Float ball valve working as trunnion design ball valve
Abstract:
A Turkish inventor has developed a trunnion ball valve working as a float ball valve, thanks to not having the lower and upper supports. The valve has lower manufacturing costs and certain technical advantages as compared to trunnion ball valves. It can be used under high temperature and pressure, and in larger bore pipe systems. Licensing and technical cooperation agreements are being sought for this patented technology.
Ball valves are designed as float ball in small bore and low-pressure systems. However, as the diameter and/or the pressure increases, they are used as trunnion ball valves.
Float ball valves have lower manufacturing costs as compared to trunnion ball valves (TBV). The costly process in the manufacturing of trunnion is the supports on top and bottom of the ball fixing it to the body of the valve. This fixing becomes mandatory especially for high pressure and larger bore systems.
In order to prevent any leakage in TBVs, a seal is placed on the ball which sticks on the surface via the systems pressure. However, this seal wears out thru time, which causes leakages. Besides, as this seal sticks on the surface with pressure, higher moments are required for opening and closing these valves.
The developed valve is a floating ball valve, with no fixing supports on the ball. The valve is single-direction, and the bearing ring allows the flow of fluid. A small-bore bypass valve is used in the opening/closing of the valve, which helps in less pressure to be applied on the balls sealed surface. This results in the opening/closing of the valve less moment and much longer seal life.
The valve is full bore, which means the inner diameter of the valves mechanism identical to that of the pipe. This would allow pigs to pass through for test and cleaning purposes. (This is an application for testing and/or controlling the pipe lines: an object with an outer diameter identical to the inner diameter of the pipe is passed through the line, to see if there are any residues or diameter deflections exist throughout).
The developed valve is suitable for use in the pipe lines and systems with:
- high working pressure,
- high working temperature, and,
- large diameter.
Typical applications could be in:
- pipe lines for carrying petrol,
- pipe lines for carrying gas,
- petrol refineries,
- iron and steel industry,
- power plants (including nuclear PPs),
- chemical industries.
The inventor is willing to discuss collaboration opportunities with valve manufacturing companies. This could most likely be licensing or technical cooperation agreements.
Innovative Aspects:
- The design of bearing ring of the ball allows fluid flow.
- A small-bore bypass valve is used for opening/closing of the valve.
- A system enables this bypass valve to be used only during opening/closing.
- The valve is full-bore.
- The technical specifications are superior to those of typical valves working under particular temperature and pressure.
- Lower costs with comparison to valves with similar technical specifications.
- The seal of the valve is much more durable, due to the nature of operations.
- As the valve can be opened/closed with less moment, smaller elements or actuators can be used.
- Being full-bore, the valve causes less pressure loss in the line and allows the pigs to be used.
- The design of the bearing ring of the ball allows fluid flow.
Market Applications:
Pottery, china, glass products; Manufacturing technologies
Stage of Development:
Experimental development stage (laboratory prototype)
Property Rights:
Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted
Patent Details:
Current Stage of Development:
Development phase - Laboratory tested
Intellectual Property Rights:
Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted
Exploitation of RTD Results:
others
Collaboration Sought:
Joint venture agreement,Licence agreement,Information exchange/Training,Other
Collaboration Detail:
- Type of partner sought:
Industry:
The Company is willing to contact the companies, which will help to improve their innovative technology.
- Specific area of activity of the partner:
Manufacturers in related area
- Task to be performed:
Improvement of the related technology and also sharing of new ideas for adaptation to specific needs.
Contact Details
Contact Name: KIRLI, Fuat
Contact Organisation: ODTU Teknokent (Middle East Technical University Technopolis)
Address: Odtu-Teknokent
(Metu-Technopolis) Idari Bina
City: Ankara
Region: BATI ANADOLU
ANKARA
Postcode: 06531
Country: TURKEY
Telephone Number: +90-312-2106400
Fax Number: +90-312-2106403
E-mail: Contact
URL: http://www.irc-anatolia.org.tr
RCN: 38716
Last updated: 2013-03-01
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