Valve assembly having flow streamlining elements to prevent oscillating flow effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020201364-A1
Application number	US-201916719772-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A valve assembly used to control fluid flow rate. The valve assembly comprises a valve plunger and a shield. The valve plunger forces fluid having a flow rate to flow between an inlet and an outlet in response to an applied actuator force. The actuator force is applied to a first side and the fluid is applied to a second side of the valve plunger. The shield minimizes or eliminates a destabilizing force caused by static pressure, created by fluid interaction on the second side. The shield is either coupled to, formed in, or suspended from underneath the valve plunger and extends a length into the outlet. The valve assembly further comprises an orifice between the inlet and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface. The shield shields a section of the second side from the fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve assembly used to control fluid flow rate, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve plunger configured to force fluid having a flow rate to flow between an inlet and an outlet, the valve plunger having an actuator force applied to a first side and the fluid in fluid communication with a second side; and a shield configured to one of minimize and eliminate a destabilizing force caused by static pressure, created by fluid interaction on the second side.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve plunger further comprises a recessed section on the second side configured to receive the shield.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 2 , wherein the shield is one of coupled to, formed in, and suspended from underneath the valve plunger and extends a length into the outlet.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly further comprises an orifice between the inlet and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shield shields a section of the second side from the fluid.

6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shield channels fluid from a section of the second side and into the outlet.

7 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is a plurality of inlets; wherein the valve plunger further comprises an orifice between the plurality of inlets and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface; wherein the shield shields a portion of the second side from the fluid; and wherein the shield channels fluid from a first section of the second side and a second section of the second side and into the outlet; wherein the shield is one of formed with the plunger, coupled to the plunger, and placed in a flow path under the plunger.

8 . A mass flow controller for controlling fluid flow rate, the mass flow controller comprising:
an electronically controlled actuator, controllable in response to changes in a set flow rate for creating an actuator force; a valve assembly communicable coupled to the electronically controlled actuator and comprising a valve plunger, the valve plunger configured to force fluid having a flow rate to flow between an inlet and an outlet, the valve plunger having the actuator force applied to a first side and the fluid in fluid communication with a second side; and a shield configured to one of minimize and eliminate a destabilizing force caused by static pressure, created by fluid interaction on the second side.

9 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the valve plunger further comprises a recessed section on the second side configured to receive the shield.

10 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the shield is one of coupled to, formed in, and suspended from underneath the valve plunger and extends a length into the outlet.

11 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the valve assembly further comprises an orifice between the inlet and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface.

12 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the shield shields a section of the second side from the fluid.

13 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the shield channels fluid from a section of the second side and into the outlet.

14 . The mass flow controller of claim 8 , wherein the inlet is a plurality of inlets;
wherein the valve plunger further comprises an orifice between the plurality of inlets and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface; wherein the shield shields a portion of the second side from the fluid; and wherein the shield channels fluid from a first section of the second side and a second section of the second side and into the outlet; wherein the shield is one of formed with the plunger, coupled to the plunger, and placed in a flow path under the plunger.

15 . A method for controlling fluid flow rate, the method comprising:
creating an actuator force; communicable coupling the actuator force to a valve assembly; forcing fluid having a flow rate to flow between an inlet and an outlet using a valve plunger of the valve assembly, wherein the forcing further comprises:
applying the actuator force to a first side of the valve plunger;
applying the fluid with a second side of the valve plunger; and
one of minimizing and eliminating, using a shield, a destabilizing force caused by static pressure, created by fluid interaction on the second side.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the valve plunger further comprises a recessed section on the second side configured to receive the shield.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the shield is one of coupled to, formed in, and suspended from underneath the valve plunger and extends a length into the outlet.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the valve plunger further comprises an orifice between the inlet and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the shield shields a section of the second side from the fluid; and wherein the shield channels fluid from a section of the second side and into the outlet.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the inlet is a plurality of inlets; wherein the valve plunger further comprises an orifice between the plurality of inlets and the outlet wherein the orifice comprises at least one planar surface and at least one non-planar surface; wherein the shield shields a portion of the second side from the fluid; and wherein the shield channels fluid from a first section of the second side and a second section of the second side and into the outlet; wherein the shield is one of formed with the plunger, coupled to the plunger, and placed in a flow path under the plunger.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Staudt Andrew J
• Carman Bradley G
• Amrei Mana Mokhtabad
• Kehoe Anthony B

Classifications

• F16K1/36

  Valve members (for double-seat valves F16K1/44 {; for butterfly valves F16K1/222, F16K1/223}) · CPC title

• F16K31/0655

  Lift valves · CPC title

• F16K1/42

  Valve seats (for double-seat valves F16K1/44) · CPC title

• G05D7/0647 Primary

  the plurality of throttling means being arranged in series · CPC title

• F16K1/54 Primary

  Arrangements for modifying the way in which the rate of flow varies during the actuation of the valve · CPC title