Valve especially for controlling particulate solids flow

An improved valve comprising:

• a valve body having a slide chamber therein and an inlet passage of circular cross-section and an outlet passage of circular cross-section cooperating to partially define a flow passageway transversely intersecting the slide chamber;
• a plug member mounted for sliding movement within the slide chamber, the plug member being effective to seal the flow passageway as defined below and having a flow orifice extending transversely therethrough, the flow orifice comprising an inlet segment of ovoid cross-section facing the inlet passage and an outlet segment facing the outlet passage, the inlet segment of the flow orifice having a base portion with a cross-sectional flow area at least as large as that of the inlet passage and a tapered slot portion with a cross-sectional flow area less than that of the inlet passage, the plug member and its flow orifice being each dimensioned and configured to seal the flow passageway when the flow orifice is out of registration with the inlet passage and to complete the flow passageway by connecting the inlet and outlet passages in flow communication when the flow orifice is registered therewith, the cross-sectional area of the outlet segment of the flow orifice being sufficiently greater than the cross-sectional area of the entry to the outlet passage whereby, at all operating positions of the plug member within the slide chamber, the outlet passage is unconstricted by the plug member;
• and
• positioning means operatively connected to the plug member to position the plug member at selected incremental locations within the slide chamber to selectively adjust registration of the flow orifice with the inlet and outlet passages at fully open, fully closed and a plurality of intermediate throttling positions.

An improved valve comprising:

• a valve body having a slide chamber therein and an inlet passage and an outlet passage cooperating to partially define a flow passageway transversely intersecting the slide chamber;
• a plug member mounted for sliding movement within the slide chamber, the plug member being effective to seal the flow passageway as defined below and having a flow orifice extending transversely therethrough, the flow orifice comprising an inlet segment facing the inlet passage and an outlet segment facing the outlet passage, the plug member and its flow orifice being each dimensioned and configured to seal the flow passageway when the flow orifice is out of registration with the inlet passage and to complete the flow passageway by connecting the inlet and outlet passages in flow communication when the flow orifice is registered therewith, the cross-sectional area of the outlet segment of the flow orifice being sufficiently greater than the cross-sectional area of the entry to the outlet passage whereby, at all operating positions of the plug member within the slide chamber, the outlet passage is unconstricted by the plug member;
• positioning means operatively connected to the plug member to position the plug member at selected incremental locations within the slide chamber to selectively adjust registration of the flow orifice with the inlet and outlet passages at fully open, fully closed and a plurality of intermediate throttling positions;
• and
• fluidizing gas flow means to flow a gas through the outlet segment of the flow orifice.

An improved valve comprising:

• a valve body having therein a slide chamber comprising a substantially cylindrically shaped bore and an inlet passage and an outlet passage at respective radially opposite sides of the chamber, the inlet and outlet passages cooperating to partially define a flow passageway transversely intersecting the slide chamber;
• a substantially cylindrical shaped plug member mounted for sliding movement within the slide chamber, the plug member being effective to seal the flow passageway as defined below and having a flow orifice extending transversely therethrough, the plug member and its flow orifice being each dimensioned and configured to seal the flow passageway when the flow orifice is out of register with the inlet passage and to complete the flow passageway by connecting the inlet and outlet passages in flow communication when the flow orifice is registered therewith, the flow orifice comprising an inlet segment facing the inlet passage of the flow passageway and an outlet segment facing the outlet passage of the flow passageway, the outlet segment having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the inlet segment and sufficiently greater than the cross-sectional area of the entry to the outlet passage whereby, at all operating positions of the plug member within the slide chamber, the outlet passage is unconstricted by the plug member;
• and
• positioning means operatively connected to the plug member to position the plug member at selected incremental locations within the slide chamber to selectively adjust registration of the flow orifice with the flow passageway at fully open, fully closed and a plurality of intermediate throttling positions.

An improved valve comprising:

• (a) a valve body having therein a slide chamber comprising a substantially cylindrically shaped bore and an inlet passage and an outlet passage at respective radially opposite sides of the chamber, the inlet and outlet passages each being of circular cross-section and cooperating to partially define a flow passageway transversely intersecting the slide chamber;
• (b) a substantially cylindrical shaped plug member mounted for sliding movement within the slide chamber, the plug member being effective to seal the flow passageway as defined below and having a flow orifice extending transversely therethrough, the plug member and its flow orifice being each dimensioned and configured to seal the flow passageway when the flow orifice is out of register with the inlet passage and to complete the flow passageway by connecting the inlet and outlet passages in flow communication when the flow orifice is registered therewith, the flow orifice comprising an inlet segment facing the inlet passage of the flow passageway and an outlet segment facing the outlet passage of the flow passageway, (i) the inlet segment of the flow orifice being of ovoid cross-section including a circular-arc base portion and a tapered slot portion, and wherein the base portion is congruent with a segment of the cross-section of the inlet segment and the slot portion is narrower than the diameter of the inlet segment whereby, when the base portion is fully registered with the inlet segment, the valve is fully open for flow therethrough and, when the slot portion or part thereof is registered with the inlet segment, the valve is partially open for flow therethrough, and (ii), the outlet segment of the flow orifice having a cross-sectional area grreater than that of the inlet segment and sufficiently greater than the cross-sectional area of the entry to the outlet passage whereby, at all operating positions of the plug member within the slide chamber, the outlet passage is unconstricted by the plug member;
• and
• (c) positioning means operatively connected to the plug member to position the plug member at selected incremental locations within the slide chamber to selectively adjust registration of the flow orifice with the flow passageway at fully open, fully closed and a plurality of intermediate throttling positions.