SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR PIPELINES AND VALVE STEM FOR THE SAME
Technical Field
The invention relates to pipeline fittings, specifically to valves for shutting off the pipelines and control of media flow through them, in particular, vapor or water having high temperature and pressure. Background Art
It is well known that one of primary requirements imposed on shut-off valves working in vapor or water pipelines at high temperatures and pressures consists of their corrosion resistance in the media concerned.
In development and design of shut-off valves thoroughly scrutinized are characteristics of the materials used in manufacture of shut-off valve parts and their behavior in specific working media.
It is known that titanium and its alloys possess good corrosion resistance to medium with even traces of moisture or water present.
However, it is known also that titanium or its alloys when coupled with steel comprise electrochemical couple, with electrode potential difference between titanium alloy and steel being rather big, so that significant contact corrosion can emerge between them [see N.D.Tomashov, R.M.AI'tovskij. Korrozija i zachshita titana
(Corrosion and protection of titanium), Mashgiz, Moscow, 1963, p.61 (in Russian)].
Taking into account the above phenomenon, the parts manufactured from titanium or its alloys, on the one hand, and steel, on the other hand, capable to form electrochemical couple, are never used in design of shut-off valves if coming in contact via working medium, because service life of such valve would be insignificant and its reliability small.
The most close in technical essence to the invention is shut-off valve for pipelines and valve stem for the same [see Imbridskij M.I. Spravochnik po armature teplovykh elektrostantsij (Reference book on thermal power plant fittings), Moscow, 1981, pp.98-99 (in Russian)].
The valve comprises casing with inlet and outlet portholes, coupled with collar tie, valve stem, sealingly fitted in the casing with possibility of reciprocal displacement along its axis, coupled with spindle, attached to the collar tie by threaded joint.
Casing and valve stem are made of materials having relatively high corrosion resistance under strained operational conditions, in particular, in vapor or water mains at pressures up to 40 MPa and temperatures up to 560 °C; steel is such a material.
Shut-off valve operates in such a way that in case of its opening the stem shifts up, sliding on the internal surface of the gasket held down with clamping bar by means of bottom box, and so opens the porthole in the casing, in consequence of which water flows through casing, filling up its cavity; in case of valve being shut off, the valve stem slides down on the internal surface of the gasket closing the porthole in the casing.
This valve has shortcoming of poor operational characteristics, in particular, considerable corrosive wear of the valve stem and casing, limiting service life and reducing reliability of the shut-off valve.
This is caused by following factors: being located in the working medium (vapor or water having high temperature and pressure), all elements of the valve in contact with the working medium are subject to corrosion. In the process of valve stem corrosion its surface erodes, becoming uneven, and when shifting up or down on the surface of the gasket it disrupts the internal sealing layer coming in contact with the stem surface, in consequence of which sealing tightness between the gasket and the stem fails; working medium, such as vapor or water having high temperature and pressure, begins to leak out, leading to total sealing failure, with a result of working medium coming into contact with casing surface, coupled with the gasket, naturally bringing about casing corrosion in the coupling spot and, as consequence, further deterioration of sealing tightness, i.e. reduction of reliability and service life of the valve.
Besides, in addition to the above, course of the corrosion process is influenced by electrochemical couple (valve stem - casing). We have found that in order to increase surface strength of the steel azotizing is used [see Sulima A.M., Evstigneev M.I. Poverkhnostnyj sloj i ekspluatatsionnyje svojstva detalej (Surface layer and operational characteristics of the parts), Moscow, Mashinostroenie, 1980, pp.178-180 (in Russian)]. Let us consider corrosion processes for the couple made up of steel casing and steel valve stem with nitrided (azotized) surface: a) contact electrochemical corrosion due to the electrode potential difference between steel surface and nitrided steel surface, nitrided surface having larger value of positive electric potential;
b) local electrochemical corrosion due to phase structure inhomogeneity both on the valve stem surface and in depth of nitrided layer, causing formation of corrosive microgalvanic couples (martensite needles, pearlite, carbides, carbonitrides of complex composition, and alloy base); c) high-temperature gas corrosion due to sufficiently high reducing activity of both alloy base and surface nitrides.
Thus, despite the apparent similarity in the nature of the materials (valve stem - casing), action of the factors abovementioned, however negligible, causes spontaneous aggregate expanded etching of the material on the stem surface, which constitutes the most interface system.
The most close to the valve stem by the present invention is valve stem used in the shut-off valve [see Imbridskij M.I. Spravochnik po armature teplovykh elektrostantsij (Reference book on thermal power plant fittings), Moscow, Energoizdat, 1981, pp.98-99 (in Russian)], which constitutes a shaft made of steel. When used in the shut-off valve the above valve stem, in essence of its function, shifts from one position to another sliding sealingly on the internal surface of the valve gasket.
To shortcomings of the shaft made of steel, as used in the shut-off valve mounted on vapor or water pipelines at high temperatures (up to 560 °C) and pressures (up to 40 MPa), belongs its low corrosion resistance, impairing reliability and service life of shut-off fittings, specifically, of the shut-off valve.
Low corrosion resistance of the abovementioned steel valve stem is stipulated by the valve stem surface being subject to corrosion at high temperatures and pressures of vapor or water, i.e. its surface deteriorates with corrosion, becoming uneven. So, when the valve stem shifts from one position to another on the internal surface of the valve gasket, it destroys sealing layer coming in contact with the stem surface, in consequence of which sealing tightness between stem and gasket surfaces fails, and working medium, such as vapor or water having high temperature and pressure, begins to leak in the spot of sealing failure, leading to further disruption of the whole gasket, with resulting decrease in reliability and service life of the valve.
We have found that in order to increase steel surface hardness azotizing is used.
However, even nitrided (azotized) surface of the valve stem operating under conditions of vapor or water at high temperatures and pressures is subject to corrosion.
This is due to the fact of nitrided surface of the steel stem having more positive electrode potential value than steel used in manufacture of the valve elements, in
consequence of which additional local contact electrochemical corrosion and high- temperature gas corrosion take place, causing reduction in the stem service life and, naturally, reliability of the valve using said stem. Disclosure of Invention The object of the invention is to provide device enhancing reliability and service life due to reduced corrosion of the valve stem and casing of the shut-off valve.
Technical result is achieved by known shut-off valve for pipelines, comprising casing having inlet and outlet portholes, with collar tie attached, valve stem, sealingly fitted in the casing with possibility of reciprocal displacement along its axis, coupled with spindle, which is attached to the collar tie by threaded joint, where valve stem by the present invention is made of titanium alloy with oxide layer created on its surface.
Here, the technical result is achieved by known valve stem for shut-off valve, constituting a shaft, which in accordance with the invention is made of titanium alloy with oxide layer created on its surface. We have established in the course of investigations that the electrode potential of the abovementioned oxide layer in 5% NaCI solution, determined with silver chloride electrode, has a value close to electrode potential of steel surface, namely, φ-πo2 * - 0,295 V; and φsteei * -0,300 V.
Thus, it was established by applicants, that combination of the valve stem shaft made of titanium alloy with oxide layer makes it possible to obtain valve stem shaft surface with electrode potential close to electrode potential of the material (steel) used in manufacture of the valve casing, allowing to create an electrochemical couple in the valve (.valve stem - casing), where contact and electrochemical corrosion are considerably reduced, and high-temperature gas corrosion is practically absent, with a result of increased reliability and service life of the valve (fitting).
Oxide layer on surface of the valve stem shaft, made of titanium alloy, may be created by way of surface treatment using known existing methods of physicochemical treatment [Solonina O.P., and Gladunov S.G. Zharoprochnye titanovye splavy (High- temperature titanium alloys), Moscow, Metallurgija, 1976, pp.377-381 (in Russian)]. Thickness of the oxide layer produced with the above known methods of physicochemical treatment comprises 10-20 μm.
Progressive features of the present invention are obvious from the following corrosion processes, taking place in the couple consisting of the steel casing and valve stem made of titanium alloy with oxide layer on its surface:
a) for contact electrochemical corrosion under conditions of more close values of electrode potentials (steel - oxidized titanium), speed of the corrosion is extremely low as compared with the values of electrode potentials (steel - steel with nitrided surface). (φ - electrode potential: φ for steel grade 20X13 in 5% NaCI solution corresponds to ~ -0,300 V, φ for TiO2 in 5% NaCI solution corresponds to ~ -0,295 V); b) local electrochemical etching (corrosion) for material having more homogeneous phase structure composition is less probable both on surface and deep into oxidized titanium (φ-πo∑) as compared with local electrochemical corrosion observed in case of nitrided steel surface; c) high-temperature gas corrosion of oxidized titanium alloy is practically excluded under temperature conditions of valve stem operation due to attainment of maximum oxidation degree at the oxidation step and more low coefficient of oxygen diffusion into titanium alloy as compared with iron (Fe).
So, the valve stem design for the shut-off valve out of titanium alloy with oxidized surface is more preferred as compared with the stem made of steel, even with azotized surface, due to lesser amount of risk factors conductive to corrosive processes.
Close values of electrode potentials of steel and oxidized titanium valve stem, and thermodynamically stability of the oxidized titanium valve stem surface predetermine also greater corrosion resistance of the steel casing surface in the couple steel - oxidized titanium alloy in comparison to the couple steel - azotized steel (as in the closest known art source).
For the valve stem design of titanium alloy with oxidized surface, the local electrochemical corrosion is reduced due to more homogeneous phase structure composition both on surface and in the depth of the oxidized titanium alloy, even for damaged layer.
Besides, high-temperature gas corrosion of oxidized titanium alloy is practically excluded under temperature conditions of said valve stem operation due to attainment of maximum oxidation degree at the oxidation step and more low coefficient of oxygen diffusion into titanium alloy as compared with iron.
Decrease in corrosion on valve stem surface favors preservation of the valve sealing internal surface, being in constant interaction with the stem surface, i.e. sealing tightness is maintained, resulting in the enhanced valve reliability and increased service life.
The oxide layer on surface of the valve stem shaft made of titanium alloy by present invention may be obtained by known methods of physicochemical treatment
(azotizing, etc.) [see Solonina O.P., and Gladunov S.G. Zharoprochnye titanovye splavy
(High-temperature titanium alloys), Moscow, Metallurgija, 1976, pp.371-381 (in Russian)].
Brief Description of Drawings
The substance of the invention is illustrated with drawings, where Fig.1 represents general view of the shut-off valve with valve stem (sectional view).
The oxide layer on the titanium stem shaft surface by present invention may be obtained by known methods of physicochemical treatment [see Solonina O.P., and Gladunov S.G. Zharoprochnye titanovye splavy (High-temperature titanium alloys), Moscow, Metallurgija, 1976, pp.371-381 (in Russian)]. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
The best example of the invention embodiment, i.e. creation of oxide layer on surface of the stem shaft made of titanium alloy, is thermal oxidation method (see Solonina O.P., and Gladunov S.G. ibid, pp.377-381 ).
Thickness of the oxide layer obtained equals to 10-20 μm.
The shut-off valve consists of casing 1 with inlet and outlet portholes, collar tie 2 with a nut 3, securing threaded joint with spindle 4, attached to valve stem 5 by means of ball joint 6, and coupled with flywheel 7, clamping bar 8, mounted over bottom box 9, placed over the gasket 10, having the form of asbographitic rings. The valve stem 5 is sealingly fitted in the casing 1 with gasket 10 with possibility of reciprocal displacement along its axis.
The shut-off valve operates in such a way, that at its opening spindle 4 with valve stem 5 go up, uncovering porthole in the casing 1 , and working medium (vapor or water) enters casing 1 cavity. On closing of the valve spindle 4 with valve stem 5 move down, shutting off the flow of the working medium through the casing 1 cavity. Industrial Applicability
Due to usage of the valve stem made of titanium alloy with oxidized surface in the shut-off valve, corrosion of valve stem and casing is considerably reduced, resulting in enhanced reliability and increased service life of the valve stem and shut-off valve for pipelines by the industrial applicability.