High-pressure plug valve
AssigneeStinger Wellhead Protection, Inc.
InventorsBob McGuire, L. Murray Dallas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plug valve has a valve body, a cage fitted within the valve body and a rotatable plug housed within a cylindrical cavity in the cage, for controlling fluid flow through the valve. The cage has first and second opposed flat side surfaces, each side surface has a port for receiving a replaceable flow-path insert in a fluid-tight seal. In one embodiment, the plug also includes at least one inset seal for sealing the at least one of the ports when the plug is in a closed position to inhibit leakage through the valve at low fluid pressures.
Claims27
A plug valve comprising:
- a valve body;
- a replaceable cage received within the valve body, the replaceable cage defining a cylindrical cavity for receiving a plug for controlling fluid flow through the plug valve, the plug being rotatable between an open position, in which fluid flows through the plug valve, and a closed position, in which fluid flow is obstructed, the cage having first and second opposed flat side surfaces, each side surface including a port;
- and
- a pair of flow-path inserts respectively having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end of each flow path insert being received in one of the ports, the flow-path inserts defining a flow path through the plug valve that is obstructed by rotation of the plug to the closed position.
A plug valve comprising:
- a valve body;
- and
- a replaceable cage non-rotatably received within the valve body, the replacable cage having first and second opposed flat, parallel side surfaces, each side surface including a port for removably receiving a replaceable flow-path insert that collectively define a flow path through the valve body, the replacable cage further defining a cylindrical cavity for receiving a plug for controlling fluid flow through the valve body, the plug being rotatable between an open position, in which fluid flows through the valve body, and a closed position, in which fluid flow is obstructed.
A plug valve that provides a reliable seal at low fluid pressures, comprising:
- a valve body;
- a replaceable cage received within the valve body, the replacable cage defining a cylindrical cavity for receiving a plug for controlling fluid flow through the plug valve, the plug being rotatable between an open position, in which fluid flows through the plug valve, and a closed position, in which fluid flow is obstructed, the cage having first and second opposed flat side surfaces, each side surface including a port;
- a pair of flow-path inserts respectively having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end of each flow path insert being received in one of the ports, the flow-path inserts defining a flow path through the plug valve that is obstructed by rotation of the plug to the closed position;
- and
- a pair of inset seals for sealing the ports when the plug is in the closed position, the inset seals being resiliently biased against the ports in the closed position to provide a fluid-tight seal at the low fluid pressures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.