US 10,107,406 B2 · Ball valve with pressure relief feature

Abstract

A valve assembly includes a valve body defining a main flow pathway (28) and a bypass channel (52) for bypassing the main flow pathway. A ball (20) is located in the main flow pathway and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. When the ball is in the open position, an open pathway through the ball fluidly completes the main flow pathway to provide an ordinary flow, and when the ball is in the closed position the ball blocks the main flow pathway. A pressure relief feature (50) is disposed in the bypass channel (52), and the valve body further defines a pressure relief passage (62) comprising a clearance between an outer surface of the ball (20) and the valve body. The pressure relief feature (50) permits a relief flow from the bypass channel (52) through the pressure relief passage (62) around the ball (20), and to the outlet (24) to relieve excess pressure in the connecting inlet piping (22).

Claims18

Dependent claims

A valve assembly comprising:

a valve body defining a main flow pathway comprising an inlet and an outlet, and defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the inlet;
a ball located in the main flow pathway and that is moveable between an open position and a closed position;
the ball defining an open pathway through the ball wherein when the ball is in the open position the open pathway fluidly connects the inlet to the outlet to complete the main flow pathway, and when the ball is in the closed position the ball blocks the main flow pathway between the inlet and the outlet;
a pressure relief feature disposed in the bypass channel;
and
the valve body further defining a pressure relief passage comprising a clearance between an outer surface of the ball and the valve body;
wherein when the ball is in the closed position and a pressure differential from the inlet to the outlet exceeds a threshold, the pressure relief feature is configured to permit a relief flow from the bypass channel through the pressure relief passage to the outlet.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ball valve with pressure relief feature

Life of this patent

Ball valve with pressure relief feature

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18