Ball valve system

A ball valve positioned between a first line and a second line, comprising:

• a housing;
• a ball disposed within the housing and having a bore, wherein the ball is configured to rotate about a rotational axis between an open position to enable a flow of working fluid through the first line and the second line and a closed position to block the flow of working fluid through the first line and the second line;
• an annular seat disposed between the housing and the ball;
• an annular space defined between the annular seat and the housing;
• wherein the annular seat comprises:
• one or more first axially-facing surfaces exposed to a valve cavity pressure within a valve cavity;
• and
• one or more second axially-facing surfaces exposed to a first line pressure within the first line;
• a plurality of seals configured to isolate the annular space from the first line and from the valve cavity;
• and
• an axially-extending passageway extending through the annular seat to enable fluid flow from the valve cavity to the annular space;
• wherein a first surface area of the one or more first axially-facing surfaces is at least 10 percent greater than a second surface area of the one or more second axially-facing surfaces, and wherein the first surface area, the second surface area, the plurality of seals, the axially-extending passageway, and the annular space facilitate temporary movement of the annular seat away from the ball to provide a gap separating the annular seat and the ball as the ball rotates from the closed position toward the open position;
• and
• an annular cartridge disposed between the annular seat and the housing, wherein the annular cartridge supports an inner sealing ring of the plurality of seals disposed against the annular seat and an outer sealing ring of the plurality of seals disposed against the housing.

A ball valve positioned between a first line and a second line, comprising:

• a housing;
• a ball configured to be disposed within the housing and having a bore, wherein the ball is configured to rotate along a rotational path between an open position in which the bore is aligned with the first line and the second line and a closed position in which the bore is generally orthogonal to the first line and the second line;
• an annular seat disposed between the housing and the ball, wherein the annular seat comprises:
• one or more first surfaces, wherein a valve cavity pressure within a valve cavity exerts a first force on the one or more first surfaces that drives the annular seat away from the ball;
• and
• one or more second surfaces, wherein a first line pressure within the first line exerts a second force on the one or more second surface that drives the annular seat toward the ball;
• wherein a first surface area of the one or more first surfaces is at least 10 percent greater than a second surface area of the one or more second surfaces, and wherein the annular seat is configured to contact the ball when the ball is in the closed position, to automatically move away from the ball to provide a gap separating the annular seat and the ball as the ball rotates through a first portion of the rotational path, and to automatically move toward the ball as the ball rotates through a second portion of the rotational path such that the annular seat contacts the ball as the ball reaches the open position;
• and
• an annular cartridge disposed between the annular seat and the housing, wherein the annular cartridge supports an inner sealing ring disposed against the annular seat and an outer sealing ring disposed against the housing.