a which is sensitive to pressure changes is fixed to the fixed wall member 17a.
Side, the temperature control element 9 is displaced downward through the connecting members 16a, b against the elastic force of the coil spring 19, and as shown in FIG. Get closer. Subsequently, the thick diaphragm 14b insensitive to the pressure change is displaced toward the fixed wall member 17b, and the temperature control element 9 is further displaced downward against the elastic force of the coil spring 19, as shown in FIG. As shown, the valve portion 18 sits on the valve seat member 6 and closes the outlet passage 7.

When the temperature in the valve chamber 3 decreases due to heat radiation or the temperature of the flowing fluid decreases, the expansion medium 15
a and b contract. First, the thinly formed diaphragm 14a which is sensitive to the pressure change is displaced toward the wall member 11a, the temperature control element 9 is displaced upward by the elastic force of the coil spring 19, and the valve portion 18 is moved to the valve seat member. Leave from 6. Subsequently, the thick diaphragm 14b insensitive to the pressure change is displaced toward the wall member 11b, and the temperature control element 9 is further displaced upward by the elastic force of the coil spring 19, resulting in the state shown in FIG. .

In the above embodiment, an example using diaphragms having different thicknesses has been described. However, a response to a pressure change can be obtained by forming a ripple on one of the diaphragms or by making the shapes of the ripples formed on both of the diaphragms different. Sex may be different. Also, by using a diaphragm formed of materials having different elastic forces, for example,
One diaphragm is made of stainless steel or a nickel-molybdenum alloy represented by Hastelloy (trade name), and the other diaphragm is made of phosphor bronze, or the carbon content is changed even if the same stainless steel is used. Alternatively, the responsiveness to a pressure change may be varied by using different chemical components. In the above embodiment, two temperature control elements are arranged, but three or more temperature control elements can of course be arranged. Further, although the fixed wall members face each other, it is also possible to face the wall members together or to face the wall member and the fixed wall member.

[0016]

The present invention has the following specific effects. As described above, the thermally responsive steam trap according to the present invention comprises:
Since the valve does not open and close the outlet path rapidly,
There is no occurrence of hammer, and no damage to the valve section and the valve seat member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the heat-responsive steam trap according to the embodiment of the present invention in a half-open state from fully open to fully closed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a fully-closed state of the thermally responsive steam trap according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 valve chamber 4 inlet 5 outlet 6 valve seat member 7 outlet path 8, 9 temperature control element 11a, b wall member 14a, b diaphragm 15a, b expansion medium 18 valve section 19 coil spring

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 an outer peripheral edge is fixed to the wall member and the wall member. A temperature control element composed of a diaphragm and an expansion medium sealed between the wall member and the diaphragm is disposed in the valve chamber, and a plurality of temperature control elements are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the outlet path.
And each diaphragm that constitutes each temperature control element
An elastic member that is formed with different responsiveness to pressure change of the system , forms a valve section that opens and closes the outlet path in the temperature control element facing the outlet path, and urges the temperature control element in the valve opening direction. A thermo-responsive steam trap characterized by the provision of a steam trap.