WO1998049474A1

WO1998049474A1 - Inline control valve

Info

Publication number: WO1998049474A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/008472
Authority: WO
Inventors: John D. Muchow
Original assignee: Hydril Company
Priority date: 1997-04-30
Filing date: 1998-04-28
Publication date: 1998-11-05
Also published as: AU7260998A

Abstract

An inline control valve (20) having a valve stem (24) which extends through the valve body and is perpendicular to the valve bore sleeve (36). The valve stem has a flat stem base (26) located within the valve body. The stem base is located perpendicular to the stem and it has an eccentric pin (28) on the opposite side from stem. The flat stem base and the pin are in constant contact with a valve trim sleeve (30) which has a flat mating surface with a slot to receive the pin. The valve trim sleeve is located around a bore sleeve in the valve body. The valve trim sleeve controls the flow through the valve by blocking or opening flow orifices (42) which are located on the end of the bore sleeve. When the valve stem is rotated, the stem base rotates the eccentric pin. The pin forces the trim sleeve to slide along the bore sleeve and open or close the flow orifices.

Description

INLINE CONTROL VALVE This application claims priority from the provisional application number 60/045,214, which was filed on April 30, 1997.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to inline control valves, and more particularly to inline control valves that are movable between opened and closed positions by rotation of an actuator.

Background

Known inline control valves are typically quarter- turn control valves that effect changes in flowrate in a flow line by one of two methods. The first method involves the rotation of a flat disc that is positioned perpendicular to the axis of the flow line. At least one flow orifice is eccentrically located on the disc. Rotating the disc will position the flow orifice in either the open or closed position.

Figs. 1 and 2 show two examples of a rotational disc valves. Fig. 1 shows a partial cut-away view of a rotational disc control valve 10. The valve 10 has a valve body 16 which encloses the valve disc 12. The disc 12 is controlled by a handle 14 which extends through the valve body 16. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of another type of a rotational disc control valve 10. As with the previous valve, the valve body 16 encloses the valve disc 12. The handle 14 is connected to the disc 12 through an aperture 18 in the valve body 16. The aperture 18 in the valve body 16 exposes a cavity between the inner wall of the valve body and the rotational disc of the valve.

This exposure makes it difficult to seal the cavity from the environment. As a result, it often becomes corroded or filled with debris and the valve malfunctions as a result .

The second method of controlling the flow rate involves sliding a trim sleeve along the axis of the flow line. The trim sleeve fits around a bore sleeve within the valve body. The bore sleeve is closed at one end with multiple flow orifices located around the circumference of the bore sleeve. The trim sleeve is fitted over the flow orifices. Sliding the trim sleeve will either open or close the orifices based on the position of the sleeve.

A handle controls the sliding movement of the trim sleeve. The handle extends through an aperture in the valve body to connect with the valve trim sleeve. The aperture exposes a cavity between the valve body and the trim sleeve. As with the rotational disc valves, the cavity often becomes corroded and filled with debris due to its exposure to the environment . This can result in the malfunction of the valve because the trim sleeve maybe prevented from sliding along its axis.

Summary of the Invention

In some aspects, the invention relates to an inline control valve having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flowpath therebetween, the control valve comprising: a bore sleeve located within the flowpath, the bore sleeve having at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; a movable member disposed adjacent to the bore sleeve and movable between a first position wherein the movable member blocks the at least one aperture and a second position wherein the member does not block the at least one aperture; and an actuator extending through a body of the control valve having a first end in communication with the movable member and a second end that is exteriorly accessible such that rotation of the actuator causes the moveable member to move between the first and second positions.

In an some aspects, the invention relates to an in-line control valve having an inlet and outlet defining a flowpath therebetween, the in-line control valve comprising: an element disposed with the flow path defining at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; blocking means selectively movable between a first position wherein at least one aperture is blocked and a second position wherein at least one aperture is not blocked; and rotatable actuator means for causing the blocking means to move from the first position to the second position. In an some aspects, the invention relates to a method of controlling the flow along a flowpath, comprising: providing an element within the flowpath having at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; providing a movable member located adjacent to the element and movable between a first position wherein at least one aperture is blocked and a second position wherein the at least one aperture is not blocked; and rotating an actuator about its axis to cause movement of the movable member between the first and second positions.

Advantages of the invention may include one or more of the following: the internal elements and cavities of the valve are sealed from the environment; and the valve stem base and the valve trim sleeve are in constant contact .

Description of the Drawings Like reference numbers and designations in various drawings indicate like elements. Fig. 1 shows a partial cut-away view of a prior art quarter turn valve with a rotating disc.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a prior art quarter turn valve with a rotating disc. Figs. 3A and 3B show an overhead and side view, respectively, of a quarter turn inline control valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 4A and 4B show a cross-sectional side view and a cross-sectional frontal view, respectively, of a quarter turn inline control valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 5A, 5B, and 5C show an overhead view, a side view, and a bottom view, respectively, of a valve stem.

Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C show a perspective view, an overhead view, and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a valve sleeve.

Detailed Description Various exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate overhead and side views, respectively, of a valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The inline control valve 20, which is shown in the embodiment to be the "quarter- turn" type, is mounted along a flow line with a valve bore sleeve 36 inside the valve 20. The valve 20 is controlled by a handle 22 which rotates a valve control stem 24. The handle 22 rotates a quarter turn between the open and closed positions of the valve 20. Figs. 4A and 4B illustrate cross-sectional side and front views, respectively, of a valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The valve 20 includes a valve body 16 having a centrally located bore sleeve 36. A valve control stem 24 extends through the valve body 16 in a position perpendicular to the bore sleeve 36. A seal could be placed between the valve stem 24 and the valve body 16. This seal would protect the interior of the valve body 16 from exposure to the environment . A handle 22 is located on the exposed end of the stem 24 which is outside the valve body 16. A flat valve stem base 26 is located on the other end of the stem 24 which is within the valve body 16. A cylindrical pin 28 is eccentrically attached to the valve stem base 26 on the opposite side of the base 26 from the stem 24. The valve stem base 26 is positioned against a valve trim sleeve 30. The trim sleeve 30 has a flat mating face 32 which fits against the valve stem base 26. Additionally, a slot 34 which receives the eccentric pin 28 is located in the mating face 32. The trim sleeve 30 fits around the bore sleeve 36 in close proximity to several flow orifices 42. Also, a first seat seal 38 and a second seat seal 40 are positioned between the trim sleeve 30 and the bore sleeve 36 on each side of the flow orifices 42.

As shown in Fig. 4A, the central bore sleeve 36 has a closed end 37 located internally within the valve body 16. The bore sleeve 36 has several flow orifices 42 located immediately before closed end 37. When the valve is in the open position, these flow orifices 42 allow fluid communication from an intermediate chamber 39 within the valve body 16 to the bore sleeve 36. The intermediate chamber 39 allows the fluid to pass from a second bore sleeve 41 (partially shown) which is similar in construction to the bore sleeve 36. When the valve is in the closed position, the flow orifices 40 are preventing from passing fluid into the bore sleeve 36 by the first seat seal 38. When the valve is in an intermediate position, flow is reduced because some of the flow orifices 40 are blocked while others are not. The first seat seal 38, which may be similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 4,132,386, is attached to the interior of the valve trim sleeve 30. The first seal 38 is positioned to establish sealable contact between the valve trim sleeve 30 and the bore sleeve 36 when the valve is closed. In the closed position, the flow orifices 42 of the bore sleeve 36 are sealed from the intermediate chamber 41 by the first seat seal 38. When the valve is being opened, the trim sleeve 30 slides along the bore sleeve 36 and moves the first seat seal 38 so as to expose the flow orifices 42 to the intermediate chamber 39. This allows a fluid flow from the intermediate chamber 39 into the bore sleeve 36 and out the valve . A second seat seal 40 is positioned so that the flow orifices 42 are located between it and the first seat seal 38. When the valve is partially or fully open, the second seat seal 40 makes sealable contact between the trim sleeve 30 and the bore sleeve 36. This seal serves to balance the axial force required to move the trim sleeve 30.

Figs. 5A, 5B, and 5C illustrate an overhead view, a side view, and a bottom view, respectively, of the valve control stem 24. The valve stem 24 includes a flat stem base 26 perpendicular to the axis of the valve stem 24. The base 26 is located on the end of the stem 24 which extends into the body of the valve. A cylindrical pin 28 extends outwardly from the flat stem base 26. The pin 28 is eccentric and parallel to the axis of the valve stem 24. As shown in Fig. 4A, a handle 22 is attached to the end of the stem 24 that is located outside the body of the valve. When the handle 22 is rotated, it rotates the valve stem 24 about its axis.

Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C illustrate a perspective view, an overhead view, and a bottom view, respectively, of a valve trim sleeve 30. As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, the adjustable valve trim sleeve 30 is located within the valve body 16. The trim sleeve 30 is positioned around the bore sleeve 36. As will be described in detail below, when the valve stem 24 is rotated ninety degrees about its axis, the trim sleeve 30 slides between the positions which open and close the bore sleeve 36.

The trim sleeve 30 has a flat mating face 32 parallel to the axis of the bore sleeve 36. The flat mating face 32 is located directly opposite the flat valve stem base 26. The flat surfaces should be in close proximity to one another and may even be in constant contact. This relationship between the flat surfaces prevents the trim sleeve 30 from rotating about the axis of the bore sleeve 36 more than one or two degrees.

As shown in Figs. 6A-6C, the flat mating face 32 of the valve trim sleeve 30 has a generally rectangularly shaped slot 34 for receiving the eccentric pin 28 of the valve stem 24. The slot 34 is located parallel to the flat valve stem base 26. A one quarter of a turn of the valve stem 24 by attached the handle 22 induces movement of the valve trim sleeve 30 between opened and closed positions. The valve trim sleeve 30 is moved along the bore sleeve 36 by a transfer of force from the pin 28 to the walls defining the slot 34. The close proximity of the opposing flat surfaces on the trim sleeve 30 and the valve stem base 26 ensures constant engagement of the eccentric pin 28 with the slot 34 as the valve is opened and closed. The embodiments of the present invention offer the advantages of providing a control valve where the internal moving elements and cavities are not exposed to the environment. The use of the valve stem 24 allows the internal valve elements and cavities to be sealed from exposure. This helps prevent corrosion and debris from entering the valve body 16. Additionally, the constant contact between the stem base 26 and the mating face 32 of the trim sleeve 30 further prevents malfunction of the valve. The constant contact blocks any debris that does enter the valve body 16 from interfering with the operation of the trim sleeve 30 by the valve stem 24.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

Claims

1. An in-line control valve having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flowpath therebetween, the control valve comprising: a bore sleeve located within the flowpath, the bore sleeve having at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; a movable member disposed adjacent to the bore sleeve and movable between a first position wherein the movable member blocks the at least one aperture and a second position wherein the member does not block the at least one aperture; and an actuator extending through a body of the control valve having a first end in communication with the movable member and a second end that is exteriorly accessible such that rotation of the actuator causes the moveable member to move between the first and second positions.

2. The in-line control valve of claim 1, wherein the bore sleeve is cylindrical and the movable member comprises an annular sleeve disposed around the bore sleeve.

3. The in-line control valve of claim 1, wherein the first end of the actuator is provided with an eccentric pin which communicates with a slot in the movable member to cause movement of the movable member upon rotation of the actuator.

4. The in-line control valve of claim 3, wherein the eccentric pin is in continuous contact with the slot in the movable member.

5. The inline control valve of claim 1, wherein the actuator has a flat base that is disposed on the first end of the actuator, the flat base being in communication with the movable member.

6. The in-line control valve of claim 1, further comprising a handle connected to the second end of the actuator.

7. The in-line control valve of claim 1, wherein movement of the movable member between the first and second positions is achieved by a quarter turn rotation of the actuator.

8. An in-line control valve having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flowpath therebetween, the control valve comprising: a cylindrical bore sleeve located within the flowpath, the cylindrical bore sleeve having multiple apertures through which fluid may flow; an annular sleeve disposed around the cylindrical bore sleeve and movable between a closed position wherein the annular sleeve blocks the apertures and an open position wherein the annular sleeve does not block the apertures; a valve stem extending through a body of the control valve such that it is perpendicular to the flowpath, the valve stem having a first end with a flat base and an eccentric pin that is in continuous communication with a slot in the annular sleeve and a second end that is exteriorly accessible such that a quarter turn rotation of the actuator causes the annular sleeve to move between the open and closed positions; and a handle connected to the second end of the actuator.

9. An in-line control valve having an inlet and outlet and defining a flowpath therebetween, the in-line control valve comprising: an element disposed within the flow path defining at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; blocking means selectively movable between a first position wherein the at least one aperture is blocked and a second position wherein the at least one aperture is not blocked; and rotatable actuator means for causing the blocking means to move between the first position and the second position.

10. A method of controlling flow along a flowpath, comprising: providing an element within the flowpath having at least one aperture through which fluid may flow; providing a movable member located adjacent to the element that is movable between a first position wherein the at least one aperture is blocked and a second position wherein the at least one aperture is not blocked; and rotating an actuator about its axis to cause movement of the movable member between the first and second positions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the element is provided with at least two apertures, and further comprising rotating the actuator to an intermediate position wherein the movable member blocks one but not the other of the at least two apertures .