Fluid handling – Processes – Cleaning – repairing – or assembling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-03-27
Walton, George L. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Processes
Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
C137S015070, C137S240000, C137S245500, C137S546000, C137S549000, C137S599140, C137S625300, C137S625380, C137S625390, C251S121000, C251S205000, C251S210000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206021
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to large industrial flow control valves, and more particularly, to multi-jet sleeve valves.
Conventional sleeve valves have been employed to control the flow rate and head pressure of fluids in industrial piping systems. Sleeve valves are often chosen because of their ability to reduce head pressure and control flow rates without creating significant cavitation which can cause excessive noise and premature wear of valve components.
A conventional downflow sleeve valve has a vertically-oriented, generally cylindrical sleeve, and a gate adapted for sliding within the cylindrical sleeve. The sleeve includes an intake coupled to a fluid supply line. The sleeve further includes a discharge nozzle section. The nozzle section is a generally cylindrical tube having a plurality of diverging nozzles arranged in a pattern about a longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The bottom of the sleeve is connected to a base pan that is mounted to the inside bottom of a tank or stilling well. The base pan is a generally cylindrical tube connected at its upper end to the sleeve. Its lower end is closed by a disc-shaped plate welded thereto. A drain pipe extends radially from the base pan and is connected to a drain valve to discharge fluid from the sleeve.
The sleeve valve is operated by axial movement of the gate positioned within the sleeve. The gate is generally cylindrical in shape and has exterior annular channels adjacent its upper and lower ends, and annular seals within the channels. The seals are adapted for sliding sealing engagement with the interior of the sleeve. The gate includes an internal fluid passageway therethrough extending from its upper end to its lower end. The passageway reduces head pressure from fluid upstream of the gate by permitting fluid to flow through the passageway. In other words, when the gate is moved axially upwardly (i.e., upstream), then fluid within the piping system flows through the passageway of the gate such that no significant axial force is exerted on the gate due to head pressure. An actuating stem extends vertically upwardly from the gate and extends through the piping system. Up and down movement of the stem causes up and down movement of the gate. The gate is moveable between open and closed positions. In its closed position, all of the nozzles of the nozzle section are axially between the seals of the gate. The seals seal against fluid flowing from the piping system out the nozzles. In the open position, the gate is positioned such that both of the annular seals of the gate are positioned axially below the nozzles so that fluid flowing downward into the sleeve flows laterally outwardly through the nozzles. The gate may also be positioned somewhat between the open and closed positions to control the rate of fluid flow through the nozzle section. In other words the gate may be positioned so that the upper seal of the gate is below some of the nozzles and positioned above the rest of the nozzles so that fluid flows out only some of the nozzles. To increase fluid flow, the gate is raised (i.e. moved upstream); to decrease fluid flow, the gate is lowered (i.e. moved downstream).
Occasionally, debris accumulates within the gate or in the sleeve valve. The debris is usually larger than the openings of the nozzles and therefore does not flow out the nozzles. The debris may negatively affect the performance of the valve or the flow rate through the piping system and therefore must be removed. A disadvantage of prior art sleeve valves is that the valve must be disassembled to remove the debris. Disassembly of the valve results in considerable effort, cost and downtime.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the advantages of the present invention may be noted the provision of an improved sleeve valve which is capable of having debris removed therefrom without disassembling the valve, and the provision of a method of removing debris from a sleeve valve without disassembling the valve.
In general, a sleeve valve of the present invention comprises a sleeve and a gate. The sleeve has an interior surface defining an internal fluid passage. The sleeve includes an intake, a discharge nozzle section, and a clean-out section. The internal fluid passage extends downstream from the intake to at least the discharge nozzle section. The discharge nozzle section includes a plurality of nozzles. The sleeve is adapted for fluid flow from the intake through the fluid passage and out the nozzles of the discharge nozzle. The clean-out section includes at least one access port. The gate is adapted for sliding within the sleeve in sliding sealing engagement with the interior surface of the sleeve between closed, throttling, open, and clean positions. The gate and sleeve are configured and adapted so that the gate, when in the closed position, prevents fluid within the fluid passage from flowing out the nozzles and the access port. The gate and sleeve are configured and adapted so that the gate, when in the throttling position, permits fluid within the fluid passage to flow out some of the nozzles but prevents fluid within the fluid passage from flowing out the access port of the clean-out section and others of the nozzles. The gate and sleeve are also configured and adapted so that the gate, when in the open position, permits fluid within the fluid passage to flow out the nozzles but prevents fluid within the fluid passage from flowing out the access port of the clean-out section. The gate and sleeve are further configured and adapted so that the gate, when in the clean position, permits fluid within the fluid passage to flow out the nozzles and out the access port. The clean-out section is adapted so that debris which is too large to fit through the nozzles of the discharge nozzle section may be removed via the access port of the clean-out section.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of cleaning a sleeve valve by flushing fluid through the valve. The method comprises moving the gate to the clean position to permit fluid to flow through the access port of the clean out section in a manner to flush debris which is too large to fit through the nozzles of the discharge nozzle section out the access port.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of clearing debris from a sleeve valve by extracting debris from the valve. The method comprises stopping fluid flow into the intake of the sleeve to prevent fluid from flowing from the fluid passage out the access port of the clean-out section even when the gate is in the clean position, moving the gate to the clean position, and extracting debris (which is adjacent the gate) out the access port.
Other features and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3990475 (1976-11-01), Myers
patent: 4036248 (1977-07-01), Yoshimori et al.
patent: 4040443 (1977-08-01), Okada et al.
patent: 4375821 (1983-03-01), Nanao
patent: 4397331 (1983-08-01), Medlar
patent: 4508138 (1985-04-01), Dixon
patent: 5950660 (1999-09-01), Hartman et al.
Hartman Brian T.
Hartman Thomas A.
Howell & Haferkamp LC
Walton George L.
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