US 6,669,171 B1Granted

Compact manifold trunnion ball valve

AssigneeAceco Valve, Inc.

InventorGerald A. Stunkard

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Abstract

A compact manifold ball valve having a valve body defining a valve chamber and having first and second ends and a first flow passage intersecting the valve chamber a cylindrical sealing surface defining a bonnet and valve stem passage also intersecting the valve chamber. A seat and ball retainer is threaded into the second end of the valve body and provides for support and positioning of a pair of trunnion support elements and a pair of seat assemblies. A valve ball having opposed trunnions is rotatable between open and closed positions within the valve chamber and is supported by the trunnion supports. A valve stem and bonnet assembly is secured and sealed to said valve body and is actuated to rotate the valve ball for opening and closing thereof. The valve seats are capable of metal-to-metal sealing with the valve ball in the event of heat destruction of said face seals to provide the valve with a fire-safe character. The seats incorporate high temperature graphite filament seals for fire-safe sealing between the valve seats and valve body in the event of heat destruction of said back seals. Other internal metal surfaces are arranged for metal-to-metal fire-safe sealing in the event the primary seals are destroyed by heat.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A compact manifold ball valve, comprising:

(a) a valve body defining a valve chamber and having first and second substantially planar open ends each defining flange end connection sealing surfaces and a first flow passage intersecting said valve chamber and having a bonnet and valve stem passage also intersecting said valve chamber, said valve body further defining a first seat recess;
(b) a tubular threaded retainer element being removably located in sealed relation within said second open end of said valve body and defining a second flow passage and a second seat recess;
(c) a pair of trunnion support elements being positioned and retained within said valve chamber by said tubular threaded retainer element;
(d) a valve ball having opposed trunnions being supported by said trunnion support elements for rotation within said valve chamber and defining a flow port for registry with said first and second flow passages and having an external spherical sealing surface;
(e) a valve stem and bonnet assembly being secured to said valve body and having rotary driving relation with said valve ball, said stem and bonnet assembly being sealed with respect to said valve body at said bonnet and valve stem passage;
(f) first and second metal valve seats being located respectively within said first and second seat recesses and having face seals disposed in sealing engagement with said external spherical sealing surface of said valve ball and back seals establishing sealing respectively with said valve body and tubular threaded retainer element, said valve seats being disposed for metal-to-metal sealing with said external spherical surface of said valve ball in the event of heat destruction of said face seals;
and
(g) high temperature seals maintaining sealing between said first and second valve seats and said valve body tubular threaded retainer element in the event of heat destruction of said back seals.

5 more elements

A compact fire-safe manifold ball valve, comprising:

(a) a valve body defining a valve chamber and having first and second substantially planar open ends and a first flow passage intersecting said valve chamber and having a cylindrical sealing surface defining a bonnet and valve stem passage also intersecting said valve chamber, said first substantially planar open end of said valve body having a first metal end sealing surface said valve body defining a first valve seat intersecting said first flow passage and being in communication with said valve chamber, said first valve seat having a high temperature sealing surface;
(b) a threaded retainer element being removably located in sealed relation within said second end of said valve body and defining a second flow passage and a second valve seat intersecting said second flow passage and being in communication with said valve chamber, said retainer element further defining a second metal end sealing surface;
(c) a pair of trunnion support and bearing assemblies being supported within said valve chamber by said retainer element;
(d) a valve ball having opposed trunnions and being positioned by said trunnion support elements for rotation within said valve chamber and defining a flow port for registry with said first and second flow passages and having an external spherical sealing surface;
(e) a valve stem and bonnet assembly being secured to said valve body and having rotary driving relation with said valve ball, said stem and bonnet assembly being sealed with respect to said cylindrical sealing surface of said bonnet and stem passage;
(f) first and second valve seats being located respectively within said first and second seat recesses and having face seals disposed in sealing engagement with said external spherical sealing surface of said valve ball and back seals establishing sealing respectively with said valve body and seat retainer, said valve seats being disposed for metal-to-metal sealing with said external spherical surface of said valve ball in the event of heat destruction of said face seals;
and
(g) high temperature seals maintaining sealing between said first and second valve seats and said valve body and seat retainer in the event of heat destruction of said back seals.

5 more elements

A compact manifold ball valve comprising:

(a) a valve body defining oppositely facing generally planar axial ends and defining a valve chamber and a flow passage intersecting said valve chamber, said valve body having a valve stem passage also intersecting said valve chamber;
(b) a valve ball having opposed trunnion elements and being rotatably positioned within said valve chamber and defining a flow port for registry with said flow passage and having an external spherical sealing surface;
(c) a valve stem being located for rotary movement within said valve stem passage and having driving relation with said valve ball for rotating said valve ball between open and closed positions within said valve chamber;
(d) at least one valve seat being located within said valve chamber and having sealing engagement with said external spherical sealing surface of said valve ball;
(e) a pair of trunnion support elements being located within said valve chamber and being moveable axially, perpendicularly and horizontally within said valve body to permit centering of said valve ball with respect to said at least one valve seat;
and
(f) a pair of flange type end members having bolted and sealed connection with said axial ends of said valve body, said end members and having flow-line connections.

4 more elements

A compact manifold ball valve, comprising:

(a) a valve body defining a valve chamber and having first and second annular substantially planar axial ends and a first flow passage intersecting said valve chamber and having a bonnet and valve stem passage also intersecting said valve chamber, said valve body defining an axially oriented access passage and first trunnion support shoulders;
(b) a valve ball being positioned for rotation within said valve chamber and having opposed trunnions and defining a flow port for registry with said flow passage and having an external spherical sealing surface;
(c) a pair of seat assemblies located for sealing engagement with said valve ball;
(d) a pair of trunnion bearings being disposed in bearing engagement with said opposed trunnions;
(e) a pair of annular trunnion support elements being positioned about said trunnion bearings and disposed for supported engagement with said first trunnion support shoulders, said trunnion support elements capable of shifting axially, perpendicularly and horizontally to permit centering of said valve ball with respect to either of said seat assemblies;
(f) a valve stem having rotary driving relation with one of said opposed trunnion elements of said valve ball and being sealed with respect to said valve body within said valve stem passage;
and
(g) a threaded retainer element being removably located in sealed relation within said axially oriented access passage and having second trunnion support shoulders disposed for supporting relation with said annular trunnion support elements within said valve body.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.