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Ballvalveseatwhichisconstructedby
equilateraltrianglesectioningmethodandball
valveincludingit
EP2365236A1
ABSTRACT
Itisinevitableforthetightclosureofaballvalvetobedisturbedbyitsball's
wedgingaction,anditsballseatisanupsetimpulseamplifierwithaninherent
disturbanceresistanceindexorasealingmaintainingfactorm.Theballvalve
seatdesignedwithequilateraltrianglesectionmethodsoftheinventioncan

Publicationnumber
Publicationtype
Applicationnumber
Publicationdate
Filingdate
Prioritydate

EP2365236A1
Application
EP20090822963
Sep14,2011
Mar17,2009
Oct28,2008

Alsopublishedas

CN101398092A,4More

Inventors

ChangxiangXu,MaoYANG,ZhanjiChen

Applicant

ZhejiangChinaValveCo.,Ltd.,Changxiang
Xu

ExportCitation

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positivelyensureitselfaresistancetoballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentric

NonPatentCitations(1),Classifications(6),LegalEvents(3)

drivetomakeahallvalverealizeitstightclosurebythefloatedpressureofballs

ExternalLinks:Espacenet,EPRegister

orseatsontoeachotherandensurethattheultimaterotationalresistancetothe
ballonlyrelatestotheultimatepressurefrom/ononeseat.Becausetheseatof
thepriorartcannotensureballsorseatsagainsteachotherafloatedpressuresufficienttoresisttotheballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdrive,thetight
closureoftheballvalvehastoberealizedbyeitherlargerpreclampingforceorlargerspringpreloadbetweenseatsandballssoasfortheultimaterotational
resistancetoballstobefromlargerballclampingforcesfromtwoseats.Therefore,theballvalveinaccordancewiththeinventionisarealfloatingormountedball
valve,whoseoperationtorquecanbeatmosthalfofthatofaformalorfalsefloatingballvalveofthepriorart.

IMAGES (9)

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DESCRIPTION
TechnicalFieldoftheInvention
[0001]

CLAIMS (9)
1. Amountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral
triangleABCasitssectionfactor,whereinsideABofthesaidtriangle

use,moreparticularlytofloatingballvalves,trunnionmountedball

ABCistheballsealingchordofthesaidseat,thesurfaceofrevolutionof

valvesandseatmountedballvalves,

eithertheprojectionortheextendedprojectionofsideBCisthesealing
endsurfaceofthesaidseat,thesurfaceofrevolutionoftheprojectionof

Aballvalveisakindofballvalvesusingaballastheonoffmember

sideCAisthesupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseat,andvertexC

thevalveisfullyopenwhenturnedtowherethecentralthroughboreof

isanintersectionoftheoutlineofthesaidseatthesaidsealingchord

theballiscoaxialwiththevalvepassage,andfullyclosedwhen

(AB)isata45degreeangletotheaxisofthecentralboreofthesaidball,

perpendiculartothevalvepassage.Thepriorarthashadtwotypesof

i.e.thesaidballsealingsurfaceofthesaidseatispremanufacturedinto

ballvalves,onefloatingballvalveandonetrunnionmountedballvalve.

eithera90conicalsurfaceconcentricwiththesaidseatandtobe

Theinvention,besidesimprovingthedesignsofthetwotypesofball

intersectedwiththesaidballoracamberedsurfacegeneratedwiththe

valves,proposesaseatmountedballvalve.Asweknow,thefloating

said90conicalsurfaceintersectedwiththesaidballthelengthofthe

ballvalveisakindofballvalveswhoseonoffballistofloatandwhose

saidballsealingchordandtheintersectionpositionoftheoutlineofthe

seatsisgenerallymountedundermediumpressureforrealizingthe

saidseatisdeterminedbythematerialallowablestrengthandthe

tightclosure,whereasthetrunnionmountedballvalveisakindofball

disturbanceresistancefactormrequiredofthesaidseat.

valveswhoseonoffballismountedinvalvebodybytrunnionsor
whoseseatistofloatundermediumpressureforrealizingthetight
closure.Therefore,theseatmountedballvalveoftheinventionisa
kindofballvalveswhoseonoffballismountedinvalvebodybyvalve
seats,orneitherwhoseseatnorwhoseballistofloatundermedium
pressureforrealizingthetightclosure.
[0003]

Theinventionrelatestoballvalvesusedforfluidpowerandgeneral

TechnicalBackgroundoftheInvention
[0002]

Thetaskofballvalveseatsistoprovidetheobliqueinterfaceandseal
betweentheonoffballandthevalvebody.Therefore,aballvalveseat
hasatleastthreesurfacesatanangletoeachother:aballsealing
surface,abodysealingsurfaceandabodysupportedsurfaceforforce
equilibrium.Ifdesignedonlywiththethreesurfaces,theballvalveseat
wouldbeenclosedforcompressionorhavenoexposurewhenthe

2. Amountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral
triangleABCasitssectionconstituent,whereinsideABofthesaid
triangleABCistheballsealingchordofthesaidseat,thesurfaceof
revolutionofsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,the
surfaceofrevolutionoftheprojectionofsideCAisthesupported
cylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseat,andvertexCisanintersectionofthe
outlineofthesaidseatthesaidsealingchord(AB)isata45degree
angletotheaxisofthecentralboreofthesaidball,i.e.thesaidball
sealingsurfaceofthesaidseatispremanufacturedintoeithera90
conicalsurfaceconcentricwiththesaidseatandtobeintersectedwith
thesaidballoracamberedsurfacegeneratedwiththesaid90conical
surfaceintersectedwiththesaidballthelengthofthesaidballsealing

[0004]

valveisfullyclosedoropened,orbeofatriangularsection.

chordandtheintersectionpositionoftheoutlineofthesaidseatis

Theballvalveseatwithanequilateraltriangleasitssection,havingan

determinedbythematerialallowablestrengthandthedisturbance

equalactingforceandanunequalbearingareaforitseachsurface(due

resistancefactormrequiredofthesaidseat.

toadifferentformingradius),justsatisfiestheneedsofunequal
stressesforitseachsurfacethehighstressonitsballsealingsurface
isjustitsneedfordynamicsealing,theintermediatestressonitsbody
sealingsurfacejustitsneedforstaticsealing,andthelowstressonits
supportedsurfacejustitsneedforslidingonitssupportingsurface.
Furthermore,theseatonlywithanequilateraltriangleasitssectioncan
avoidasharpcornerweakerthan60.Therefore,ifofatriangular
section,ballvalveseatsshouldbeofanequilateraltrianglesection.
[0005]

Apolymer,suchasPTFE,isthecommonestvalveseatmaterialand
typicallyhasviscoelasticity,orhasbothviscousbehaviorofdense
liquid(itsstrainlaggingbehinditsstress)andelasticityofstablesolid
(itsstrainproportionaltoitsstress).Theviscousbehavioroftheseat
materialunderunenclosedcompressionsurelycausesthematerialto
creep(causingasealingstressrelaxation)ortograduallydeformand
flowintoextrusiongaps(causingasealfailure).Therefore,iftheseat
materialisregardedasamostviscousliquid,theseatunderenclosed
compressionislikethehydraulicoilincylinderswithnocompressive
deformation,noextrusivedeformationorruptureandnowheretocreep

[0006]

[0007]

[0008]

ABofthesaidtriangleABCistheballsealingchordofthesaidseat,the
surfaceofrevolutionofsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthesaid
seat,andthesurfaceofrevolutionofsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceof
thesaidinnerringthesaidouterringisofatrapezoidsection,whose
heightsideisthegeneratrixofthecylindricalsurfaceofthesaidouterring
orthesaidseat,betweenwhichandwhoseaccommodatingboreinthe
valvebodyisaclearancefit,andwhoseobliquesideisthegeneratrixof
theconicalsurfaceforsupportingthesaidinnerringthesaidballunder
fluidpressurepressesatthesametimethesaidouterringandthesaid
innerringmutuallysupportedtomakebothbeinitiativelypressedto
protecteachotherfrombeingpressedthesaidouterringismadeof
higherstrengthmaterialthanthesaidinnerring.
4. Amountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral
sideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheoriginalballsealingconeofthe

Generallyspeaking,polymersusedforvalveseats,suchasPTFE,

saidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingeithertheprojectionorthe

havemorethantentimesthecoefficientofthermalexpansionofsteel.

extendedprojectionofsideBCistheoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthe

Therefore,themorethemassorthegreaterthesizeofthematerial

saidseat,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingtheprojectionofsideCAis

usedforavalveseat,themorethethermaldeformationoftheseat

theoriginalsupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseatinaccordance

relativetothevalvebodyandthemorelikelytocauseasealfailure.In

withfinalrequirementsofelasticdeformationforthesaidseat,thesaid

otherwords,usinganequilateraltrianglesectionofballvalveseatscan

originalcylindricalsurfaceandthesaidoriginalendsurfacearepartially

minimizetheirmassorsizeandfurtherthethermalinfluenceontheir

cutsmallandshorttomakethesaidoriginalcylindricalsurfacebecomea

sealingreliability.

steppedcylindricaloutsidesurfaceandtheintersectioncircleofthe

Heretofore,however,therehavebeennoconsiderationofeitherusinga

newlydevelopedcylindricalsurfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthe

ballvalveseatofequilateraltrianglesectionsordesigningaballvalve

vertexCofthesaidtriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthe

seatorgivingitsdimensionsbyanequilateraltriangle,andnofurther

vertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,is

considerationofenclosingaballvalveseatforworkasfullyas

cutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleand

possible.

paralleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtooth

Acommonballvalveseathastwoexposurestotheconveyedmedium

ringstobedevelopedinthesaidoriginalballsealingconebycuttingout

oneisexposedtoanddirectlycompressedbythemediumintheflow

anothercutofconicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidside

passage,andtheother,exposedtoanddirectlycompressedbythe

ABandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradial

mediuminthevalvebodycavitybetweentheonoffballandthevalve

distanceZtawayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexes

Inordertopreventtheupstreamseatfrombeingextrudedortrapped

ofthesaidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtooth
ringsisZtrelativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoormore

ontheseatexposureinthepassageatthemomentthevalveisclosing

sawtoothringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotonthe

oropening,US6948699designedavalveseatthatisconstrainedinits

remainingendsurface,andifnot,asoftgasketwithaconfigurationand

mountingholebyasmallinwardcircumferentialstepattheseat

volumeequivalenttothecutoutpartisrequired.

holewall.
Inordertoreducetheextrusiveflowanddeformationofvalveseat
materialsattheseatexposureinthecavity,astopringwasincreased
ontheexposureinUS3721425,US4410165andUS6969047.
US293057andUS4385747provethatthepriorarthasoftenprovided
someaxialventgroovesontheperipheryoftheseatringtoventthe
fluidontheseatendfaceintothevalvebodycavityandtopreventthe
loadontheupstreamseatfrombeingaddedontheballandincreasing
thedownstreamseatloadandthevalveoperationtorquehowever,at
themomentthevalveisfullyopening,thehorizontalportionoftheseat
willjustfacetheballboreandlosethesphericalsupportoftheball,and
theseatmaybelocallyextrudedintotheballboreanddamagedifthere
isaflowthroughtheseatendandtheventgrooveforthisreason,the
priorartcannothelpincreasingthevalveseatstrengthbyenlargingits
sizeoroutsidediameterorthicknessandcausethevalveseattobe
moreexposed.
[0012]

ringisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutline:side

triangleABCasitssectionfactor,whereinthesurfaceformedbyrotating

mountingholeedgeorbyanOringbetweentheseatanditsmounting

[0011]

(innerring)andanoutersupportingring(outerring),whereinthesaidinner

strengthfarhigherthanitsmaterialallowablestrength.

intothecentralthroughholeoftheonoffballbythemediumpressure

[0010]

triangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofaninnersealingring

aslongastheextrusiongapisenoughsmall,andhasanactualbearing

body.
[0009]

3. Amountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral

Inaword,thepriorarthasnotknownthattheexposuresofaballvalve
seathaveaninfluenceonthefreefloatingofitsonoffball,buthas
alwaysthoughtthattheballofafloatingballvalvewillunconditionally
floatontothedownstreamseatandenhancethetightclosurethereon

5. Amountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral
triangleABCasitssectionconstituent,whereinthesurfaceformedby
rotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheoriginalballsealingcone
ofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBCistheoriginal
sealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceformedbyrotating
theprojectionofsideCAistheoriginalsupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthe
saidseatinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsofelasticdeformationfor
thesaidseat,thesaidoriginalcylindricalsurfaceandthesaidoriginalend
surfacearepartiallycutsmallandshorttomakethesaidoriginal
cylindricalsurfacebecomeasteppedcylindricaloutsidesurfaceandthe
intersectioncircleofthenewlydevelopedcylindricalsurfaceandend
surfacebeawayfromthevertexCofthesaidtriangleABCalongits
altitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andan
annulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangent
tothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealing
coneitisneededfortwosawtoothringstobedevelopedinthesaid
originalballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfaces
symmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABandparalleltothesaid
originalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromtheon
offballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexesofthesaidsawtoothrings,
whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsisZtrelativetothesaid

[0013]

asthemediumpressureincreases.

onoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtoothringswithaheightofZt

Astothefloatingballvalve,asshowninFig.5,As representsthe

maybedevelopedormaynotontheremainingendsurface,andifnot,a

actuatingareaofmediumontheball,thecircularareadeterminedby

softgasketwithaconfigurationandvolumeequivalenttothecutoutpart

thediameterDs p,themediumpressureW s =As p,theballfloating

isrequired.

forcefrommedium(thethrustofmediumontheball)andW 2,theball

triangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofaninnersealingring

betweentheballandthedownstreamseatisW 2whenW s W 2(atthe

(innerring)andanoutersupportingring(outerring),whereinthesaidinner

timeW s isonlytopartiallyorjustfullyreplaceW 2atmostbutnot

ringisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutline:the

addedtothedownstreamseat),andisW s butnotW 2whenW s >W 2

surfaceformedbyrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheoriginal

(atthetimeW 2hasbeenfullyreplacedbyW s )i.e.astothefloating

ballvalve,thesealingforcebetweentheballandtheseatiseitherW 2

ballsealingconeofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBC
istheoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceformed
byrotatingsideCAistheoriginalsupportedsurfaceofthesaidinnerring

orW s ,ortorealizethetightclosureofafloatingballvalveistorely

thesaidouterringisofatrapezoidsection,whoseheightsideisthe

eitherontheballclampingforceW 2fromtheseatorontheballfloating

generatrixofthecylindricalsurfaceofthesaidouterringorthesaidseat,

forceW s frommediumbutneveronbothatthesametime.

betweenwhichandwhoseaccommodatingboreinthevalvebodyisa

Nevertheless,whichevertorelyonshallbeintimestheunsealingforce

clearancefist,andwhoseobliquesideisthegeneratrixoftheconical

ofmediumontheseat(thethrustofmediumontheseat)accordingto

surfaceforsupportingthesaidinnerringthesaidballunderfluidpressure

theconceptofAppendix2,Division1,VolumeVIII,ASMEBoilerand

pressesatthesametimethesaidouterringandthesaidinnerring

PressureVesselCodei.e.itiswhenW 2orW s equalsm(Ae+Ac )pthat

mutuallysupportedtomakebothbeinitiativelypressedtoprotecteach

afloatingballvalvecanrealizeitsreliabletightclosure,whereAeisthe
seat'sannularareaexposedinthecavity,Ac theseat'sannulararea

[0014]

6. Amountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral

clampingforcefromtheseat.Itisimaginablethattheactionforce

otherfrombeingpressedthesaidouterringismadeofhigherstrength
materialthanthesaidinnerringinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsof
elasticdeformationforthesaidinnerring,thesaidoriginalsupported

coveredbytheball,Ae+Ac =Autheannularactuatingareaofmedium

surfaceandthesaidoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthesaidinnerringare

ontheseattocauseunsealing,pthepressureandm(thesealing

partiallycutsmallandshorttoformanewcylindricalsurfaceandanew

maintainingfactor)=thesealingactuationforce/theunsealingactuation

endsurfaceandtomaketheintersectioncircleofthesaidnewcylindrical

force.Inotherwords,itisconditionalforafloatingballvalvetorealize

surfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthevertexCofthesaidtriangle

itstightclosurebyfloatingofitsball.

ABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecutting

Supposingtheclosingsealoffloatingballvalvestobeaselfenergized

develops,andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottom

seal,accordingtotheconceptofselfenergizedsealsinAppendix2,

surfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothesaid

Division1,VolumeVIII,ASMEBoilerandPressureVesselCode,the

originalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtoothringstobe

sealingmaintainingfactormrequiredoftheirseatis:

developedinthesaidoriginalballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercut

m=W2H/Ac p0,

ofconicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABand
paralleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistance
Ztawayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexesofthe

orinmechanicstherequiredoftheirseatisW 2H=Aep(seeFig.5),
where

Ztrelativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtooth

W 2=ballclampingforcesfromseats,

ringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotontheremaining

H=actuationforcesAepofmediumonseat'sannularexposures

endsurfaceofthesaidinnerring,andifnot,asoftgasketwitha

incavity,
Ac p=actuationforcesofmediumonseat'sannularareas

configurationandvolumeequivalenttothecutoutpartisrequired.
7. Afloatingseatformountedballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral

coveredbyballs,

triangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofasealingring,a

Ae=seat'sannularareasexposedincavity,

supportingring,aclampingring,asealinggasketandapreloadingspring,

Ac =seat'sannularareascoveredbyballs,includingnon

whereinthesaidsealingringisthefloatingsealingelementofthesaid

contactareasAep,
p=mediumpressure.
Inotherwords,afloatingballvalvewillalwaysmaintainitstightclosure
bytheballfloatingforcefrommediumaslongasW 2(ballclamping

[0015]

saidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsis

seatandisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssection
outline:thesurfaceformedbyrotatingareABoppositetosideABofthe
saidtriangleABCisthebansealingsurfaceofthesaidseat,thesurface
formedbyrotatingsideBCistheclampedsurfaceofthesaidsealingring,
andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceofthe

forcesfromseats)isnotlessthanAep(actuationforcesofmediumon

saidsealingringthesaidsupportingringisresponsibleforprovidinga

seat'sannularexposuresincavity).

sealingsupportforthesaidsupportedsurfaceaftercompletingthe

Infact,afloatingballvalvecannotalwaysmaintainitstightclosureby

fasteningandsealingconnectionwiththevalveendcoverbyathread

theballfloatingforcewhenW 2Aep.Forexample,asshowninFig.5,

engagementandthesaidsealinggasketthesaidreloadingspring

whenW s (thrustofmediumonballs)=W 2(ballclampingforcesfrom

providesaninitialseatingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaid

seats),theremustbeW 2(=W s =As p)AepbecauseAs (actuating

areasofmediumonballs)Ae(seat'sannularareasexposedincavity),
whichhasfullysatisfiedtheabovementionedconditionthatW 2(=As p)
isnotlessthanAepbutatthetime,theballjustfullyawayfromthe
upstreamseat(becauseW s issupposedtoequalW 2)willalsolosethe
sealingcontactwithitsdownstreamseatwheninaneccentricdrive
inevitableandinsurmountable:assoonastheactingW s oftheballon

clampingring,andamediumpressureprovidesaseatingstressforthe
saidsealingringbythesaidclampingringornotby.
8. Afloatinghardseatformountedballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateral
triangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofasealingring,a
supportingring,aclampingring,asealinggasketandapreloadingspring,
whereinthesaidsealingringisthefloatingsealingelementofthesaid
seatandisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssection
outline:thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABCis

thedownstreamseatiscounteractedtoacertainextentbythe

theoriginalballsealingconeofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedby

disturbingforceresultedfromtheeccentricdrive,theballwillgetaway

rotatingsideBCistheoriginalclampedsurfaceofthesaidsealingring,

fromtheintimatecontactwithitsdownstreamseatandcausethe

andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCAistheoriginalsupported

pressurizedmediummoreandmoretopermeateintothedownstream

surfaceofthesaidsealingringinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsof

seatareascoveredbytheballsoastofinallyoutputadisturbingforce

elasticdeformationforthesaidsealingring,thesaidoriginalclamped

Ac ppushingtheballfullyoffitsdownstreamseatthegreatertheforce

surfaceandthesaidoriginalsupportedsurfaceofthesaidsealingringare

Aepexertedontheseatexposureinthecavity,themoredifficultthe

partiallycutsmallandshorttoformanewcylindricalsurfaceandanew

revivingoftheballclampingforceW 2fromtheseat,whichhasbeen
replacedbyW s ,andthemorebeneficialtothatthedisturbingforceAs p

ABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecutting
develops,andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottom

onceawayfromtheintimatecontactwithitstwoseatsatthesame

surfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothesaid

time,willhavemediumactuationforcescancellingouteachotherand

originalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtoothringstobe

onlyfloatbetweenitstwoseatsorneverrecovertheintimatecontact

developedinthesaidoriginalballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercut

withitstwoseats,howeverhighthemediumpressurepiseventhe

ofconicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABand

higherthemediumpressurep,thelargerthethrust(Ae+Ac )pofmedium

paralleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistance

betweenandagainstthetwoseatsandthemorebeneficialtothatthe

Ztawayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexesofthe

ballhasamoresufficientfloatingroombetweenthetwoseats.Inother

saidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsis

words,itisimpracticaltoconsiderthetightclosureoffloatingball

Ztrelativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtooth

fromseats)isnotlessthantheirAep(actuationforcesofmediumon

ringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotontheremaining
supportedsurfaceofthesaidinnerring,andifnot,asoftgasketwitha

seatexposuresincavity),forsuchaconsiderationcannoteliminate

configurationandvolumeequivalenttothecutoutpartisrequiredthe

theinherentballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdriveandnot

saidsupportingringisresponsibleforprovidingasealingsupportforthe

ensurethereliabilityofthetightclosure.

saidsupportedsurfaceaftercompletingthefasteningandsealing

Fromtheaboveanalysis,itcanbeseenthattheseat'sannularareaAe

connectionwiththevalveendcoverbyathreadengagementandthesaid

exposedinthecavityandtheseat'sannularareaAc ,coveredbythe

sealinggasketthesaidreloadingspringprovidesaninitialseatingstress

ballaredefinitelyrelatedtoanamplifiedoutputoftheballwedged

forthesaidsealingringbythesaidclampingring,andamediumpressure

disturbancefromeccentricdrive,butthedisturbingactuationforceAc p

providesasealingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaidclamping

ofmediumontheseat'sannularareaAc hasbeendefinitelyexcludedin
conceptsandformulaswhenconsideringtheclosingsealoffloatingball

[0017]

surfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthevertexCofthesaidtriangle

separatestheballfromthedownstreamseatinstantaneouslytheball,

valvesperselfsealingortoensurethattheirW 2(ballclampingforces

[0016]

endsurfaceandtomaketheintersectioncircleofthesaidnewcylindrical

ringornotby.
9. Aseatmountedballvalvecapablyusedasthedoubleblockandbleed

valvesaccordingtoaselfenergizedseal.Therefore,sucha

valve(DBBvalve),whereintheonoffballofthesaidballvalveis

considerationcannotrelateatalltheresistancetotheballwedged

mountedinavalvebodynotbytrunnionsbutbyseats,andhence

disturbancefromeccentricdriveandtheseat'sannularareaAe

normallylooksfloatableundermediumpressurebutactuallyisclampedin

exposedinthecavityaswellastheseat'sannularareaAc coveredby

thesaidseatsonlytobeturnablebutnotfloatablewithinthewhole

theball

workingpressurerangethesaidseatshaveanincreasedannulararea

Supposingtheclosingsealoffloatingballvalvestobeanonself

(Ae)exposedinthebodycavitybyincreasingtheiroutsidediameter(Do)

energizedseal,accordingtotheconceptofnonselfenergizedsealsin

tomaketheirdisturbanceresistancefactor(m)equaltoAs /(Ae+Ac )and

Appendix2,Division1,volumeVIII,ASMEBoilerandPressureVessel

smallerthan1.33(i.e.m=As /(Ae+Ac )<1.33)basedonkeepingfixedthe

Code,thesealingmaintainingfactormrequiredoftheirseatis:

actuatingarea(As )ofmediumonthesaidballandtheseat'sannulararea

m=Ws/Wu2=As p/Ae+Ac p2=As/Ae+Ac2

(Ac )coveredbythesaidballdesignedwithequilateraltrianglesection
methods.

m=Ds2Do2Di22

where
W s =As p,ballfloatedsealingforces(ballfloatingforcesorthrustofmediumonballs)
W u=(Ae+Ac )p,unsealingforcesofmediumonseats(thrustofmediumonseats)
As =actuatingareasofmediumonballs(circularareasofdia.Ds )toresultinsealing
Ae=seat'sannularareasexposedincavity
Ac =seat'sannularareascoveredbyballs,includingnoncontactingareasAep
Ae+Ac =Au=annularactuatingareasofmediumonseatstocauseunsealing
p=mediumpressure,Do=outsidediametersofseats
Ds =actuatingdiametersofballsagainstseats,Di=innerdiametersofseats.
[0018]

Inotherwords,toensure:
W s 2W u
(thattheballfloatedsealingforcefrommediumisnotlessthantwicetheunsealingforceofmediumonthe
seat),or
As 2(Ae+Ac )
(thattheactuatingareaofmediumontheballisnotlessthantwicetheannularactuatingareaofmediumon
theseat)
canensurethattheseatofafloatingballvalvealwayskeepsatightclosurewhenimpactedbydisturbance,
especiallybyballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdriveunderanypressure.

[0019]

Infact,anyseatoffloatingballvalvesisanupsetimpulseamplifiertheball'swedgingforcefromeccentricdrive

istheinputimpulse,theactuationforceAs pofmediumontheseat'sannularareacoveredbytheballistheoutput
impulse,andtheactuationforceAepofmediumontheseat'sannularareaexposedinthevalvebodycavityis
equivalenttothe"D.C.output":thegreatertheAep,themorebeneficialtotheoutputofimpulseswithalarger
amplitudeactually,thegreatertheAep,themoredifficulttherevivingoftheballclampingforceW 2fromtheseat,
andthemorebeneficialtothatthedisturbingoutputAc pseparatestheballfromthedownstreamseat
instantaneously.ThethrustW u=(Ae+Ac )pofmediumonseatsistheunsealingactuationforcethegreaterthe
(Ae+Ac )p,themoreenlargedtheballseatingroomandthemorebeneficialtothattheballleavesitsseatsforfree
floatingbutnotforsealing.ThethrustW s =As pofmediumonballsisthesealingactuationforcethegreaterthe
As p,themorebeneficialtothattheballresiststoitsseparationfromitsdownstreamseattokeepitssealing
status.Therefore,m=W s /W u=As (Ae+Ac )isaninherentcharacteristicindexorthesealingmaintainingfactorof
theballvalveseatthegreaterthevalueofm,thebetterthedisturbanceresistanceoftheseatifthedisturbance
resistanceoftheseatisnotenoughorthedisturbanceresistanceindexmoftheseatistoosmall,itmeansthat
theballfloatedpressureonthedownstreamseatcannotresisttotheballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdrive
soasfortheseattoperformitstightclosureonlybyitsclampingforceW 2.Infact,theballvalvewhosedesignis
likeafloatingballvalvebutwhoseballisclampedtootightbyitsseatstofloatshouldbecalledaseatmounted
ballvalveoraformalorfalsefloatingballvalve.AsshowninFig.5,theclosingorworkingconditionforformal
floatingballvalvesisW 2>W s =As p=m(Ae+Ac )p,andforrealfloatingballvalves,W s =As p=m(Ae+Ac )p>W 2.
[0020]

Sincethepriorarthasbeenfarawayfromtheabovementionedsealingscienceandcannotmakeuseoftheball
floatingforceW s frommediumbutcannothelprelyingonthebiggerthanW s ballciampmgforceW 2fromseatsto
realizethetightclosureoffloatingballvalves,allthefloatingballvalvesofthepriorartmustbetheformalfloating
ballvalvewhoseonoffballisclampedtootightbyitstwoseatstofloatwithinthewholeworkingpressurerange.

[0021]

Astotheseatoffloatingballvalves,sinceitsdisturbanceresistancefactorm=As /(Ac +Ac )(theactuatingareaof

mediumontheballovertheactuatingareaofmediumontheseat),itisofimportancetomanagetoreduceasfully
aspossibletheactuatingarea(Ae+Ac )ofmediumontheseat,especiallytheuselessexposedareaAethereof,
withinthematerialallowablestrengthinordertodecreasetheamplifiedoutputoftheballwedgeddisturbancefrom
eccentricdriveandmaintainamorereliabletightclosurebyfloatingballi.e.itisnotsignificanttodisputeifthe
specificvalue(2)ofdisturbanceresistancefactormgivenabovebyrulesofthumbisenoughaccurate.

[0022]

AccordingtotheconceptsinASMECode,theballpreclampingforcefromtheseatsoffloatingballvalvesasa
selfenergizedsealisresponsibleonlyforprovidingtheminimumseatingstressyrequiredoftheseatunderno
mediumpressure,onlyrelevanttomaterialsandsealingcontactdesigns.Astoacertaindesignofsealing
contacts,theminimumseatingstressyrequiredoftheseatonlyrelatestoitsmaterialyieldstrength,whichmay
beconstruedasthestressgettingthematerialyieldedandseatedintoirregularitiesonthejointsurfaceandwhose
theoreticalvalueshouldapproximatetothematerialyieldstrengthbutwhosepracticalvalueisonlyamajor
percentofthematerialyieldstrengthbecausethepracticalcontactingareaisonlyamajorpercentofthestress
calculatingarea.Accordingtotheinvention,asealingdesigncanalwaysensureitssealingmaterialbothafull
microcosmicdeformationstressbylinecontactsandasafestmacrocosmicstressbysurfacecontactsprotecting
thelinecontactfromforeverdisappearing,aslongasthesealdesignisofamicrolinecontactfollowedbya
microsurfacecontactorofamicrosawtoothedcontactorofbothalinecontactfollowedbyasurfacecontactanda
surfacecontacthavingapermanentlinecontacttherein.Ifthemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurface
contactisusedinthesealingdesignofvalveseats,anyvalveseat,whetheritismadeofmetalornonmetal,
requiresofitsclosingsealonlyaseatingforcesosmallastobenegligiblebecauseasmallpressingloadcan
produceanapproximateinfinitecontactingstressbythemicrolinecontactwhosecontactingareaapproximatesto
zero.Inotherwords,ifdesignedbythemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecontactandsupposedtobea
nonselfenergizedseal,amountedseatforfloatingballvalvescanuseaballclampingforcesosmallastobe
negligibleandthatasmallthrustofmediumontheballcanreplacetheballclampingforcefromtheupstreamseat
andmaketheballbeseparatedfromitsupstreamseat,thusresultinginthattherotationresistancetotheballand
theloadoftheseatundermediumpressureisonlyfromthethrustW s ofmediumontheballandundernomedium
pressure,onlyfromthenegligibleballclampingforcesW 2ofthetwoseats.

[0023]

AsshowninUS7243900(CN2713240),US20030111631,US6948699,US4658847,US4557461,US4502663,
US4457491,US4236691,US4235418,US2963263,US2945666etc.,thepriorarthasthoughtthatthetight
closureoffloatingballvalvesisnaturallyselfenergizedbutneverconsideredtheactuatingareaofmediumontheir
seat,especiallytheinfluenceoftheirseatexposureareaonitsselfsealingaction,andneitherconsideredthe
relationshipbetweentheirballclampingforceW 2andtheirselfenergizedtightclosuresoastomaketheirseat
haveaconsiderablemediumactuationarea(Ae+Ac )orhaveahighpoweramplifyingcapabilityfortheballwedged
disturbancefromeccentricdrive,andhencethefloatingballvalvesofthepriorartareactuallyonlytheformalor
falsefloatingballvalvewhosetightclosureisrealizedonlybytheballclampingforceW 2fromtheseatsbutnotby
theballfloatingforceAs pfrommedium.SincethetightclosingconditionofformalfloatingballvalvesisW 2>W s
=As p,itisnecessarytoensurethattheirmountedseatcanprovideaballclampingforceW 2(>1.1As pw)inorder
forthemtopasstheclosuretestof1.1timestheworkingpressurepwspecifiedbythestandards,whereAs isthe
actuatingareaofmediumontheball.Therefore,theultimaterotationtorqueofthepriorfloatingballvalvesis
generatedatleastbytheballclampingforce2.1.1As pwfromtheirtwoseatsbutnotbythemaximumforce
1.1As pwonlyfromoneoftheirtwoseats.

[0024]

Insummary,itcanbeseenfromtheaboveanalyzingoffloatingballvalvesbyapplyingtheconceptinASME

Codethatsupposingtheirclosingsealtobeaselfenergizedsealisundoubtedlynotconsideringanyinfluenceof
theotherfactorsonthefloatingoftheironoffballinconceptsanddesigns,naturallyincapableofexcludingthe
influenceoftheubiquitousballwedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdrivesoasfortheirclosingsealtobefaraway
fromtheselfsealingadvantage,andunconsciouslythoroughlydiscardingtheirnaturalballfloatingforcefrom
mediumandextrausingballclampingforcesfromtheirseatsfortheirtightclosurehowever,supposingtheir
closingsealtobeanonselfenergizedsealcomestomaketheirclosingsealhavetheselfsealingadvantageonly
torelyontheirnaturalballfloatingforcefrommediumbutnotonextraballclampingforcesfromtheirseatsfortheir
tightclosureonlybyreducingtheactuatingareaofmediumontheirseatordecreasingtheamplifyingoftheirball
wedgeddisturbancefromeccentricdriveobviously,thedevelopmentofknowledgeabouttheirtightclosurefrom
"selfsealing"ofthepriorartto"nonselfsealing"oftheinventionisareversingdevelopmentofthinkingwayand
naturallyresultsinarevolutionarychangeforthem,whichisamazingbutverifiabletoseethatthemaximumforce
causingtheirrotationresistanceorthemaximumloadontheirseatswillbereducedfromatleast2.1.1As pw,toat
mostAs pwdecreasedatleastby1.1times.
[0025]

Thefloatingballvalveischaracterizedbysimpledesign,lowcostandeasymaintenance,whilethetrunnion
mountedballvalve,incontrast,bycomplexdesign,highcostanddifficultmaintenance.Theoriginalpurposeof
substitutingthetrunnionmountedballvalveforthefloatingballvalveistouseanotherbearinginsteadofthe
downstreamseatforbearingthethrustofmediumontheballinordertoenableasoftseattobeburdenedwitha
higherclosingpressure,ortomakeagreatsizeofballvalvesnotbelimitedtomaterialstrengthoftheirseats.The
additionalresultisdecreasingoperationtorquewhenusingthetrunnionmountedballvalveinsteadofthefloating
ballvalve,Sincetheseatoftheinventioncandecreasetheoperationtorqueoffloatingballvalvesofthepriorart
byatleast50%,thecheapandreliablefloatingballvalvecanbesubstitutedfortheexpensivetrunnionmounted
ballvalveinagreatersizeiftheseatoftheinventioncanhaveanextraallowablecompressivestress?

[0026]

ISO14313/API6Dspecifiesthataballvalveshallbeprovidedwithanautomaticpressurerelieftopreventthe
pressuretrappedinthebodycavityfromexceeding1.33timesthevalvepressurerating(forthemediumtrappedin
thebodycavitywhenvalveopensorcloseswillbethermallyexpandedtobreedadangerouspressure),andthat
thefireresistancedesignofvalvesshallbequalifiedbyfiretestinginaccordancewithISO10497(API6FA).To
satisfytherequirementofthepressurereliefoftheballvalvecavity,US4557461,US4385747,US4236691,
US3488033,GB2023773etc.proposesomecomplexpressurerelievingseats.Topassthefireresistancetest,
W082/03898proposesacomplexfireresistancedesignofseats.Allthesecomplexpatentedvalveseatscanbe
omittediftheequilateraltrianglesectionofballvalveseatsenclosedforbeingcompressedinaccordancewiththe
inventionisnaturallyabletosatisfytherequirementsofthepressurereliefandthefireresistancespecifiedinISO
14313/API6D?

[0027]

Ametallicseatofballvalvesisessentialforahightemperatureservice.However,asshowninUS4940208,
US4502663,US4262688,US4235418,US4147327etc.,themetricandnonmetallicseatsforafloatingball
valvehaveadesigndifferentfromeachother,andasshowninUS7032880,US4601308,US4318420,
US3752178,US3164362,US3269691etc.,thefloatingseatassemblyfortrunnionmountedballvalveshas
alwaysanOringunsuitableforahightemperatureserviceandresultsinthattheyhavenothingtodowiththe
metallicseatforahightemperatureservice.Sowhatawonderfulthingitissupposingthatthetrianglesectional
seatoftheinventioncanhavethemetallicandnonmetallicseatsforafloatingballvalveunifiedintoonedesign
andprovideafloatingseatassemblywithoutanOringforamountedballvalvedesign!

Summaryoftheinvention
[0028]

Whattechnicalproblemfortheinventiontosolveistoproposeaprincipleandmethodfordesigningballvalve
seatsandherebytoprovideaseriesofidealballvalveseats.

[0029]

Theprincipleandmethodfordesigningballvalveseatsproposedbytheinventionmainlyincludesthefollowing
points:
1. aTheballvalveseatshouldbeofthesectionwhichisasunexposedandasapproximatetoanequilateral
anglewhosesideistheballsealingchordaspossible.
2. bItisconditionalfortheclosingsealoffloatingballvalvestoworkaccordingtoselfsealingasshownin
Fig.5,itiswhenW s =m(Ae+Ac )p>W 2andmisenoughbigthatfloatingballvalvescanrealizetheirtight
closurerelyingonthefloatingoftheirball,orelseonlyontheballclampingforceW 2fromtheirseats,where
W s =ballfloatedsealingforcesortheballfloatedpressureorballfloatingforcesfrommedium(thrustof
mediumonballs),W 2=ballclampingforcesfromseats,Ae=seat'sannularareasexposedincavity,Ac =
seat'sannularareascoveredbyballs(includingnoncontactingareasAcp),Ae+Ac =Au=annularactuating
areasofmediumonseats,p=mediumpressure,m(sealingmaintainingfactorordisturbanceresistance
indexofseats)=thesealingactuationforcedividedbytheunsealingactuationforce.
3. cItisinevitableforthetightclosureofaballvalvetobedisturbedbyitsball'swedgingaction,anditsball
seatisanupsetimpulseamplifierwithaninherentdisturbanceresistanceindexmasshowninFig.5,the
disturbanceresistanceindexm[=As p/(Ae+Ac )p=Ds 2/(Do2Di2)]oftheseatforfloatingballvalves
determinestheirdisturbanceresistanceforsealingservices,whereAs =actuatingareasofmediumonballs
(circularareasofdia.Ds ),Ae=seat'sannularareasexposedincavity,Ac =seat'sannularareascoveredby
balls(includingnoncontactingareasAep),Ae+Ac =Au=annularactuatingareasofmediumonseats,p=
mediumpressure,As p=ballfloatedsealingforcesortheballfloatedpressureorballfloatingforcesfrom
medium(thrustofmediumonballs),(Ae+Ac )p=unsealingforcesofmediumonseats(thrustofmediumon
seats),Do=outsidediametersofseats,Ds =actuatingdiameterofballsagainstseats,Di=inside
diameterofseatsi.e.thegreaterthedisturbanceresistancefactormoftheirseat,thestrongerthe

disturbanceresistanceoftheirsealingdesigninotherwords,itshouldbetothemaximumextentpossible
onthepremiseofnotexceedingthematerialallowablestrengthtomakethemountedseatforfloatingball
valveshaveareducedactuatingarea(Ae+Ac )ofmediumontheseat,especiallyareduceduseless
exposedareaAethereof,soastohaveadecreasedamplifiedoutputoftheballwedgeddisturbancefrom
eccentricdriveandamorereliableclosingseal.
4. dThefloatingballvalvewhoseseathasnotenoughdisturbanceresistancecanmaintainitstightclosure
onlybytheballclampingforceW 2fromitsseatsbutnotbythethrustW s ofmediumonitsball,and
actuallyisonlyaformalfloatingballvalvewhoseballlooksfloatableindesign.
5. eAsealingcontactcanalwaysensureitssealingmaterialafullmicrocosmicdeformationstressbyline
contactsandalsoasafestmacrocosmicstressbysurfacecontactsprotectingthelinecontactfromforever
disappearing,aslongasthesealingcontactisofamicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecontactor
ofamicrosawtoothedcontactorofbothalinecontactfollowedbyasurfacecontactandasurfacecontact
havingapermanentlinecontacttherein.Ifdesignedbythemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurface
contact,anyvalveseat,whetheritismadeofmetalornonmetalrequiresofitsclosingsealonlyaseating
forcesosmallastobenegligiblebecauseasmallpressingloadcanproduceanapproximateinfinite
contactingstressbythemicrolinecontactwhosecontactingareaapproximatestozero.Inotherwords,to
decreasetheballclampingforcefromvalveseatsandmakemoreeffectiveuseoftheselfsealing
performanceoffloatingballsorseats,anyballvalveseatmadeofhighstrengthmaterial,especiallyof
metal,shouldusethemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecontactasitssealingdesign.
[0030]

WhatisshowninFigs.1and2isanidenticalusualfloatingballvalverespectivelyinitsfullyopenandclosed
positions,whereseat02isresponsibleforprovidingthemountingjoint,therotatingsupportandtheclosingsealof
ball03invalvebody01,thefasteningengagementofendcover05andthevalvebodybythreadsforprovidingthe
mountingorfixingoftheballandtheseatsinthevalvebody,gasket04forprovidingthesealingofthebodyjoint,
valvestem06forprovidingtherotatingoperationoftheball,andastempackingassemblyforprovidingthesealing
ofthestem.Astheinventiononlyrelatestousingvarioussectionsofvalveseatsforrealizingthemountingjoint,
therotatingsupportandthetightclosureoftheballinthevalvebody,avarietyoftechnicalsolutionsincluding
floatingseatsfortrunnionmountedballvalvesoftheinventioncanbeenoughillustratedtoausualskilled
technicianonlybyusingsomepartialorpartiallyenlargedviewscorrespondingtoFigs.1and2andincludingthe
valvebody,thevalveseatandtheonoffball.Inliteraldescriptions,the"mountedseat"referstotheusualseatfor
floatingballvalvesbutactuallymayfloatabit,the"floatingseat"referstotheusualseatformountedballvalves
butactuallytheonoffballmayalsofloatabit,the"projection"referstotheprojectiononrelatedcoordinateplanes
orcoordinateaxesinthecoordinatesystemwiththecenterlineoftheballcentralboreasaxisX,andthephrases"
(theseat)designedaccordingto(equilateral)trianglesectionmethods'',"(theseat)designedwithan(equilateral)
triangleasitssectionfactor/constituent/outline"and"(theseat)designedwithitssectionapproximatetoan
(equilateral)triangle"aresometimessimilarinmeaning.

[0031]

AsshowninFig.7a(theenlargementoflocalviewXinFig.1a),anyusualmountedseat02forfloatingballvalves
includesaninherentsectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABCinitssection,whosesideABdeterminestheball
seatingconeoftheseat(i.e.sideABisthechordoppositetothesealingarcortheballsealingchordoftheseat),
whosesideBCdoesthesealingendsurfaceoftheseat(i.e.theprojectionCF'ofsideBCmaybethesealingend
sideofthesectionoftheseat),whosesideCAdoesthesupportedcylindricalsurfaceoftheseat(i.e.the
projectionCDofsideCAisthegeneratrixofthecylindricalsurfaceoftheseat),whoseballsealingchordlength
doestheallowableloadofthematerialselectedfortheseat,whosevertexCdoestheexposingdegreeofthe
seat,andwhosevertexesA,BandCdoesthediameters(Ds =actuatingdiameteroftheballontheseatDi=
insidediameteroftheseatandDo=outsidediameteroftheseat)andthedisturbanceresistancefactorm=Ds
2/(D 2D 2)orthesealingreliabilityofthefloatingballvalve.Infact,anyballvalveseat,howeverdifferentits
o
i

sectionalshapeanddesigningdetailare,canbedesignedordevelopedbyusinganequilateraltriangleasits
sectiondesigningessentialtocontroltheessentialcharacteristicofballvalves.Therefore,theinventionproposes
designingballvalveseatsaccordingtoequilateraltrianglesectionmethods.
[0032]

AsshowninFig.6(theball03anditsseatdesigningequilateraltriangleextractedfromFig.1a),theballsealingarc
ortheballsealingchordABofthesectiondesigningtriangleABCoftheseatshouldbesymmetricallyarranged
withinthedatumsegmentA'B'demarcatedbytheprojectionlineandthetangentB"A'oftheball'ssmallcircled'
ontheballendfaceinthetwopositionsoftheballrotatedfor90inordertoenablethesealingarc(surface)to
fullypressontheballsurfaceandkeepitssealingreadinesswhenthevalveisfullyopenedorclosedlettingthe
endAoftheballsealingchordABbebeyondthetangentB"A'ofthecircled',theendfaceoftheballinthefully
closedposition(asshownbydashedlinesinFig.2b)willrestonandbeseatedintheballsealingsurfaceand
causetheseattobedeformedordamagedlettingtheendBoftheballsealingchordABbebeyondtheballend
facewillcausetheseatareducedinsidediameterorcausetheupstreamseattowashawayortobeextruded,or
causetheseatanincreasedballcoveredareaAeporcausethedownstreamseattohaveareduceddisturbance
resistance(asshowninFig.5b).SincetherealwaysexistsanequationofB"O'=B"O=r'independentofthe
magnitudeoftheballdiameterdandtheball'ssmallcirclediameterd',theballsealingchordABofthesection
designingtriangleABCoftheballvalveseatisata45degreeangletotheborecenterlineoftheball.Therefore,
theinventionproposesamountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasits
sectionfactor(seeFig.7a),whereinsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheballsealingchordofthesaidseat,the
surfaceofrevolutionofeithertheprojectionortheextendedprojectionofsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthe
saidseat,thesurfaceofrevolutionoftheprojectionofsideCAisthesupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseat,
andvertexCisanintersectionoftheoutlineofthesaidseatthesaidsealingchord(AB)isata45degreeangleto

theaxisofthecentralboreofthesaidball,i.e.thesaidballsealingsurfaceofthesaidseatispremanufactured
intoeithera90conicalsurfaceconcentricwiththesaidseatandtobeintersectedwiththesaidballora
camberedsurfacegeneratedwiththesaid90conicalsurfaceintersectedwiththesaidballthelengthofthesaid
ballsealingchordandtheintersectionpositionoftheoutlineofthesaidseatisdeterminedbythematerial
allowablestrengthandthedisturbanceresistancefactormrequiredofthesaidseat.
[0033]

Theabovementionedmountedseatisonlyacommonseatforfloatingballvalveswhichisofusinganequilateral
triangleastheirseatsectionfactorbutnotastheirseatsectionoutlineandaimedatimprovingtheirclosing
tightnessandreducingtheiroperationtorqueprimarilybycontrollingtheorientationandlengthoftheballsealing
chordABoftheirseatdesigningtriangleABCandtheirseatexposureordisturbanceresistancefactorm.The
improvedseat,mainlyfeaturingasimpleststructureandalowestcost,neitherthoroughlysolvestheproblems
suchascreptorextrudeddeformationofitsmaterialcausedbyitsexposuresnorfullysatisfiestherequirements
forsomespecialapplications,suchasthefireresistanceservicespecifiedinAPI6D.Thesocalledfireresistance
ballvalvereferstothevalvewhosetightclosureisperformedbythemetaltononmetalcontactbetweenitsball
anditsseatundernormalworkingconditionsandbythemetaltometalcontactbetweenitsballanditsbodyunder
fireconditionsi.e.thefireresistanceballvalveneedsasealingliponitsbodywhichapproximatestobutdoesnot
contactwithitsballundernormalworkingconditionssoastogetintothemetaltometalsealingcontactonburning
awayitsnonmetallicseat.Therefore,inordertomeetrequirementsofthefireresistancedesignspecifiedinAPI
6D,theinventionproposesamountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasits
sectionconstituent(seeFig.8a),whereinsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheballsealingchordofthesaidseat,
thesurfaceofrevolutionofsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,thesurfaceofrevolutionofthe
projectionofsideCAisthesupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseat,andvertexCisanintersectionofthe
outlineofthesaidseatthesaidsealingchord(AB)isata45degreeangletotheaxisofthecentralboreofthe
saidball,i.e.thesaidballsealingsurfaceofthesaidseatispremanufacturedintoeithera90conicalsurface
concentricwiththesaidseatandtobeintersectedwiththesaidballoracamberedsurfacegeneratedwiththesaid
90conicalsurfaceintersectedwiththesaidballthelengthofthesaidballsealingchordandtheintersection
positionoftheoutlineofthesaidseatisdeterminedbythematerialallowablestrengthandthedisturbance
resistancefactormrequiredofthesaidseat.

[0034]

Theabovementionedmountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssection
constituentistoeliminateitsseatexposureonlyinthevalvepassagebutnotinthebodycavity.Inorderto
eliminatetheseatexposuresinboththepassageandthecavity,theinventionproposesamountedseatfor
floatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofaninner
sealingring(innerring)andanoutersupportingring(outerring)(seeFig.9a),whereinthesaidinnerringisofusing
thesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutline:sideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheballsealingchordof
thesaidseat,thesurfaceofrevolutionofsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceof
revolutionofsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceofthesaidinnerringthesaidouterringisofatrapezoidsection,
whoseheightsideisthegeneratrixofthecylindricalsurfaceofthesaidouterringorthesaidseat,betweenwhich
andwhoseaccommodatingboreinthevalvebodyisaclearancefit,andwhoseobliquesideisthegeneratrixof
theconicalsurfaceforsupportingthesaidinnerringthesaidballunderfluidpressurepressesatthesametime
thesaidouterringandthesaidinnerringmutuallysupportedtomakebothbeinitiativelypressedtoprotecteach
otherfrombeingpressedthesaidouterringismadeofhigherstrengthmaterialthanthesaidinnerring.Asshown
inFig.9b,thethrustofmediumontheballis(Ds 2p/4=)Fs =Fcos+Fsin(whereFcosistheaxialcomponent
ontheinnerring,Fsinistheaxialcomponentontheouterring,Fisthenormalforceoneachinnerringsurface,
is45,is15pisthemediumpressure,andDs istheactuatingdiameteroftheballontheseat),thetotalnormal
forceonthejointballsupportingsurfaceoftheinnerandouterringsisFs /cosandtheradialornormalforceon
thesurfaceoftheinnerringisonlyFi.e.theratioofthebearingcapacityofthesealingmaterialusedforthe
doubleringseattothatusedforthesingleringseatis(Fs /cos)/F=1+sin/cos=1.366,whichactuallyis
becausethattheinnerringoftheinventionisusingtwosurfacetobearthethrustofmediumonballsandthe
singleringseatisusingonesurface.Inaddition,theinnerringisalmostenclosedforbeingcompressedand,like
theoilinahydrauliccylinder,hasnocompressivedeformation,noextrusivedeformationorruptureandnowhereto
creepandhencecanhaveanactualbearingstrengthfarhigherthanitsmaterialallowablestrength.Therefore,the
assembledseatoftheinventioncanensurethatthesoftmaterialwithexcellentsealingpropertyisusedfora
higherpressurelimitofvalvesandhasalongerlifetimeandahigherreliability.

[0035]

Generallyspeaking,highpressureapplicationsrequirenonmetalormetalvalveseatswithhighstrength,andhigh
temperatureservicesrequiremetalvalveseats.Inordertoincreasethesealingperformanceofthehighstrength
seat,particularlytheoneofthemetallicseat,andtodecreasetheoperationtorqueoffloatingballvalves,the
inventionespeciallyproposesamountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABC
asitssectionfactor(seeFigs.7aand7c),whereinthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABC
istheoriginalballsealingconeofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingeithertheprojectionortheextended
projectionofsideBCistheoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingthe
projectionofsideCAistheoriginalsupportedcylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseatinaccordancewithfinal
requirementsofelasticdeformationforthesaidseat,thesaidoriginalcylindricalsurfaceandthesaidoriginalend
surfacearepartiallycutsmallandshorttomakethesaidoriginalcylindricalsurfacebecomeasteppedcylindrical
outsidesurfaceandtheintersectioncircleofthenewlydevelopedcylindricalsurfaceandendsurfacebeaway
fromthevertexCofthesaidtriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,
andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleand
paralleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtoothringstobedevelopedinthesaidoriginal
ballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABand

paralleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromtheonoffballsurface
passingthroughthevertexesofthesaidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsisZt
relativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtoothringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedor
maynotontheremainingendsurface,andifnot,asoftgasketwithaconfigurationandvolumeequivalenttothe
cutoutpartisrequired.Thecrestofallthesawtoothringsisacuttingedgewhosecornerorwhosecrestangleis
about90120,thetoothheightZtisabout1020timestheroughnessRaoftheseatedsurface,andtheratioof
thetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratioofthewidthXs totheheightZt
ofprofileelementsbetweenthesurfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthesurfacewavinesswith
narrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbyasmooth(conicalor
spherical)surfaceprotectingthelinecontactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbeeasytorealizethe
sealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurfacewithoutlapping.ThetoothheightZtdeterminesthedeformingmeasure
ofthelinecontact,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtdoesthevelocityatwhichtheline
contactisfollowedbythesurfacecontactortheextenttowhichthelinecontactisprovidedandprotected.Ina
certainsealingsurface,thesmallertheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZt,themorethenumberofthe
bearingteeth,theslowerthevelocityatwhicheachlineisfollowedbyasurface,andviceversausingadifferent
numberofteethinacertainsealingsurfacemayresultinadifferentvelocityforeachsingletooth,butthetotal
velocityorthetotalsealingeffectforthemmaynotchangemuchorasealingdesignofmoreteethmayhavethe
samesealingeffectastheoneoflessteethtosomeextent.Ifthevelocityisdifferentatwhichalineisfollowed
byasurface,thefasterthevelocity,thelargerthesealingcontactarea,thesmallerthesealingcontactstress,the
moredecreasedtherotationalresistanceandthesealingperformance,andviceversa.
[0036]

TheinventionalsoproposesamountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABC
asitssectionconstituent(seeFigs.8aand8c),whereinthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangle
ABCistheoriginalballsealingconeofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBCistheoriginalsealing
endsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingtheprojectionofsideCAistheoriginalsupported
cylindricalsurfaceofthesaidseatinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsofelasticdeformationforthesaidseat,
thesaidoriginalcylindricalsurfaceandthesaidoriginalendsurfacearepartiallycutsmallandshorttomakethe
saidoriginalcylindricalsurfacebecomeasteppedcylindricaloutsidesurfaceandtheintersectioncircleofthe
newlydevelopedcylindricalsurfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthevertexCofthesaidtriangleABCalongits
altitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutout
whosebottomsurfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeit
isneededfortwosawtoothringstobedevelopedinthesaidoriginalballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercutof
conicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealingcone
andhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexesofthesaidsawtooth
rings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsisZtrelativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoor
moresawtoothringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotontheremainingendsurface,andifnot,a
softgasketwithaconfigurationandvolumeequivalenttothecutoutpartisrequired.Thecrestofallthesawtooth
ringsisacuttingedgewhosecornerorwhosecrestangleisabout90120thetoothheightZtisabout1020
timestheroughnessRaoftheseatedsurface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals
20500(correspondingtotheratioofthewidthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthesurface
roughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthesurfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthat
adeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbyasmooth(conicalorspherical)bearingsurfaceprotectingthelinecontact
thereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbeeasytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurface
withoutlapping.ThetoothheightZtdeterminesthedeformingmeasureofthelinecontact,andtheratioofthetooth
pitchXs tothetoothheightZtdoesthevelocityatwhichthelinecontactisfollowedbythesurfacecontactorthe
extenttowhichthelinecontactisprovidedandprotected.Inpertainsealingsurface,thesmallertheratioofthe
toothpitchXs tothetoothheightZt,themorethenumberofthebearingteeth,theslowerthevelocityatwhich
eachlineisfollowedbyasurface,andviceversausingadifferentnumberofteethinacertainsealingsurface
mayresultinadifferentvelocityforeachsingletooth,butthetotalvelocityorthetotalsealingeffectforthemmay
notchangemuchorasealingdesignofmoreteethmayhavethesamesealingeffectastheoneoflessteethto
someextent.Ifthevelocityisdifferentatwhichalineisfollowedbyasurface,thefasterthevelocity,thelarger
thesealingcontactarea,thesmallerthesealingcontactstress,themoredecreasedtherotationalresistanceand
thesealingperformance,andviceversa.

[0037]

TheinventionalsoproposesamountedhardseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABC
asitssectionoutlineandcomposedofaninnersealingring(innerring)andanoutersupportingring(outerring)
(seeFigs.9aand9e),whereinthesaidinnerringisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutline:
thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheoriginalballseatingconeofthesaidseat,
thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBCistheoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthesaidseat,andthesurfaceformed
byrotatingsideCAistheoriginalsupportedsurfaceofthesaidinnerringthesaidouterringisofatrapezoid
section,whoseheightsideisthegeneratrixofthecylindricalsurfaceofthesaidouterringorthesaidseat,
betweenwhichandwhoseaccommodatingboreinthevalvebodyisaclearancefit,andwhoseobliquesideisthe
generatrixoftheconicalsurfaceforsupportingthesaidinnerringthesaidballunderfluidpressurepressesatthe
sametimethesaidouterringandthesaidinnerringmutuallysupportedtomakebothbeinitiativelypressedto
protecteachotherfrombeingpressedthesaidouterringismadeofhigherstrengthmaterialthanthesaidinner
ringinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsofelasticdeformationforthesaidinnerring,thesaidoriginalsupported

surfaceandthesaidoriginalsealingendsurfaceofthesaidinnerringarepartiallycutsmallandshorttoforma
newcylindricalsurfaceandanewendsurfaceandtomaketheintersectioncircleofthesaidnewcylindrical
surfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthevertexCofthesaidtriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthe
vertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangent
tothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtoothrings
tobedevelopedinthesaidoriginalballsealingconebycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacessymmetrically
arrangedaboutthesaidsideABandparalleltothesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistanceZt
awayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthroughthevertexesofthesaidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheight
ofthesaidsawtoothringsisZtrelativetothesaidonoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtoothringswitha
heightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotontheremainingendsurfaceofthesaidinnerring,andifnot,asoft
gasketwithaconfigurationandvolumeequivalenttothecutoutpartisrequired.Thecrestofallthesawtoothrings
isacuttingedgewhosecornerorwhosecrestangleisabout90120,thetoothheightZtisabout1020times
theroughnessRaoftheseatedsurface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals20500
(correspondingtotheratioofthewidthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthesurfaceroughnesswith
widerprofileelementsandthesurfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthatadeforming
sealingedgeisfollowedbyasmooth(conicalorspherical)bearingsurfaceprotectingthelinecontactthereonfrom
foreverdisappearingsothatitcanbeeasytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurfacewithout
lapping.ThetoothheightZtdeterminesthedeformingmeasureofthelinecontact,andtheratioofthetoothpitch
Xs tothetoothheightZtdoesthevelocityatwhichthelinecontactisfollowedbythesurfacecontactortheextent
towhichthelinecontactisprovidedandprotected.Inacertainsealingsurface,thesmallertheratioofthetooth
pitchXs tothetoothheightZt,themorethenumberofthebearingteeth,theslowerthevelocityatwhicheachline
isfollowedbyasurface,andviceversausingadifferentnumberofteethinacertainsealingsurfacemayresultin
adifferentvelocityforeachsingletooth,butthetotalvelocityorthetotalsealingeffectforthemmaynotchange
muchorasealingdesignofmoreteethmayhavethesamesealingeffectastheoneoflessteethtosomeextent.
Ifthevelocityisdifferentatwhichalineisfollowedbyasurface,thefasterthevelocity,thelargerthesealing
contactarea,thesmallerthesealingcontactstress,themoredecreasedtherotationalresistanceandthesealing
performance,andviceversa.
[0038]

AsshowninFig.10,thefloatingvalveseatofthepriorart,composedofasealingring02a,asupportingring02b,
anOring02candapreloadingspring02d,alwayshasanOringunsuitableforhightemperatureservicessoasto
makethetrunnionmountedballvalvehavealmosthadnothingtodowiththemetallicseatforhightemperature
services.Asthemediumpressureisincreasedtosomeextent,thepreloadingspring02dwilltakenoeffectonthe
supportingring02bsothatunderdisturbancetheupstreamseatcanbeawayfromthesealingcontactwithitsball
andreturnbacktobeingrepushedbythepreloadingspringtocausetheseatandtheballabackandforthvibration
duringoperation,forthesealingactuationareaofmediumontheseatisalwaysequaltotheunsealingactuation
areaAu=Do2/4Di2/4ofmediumontheseat,orthefrontmediumactuationareaoftheseat(atthesideclose
totheball)isalwaysequaltothebackmediumactuationareaoftheseat(atthesidefarawayfromtheball),or
thedisturbanceresistancefactorinoftheseatisalways1.Toavoidthevibrationduringoperation,thepriorarthas
touseaspringpreloadgreaterthantheultimatesealingactuationforceofmediumontheseat,whichisequivalent
toincreasingthedisturbanceresistancefactoroftheseat,andcausesthesealingringandtheballtobealways
undertheultimatepressureandmaximizesboththecreptdeformationofthesealingmaterialandtherotation
resistancetotheball.

[0039]

Inordertoimprovethesealingperformanceoffloatingseatsforballvalves,theinventionespeciallyproposesa
floatingseatformountedballvalvesdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposed
ofasealingring,asupportingring,aclampingring,asealinggasketandapreloadingspring(seeFig.11),wherein
thesaidsealingringisthefloatingsealingelementofthesaidseatandisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABC
asitssectionoutline:thesurfaceformedbyrotatingarcABoppositetosideABofthesaidtriangleABCisthe
ballsealingsurfaceofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBCistheclampedsurfaceofthesaid
seeingring,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceofthesaidsealingringthesaid
supportingringisresponsibleforprovidingasealingsupportforthesaidsupportedsurfaceaftercompletingthe
fasteningandsealingconnectionwiththevalveendcoverbyathreadengagementandthesaidsealinggasket
thesaidpreloadingspringprovidesaninitialseatingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaidclampingring,anda
mediumpressureprovidesasealingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaidclampingringornotby.The
mediumpressurecanonlyindirectlypressthesealingringthroughtheclampingringifthereisatightengagement
betweentheclampedsurfaceandtheclampingsurface,andifnottherebetween,themediumcanfreelyenterthe
contactsurfaceanddirectlypressthesealingring.Ithasahighersealingefficiency,withoutfrictionloss,for
mediumtodirectlypressonthesealingring.

[0040]

Inordertofurtherbreakthroughthelimitationoftrunnionmountedballvalvesinhightemperatureandhighpressure
services,theinventionespeciallyproposesafloatinghardseatformountedballvalvesdesignedwithan
equilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineandcomposedofasealingring,asupportingring,aclampingring,a
sealinggasketandapreloadingspring(seeFigs.11aand11h),whereinthesaidsealingringisthefloatingsealing
elementofthesaidseatandisofusingthesaidequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutline:thesurfaceformed
byrotatingsideABofthesaidtriangleABCistheoriginalballsealingconeofthesaidseat,thesurfaceformedby
rotatingsideBCistheoriginalclampedsurfaceofthesaidsealingring,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCA
istheoriginalsupportedsurfaceofthesaidsealingringinaccordancewithfinalrequirementsofelastic
deformationforthesaidsealingring,thesaidoriginalclampedsurfaceandthesaidoriginalsupportedsurfaceof

thesaidsealingringarepartiallycutsmallandshorttoformanewcylindricalsurfaceandanewendsurfaceand
tomaketheintersectioncircleofthesaidnewcylindricalsurfaceandendsurfacebeawayfromthevertexCof
thesaidtriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannular
groove,ifnecessary,iscutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangenttothesaidintersectioncircleandparalleltothe
saidoriginalballsealingconeitisneededfortwosawtoothringstobedevelopedinthesaidoriginalballsealing
conebycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacessymmetricallyarrangedaboutthesaidsideABandparallelto
thesaidoriginalballsealingconeandhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromtheonoffballsurfacepassingthrough
thevertexesofthesaidsawtoothrings,whichmeanstheheightofthesaidsawtoothringsisZtrelativetothesaid
onoffballsurfaceanothertwoormoresawtoothringswithaheightofZtmaybedevelopedormaynotonthe
remainingsupportedsurfaceofthesaidinnerring,andifnot,asoftgasketwithaconfigurationandvolume
equivalenttothecutoutpartisrequired.Thecrestofallthesawtoothringsisacuttingedgewhosecorneror
whosecrestangleisabout90120,thetoothheightZtisabout1020timestheroughnessRaoftheseated
surface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratioofthe
widthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthesurfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthe
surfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbya
smooth(conicalorspherical)bearingsurfaceprotectingthelinecontactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothat
itcanbeeasytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurfacewithoutlapping.ThetoothheightZt
determinesthedeformingmeasureofthelinecontact,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtdoes
thevelocityatwhichthelinecontactisfollowedbythesurfacecontactortheextenttowhichthelinecontactis
providedandprotected.Inacertainsealingsurface,thesmallertheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheight
Zt,themorethenumberofthebearingteeth,theslowerthevelocityatwhicheachlineisfollowedbyasurface,
andviceversausingadifferentnumberofteethinacertainsealingsurfacemayresultinadifferentvelocityfor
eachsingletooth,butthetotalvelocityorthetotalsealingeffectforthemmaynotchangemuchorasealing
designofmoreteethmayhavethesamesealingeffectastheoneoflessteethtosomeextent.Ifthevelocityis
differentatwhichalineisfollowedbyasurface,thefasterthevelocity,thelargerthesealingcontactarea,the
smallerthesealingcontactstress,themoredecreasedtherotationalresistanceandthesealingperformance,and
viceversa.Thesaidsupportingringisresponsibleforprovidingasealingsupportforthesaidsupportedsurface
aftercompletingthefasteningandsealingconnectionwiththevalveendcoverbyathreadengagementandthe
saidsealinggasketthesaidpreloadingspringprovidesaninitialseatingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaid
clampingring,andamediumpressureprovidesasealingstressforthesaidsealingringbythesaidclampingring
ornotby.Themediumpressurecanonlyindirectlypressthesealingringthroughtheclampingringifthereisa
tightengagementbetweentheclampedsurfaceandtheclampingsurface,andifnottherebetween,themedium
canfreelyenterthecontactsurfaceanddirectlypressthesealingring.Ithasahigherpressurizingefficiency,
withoutfrictionloss,formediumtodirectlyonthesealingring.
[0041]

AsshowninFig.11a,thefloatingseatdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionoutline,withasealing
actuationareaAs =Do2/4Di2/4formediumontheseatandanunsealingactuationareaAu=Du2/4Di2/4
formediumontheseatorwithadisturbanceresistancefactorm=As /Au=(Do2Di2)/(Du2Di2)>1(duetoDo>
Du),canhaveanincreaseddisturbanceresistanceandadecreasedspringloadinadditiontoavoidinguseofO
ringssoasbothtodecreasetheoperationtorqueandtoeliminatethevibrationduringoperation,comparedtothe
priorartshowninFig.10.

[0042]

Thefloatingseatdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionoutline,havingasupportingringboth
convenientlymadeofthematerialsuitableformetaltometalsealsandconvenientlyassembledoradjustedtothe
positioningstatethatitapproximatestothecontactwithitsball,cancorrespondinglyhaveaballwhichisalmost
mountedbythesupportingringsbutnotbythetrunnionsincludingastemasatrunnion.Ifmountedbythe
supportingrings,theballwillalsoneedtofloatslightlyitisthefirstsealingactionfortheballtofloatslightlyonto
thesupportingringofthedownstreamseat,andthesecondsealingactionforthesealingringoftheupstreamseat
tofloatslightlyontotheball.Theballvalvewhoseseatandballbothfloatabitcanbothprovideamorereliable
closureandmeettherequirementofthedoubleblockandbleedvalve,andisalsothemostsuitablefordesigning
themetallicseatballvalves.

[0043]

Thetaskofballvalveseatsistoprovidetheinterfaceandsealbetweentheirballandtheirvalvebody,andtheir
ballsealingconeorsealingdatumsurfaceisata45degreetotheirmachinedsurfacesandtheirinstallingsurfaces
intheirvalvebody.Accordingly,aballvalveseathasatleastthreesurfacesatanangletoeachother:aball
sealingsurface,abodysealingsurfaceandabodysupportedsurfaceforforceequilibrium.Ifdesignedonlywith
thethreesurfaces,theballvalveseatwouldbeenclosedforcompressionorhavenoexposurewhenthevalveis
fullyclosedoropened,orbeofatriangularsection.Ifunexposed,thesoftseatwithexcellentsealingpropertycan,
liketheoilinahydrauliccylinder,havenocompressivedeformation,noextrusivedeformationorruptureand
nowheretocreep,andhaveanactualbearingstrengthfarhigherthanitsmaterialallowablestrength,ahigher
applicablepressurelimit,alongerservicelifeandahigherreliability.Ifofequilateraltrianglesections,theball
valveseatfeaturesanequalactingforceandanunequalbearingareaforitseachsurface(duetoadifferent
formingradius)andjustideallymeetstheneedsofunequalstressesforitseachsurface:thehighstressonits
ballsealingsurfaceisjustitsneedfordynamicsealing,theintermediatestressonitsbodysealingsurfacejustits
needforstaticsealing,andthelowstressonitssupportedsurfacejustitsneedforslidingonitssupporting
surface.Furthermore,theballvalveseat,onlywithanequilateraltriangleasitssection,canavoidasharpcorner
weakerthan60,andhencetheoreticallyhadbetterbeofanequilateraltrianglesectionwithnoexposure.
Therefore,intheinvention,theballvalveseatwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionoutlineisthemostideal

cheapseatdesignedwithitssectionequaltoanequilateraltriangle,theballvalveseatwithanequilateraltriangle
asitssectionconstituentisthecheaperidealseatdesignedwithitssectionmoreapproximatetoanequilateral
triangle,andtheballvalveseatwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionfactoristhecheapestidealseatdesigned
withitssectionapproximatetoanequilateraltriangle.
[0044]

Itispossibletouseavarietyofmaterialswithdifferentstrengthtomeettheneedsofvariouspressureratingsof
valveseats,avarietyofmirosawtoothringswithdifferenttoothpitchtoadjusttheseatingforcefordifferent
materials,avarietyofsectiondesigningtriangleswithslightlydifferentsidelengthtoadjusttheseat
precompressingallowancefordifferentmaterialsonthepremiseofkeepingaconstantseatoutsidediameter,and
avarietyofrearcuttingvolumestogivethehighstrengthseatasuitableelasticityandprecompressingallowance,
sothatanyballvalveseatoftheidenticalsizesinvariouspressureratingscanbedesignedbyonesection
designingtriangleinaccordancewiththeinventionwhethermadeofmetalornonmetalandwhetherofamounted
seatforfloatingballvalvesorafloatingseatformountedballvalves.Therefore,itcanunifytheseatmounting
dimensionsandtheballdesigningdimensionsofvariousballvalvesforanidenticalsizeandeffectivelypromote
theirstandardizedproductiontodesigntheirseatsaccordingtoequilateraltrianglesectionmethods.Forexample,a
singleringseatofballvalvesdesignedwithequilateraltrianglesectionmethodsandwithitsdisturbanceresistance
factorm=2canbeusedforvalveswhosepressureratingis10MPawhenselectingthePolyetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE)whosetensilestrengthis33MPa,forvalveswhosepressureratingis15MPawhenselectingthe
polyoxymethylene(POM)whosetensilestrengthis45MPa,forvalveswhosepressureratingis25MPawhen
selectingthepolyetheretherketone(PEEK)whosetensilestrengthis90MPa,andforvalveswhosepressurerating
is42MPawhenselectingthepolyparaphenylene(PPP)whosetensilestrengthis207MFa.

[0045]

Itneedstobeespeciallypointedoutthatthefloatingseatformountedballvalveswithitsdisturbanceresistance
factormequalto1canrecoveritssealingcontactwithitsballbypreloadingspringsbutnotautomaticallyby
mediumpressureafterdisturbancedisappears,butthefloatingseatwithitsdisturbanceresistancefactormmore
than1canautomaticallyrecoveritssealingcontactwithitsballbymediumpressureafterdisturbancedisappears
aslongasthepreloadingspringcanprovidesomenecessaryinitialseatingonthesupportedsurfaceofitssealing
ringthatthemountedseatforfloatingballvalvesneedsadisturbanceresistancefactorgreaterthanthefloating
seatbecausethefloatingballcannotautomaticallyrecoveritssealingcontactwithitsseat(canonlyfloat
betweenitstwoseatsforever)afterseparatedfromitsseatduetodisturbanceandthattheoreticalcalculation
provesthatthedisturbanceresistancefactormoffloatingseatsforthemountedballvalveofthepriorartcanonly
be1,whilepracticalcalculationshowsthataseatoftheinventionusedasthemountedseatoffloatingballvalves
withadisturbanceresistancefactormequalto2canonlyhaveadisturbanceresistancefactormequalto2

whenusedasthefloatingseatofmountedballvalves,andhencethetriangularsealingringwhosestrengthand
disturbanceresistancecanmeettheneedsofmountedseatscanalsomeettheneedsoffloatingseatsinaddition
tothatthedisturbanceresistancefactormofmountedseatscanbedesignedasneededandthatthemounted
seathasaloadgreaterthanthefloatingseat.Therefore,asectiondesigningtriangleformountedseatscanbe
usedfordesigningthecorrespondingfloatingseattounifythebasicdesignofthetwoseatsinidenticalsizes.
[0046]

Ithasbeenclearthatthetightclosureoffloatingballvalvesisrealizedeitherbytheballclampingforcefromseats
orbytheballfloatingforcefrommediumbutneverbybothatthesametime,andindeedthedisturbance
resistancefactoralsodeterminesthattheycannottakeeffectinturnifrealizedbytheballclampingforcefrom
seats,thetightclosurewillfailaftertheirwearortheircreptorextrudeddeformationatexposuresifrealizedby
theballfloatingforcefrommedium,thetightclosurewillnotbeeffectedbythewearorthecreptorextruded
deformationofseatsandthereforethemountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedaccordingtoanequilateral
trianglecanmakeitsservicelifefrom"limited"to"unlimited'"inadditiontothattheirtightclosurecanbekept
positivelybytheirballfloatingforce.Theservicelifeofamountedseatforfloatingballvalvesmighthavebeen
"unlimited",butitsservicelife,asshowninUS20030111631(atypicalformalfloatingballvalve),istoolimitedfor
thepriorfloatingballvalvestobecalledarealfloatingballvalve.

[0047]

Ithasalsobeenclearthatthemountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedaccordingtoanequilateraltriangle
canensurethattheirtightclosureisrealizedbytheirballfloatingforcefrommediumbutnotbytheirballclamping
forcefromseats,andhencetheballclampingforcefromseatsmaybesosmallastobenegligibleandthatthe
ballinitsfullclosingpositionisalwaysfloatedtightonitsdownstreamseatorthattherotationresistancetothe
ballisonlyfromitsdownstreamseatwithaballpressingforceequaltothethrustofmediumontheballandupto
maximumundertheultimatemediumpressurehowever,thefloatingballvalveofthepriorartcanonlyrealizeits
tightclosurebyitsballclampingforcefromitsseatsmorepowerfulthantheultimatethrustofmediumonitsball,
sothatthemaximumrotationresistancetotheballorthemaximumoperationtorqueisfromitstwoseatswhich
respectivelyhaveoneballpressingforcegreaterthantheultimatethrustofmediumonitsball,Therefore,inbrief,
thefloatingballvalvedesignedaccordingtoanequilateraltriangleoftheinventiondecreasesitsmaximum
operationtorquecausedbyitsseatsatleastbyhalfascomparedwiththatofthepriorart.

[0048]

Ithasalsobeenclearthattheballvalveseatdesignedwithequilateraltrianglesasitssectionfactororconstituent
caneliminateitsunnecessaryexposuresanditscreptorextrudeddeformation(itssealingstressrelaxation)tothe
maximumextentpossible,whiletheballvalveseatdesignedwithequilateraltrianglesasitssectionoutlinecanbe
enclosedforbeingcompressedtoaconsiderableextentandcan,liketheoilinahydrauliccylinder,haveno
compressivedeformation,noextrusivedeformationorruptureandnowheretocreep,andhaveanactualbearing
strengthfarhigherthanitsmaterialallowablestrength.Therefore,theballvalveseatdesignedaccordingto
equilateraltrianglescanensurethatthesoftmaterialwithexcellentsealingpropertyisusedforahigherpressure
limitofvalvesandhasalongerlifetimeandahigherreliability.

[0049]

Itisbecausethemountedseatforfloatingballvalvesdesignedaccordingtoanequilateraltrianglecan

considerablydecreasetheirultimateoperationtorqueandincreasetheirseatmaterial'sallowablestressthatthe
cheapandreliablefloatingballvalvecanbesubstitutedfortheexpensivetrunnionmountedballvalvewithina
greaterapplicationfield.
[0050]

Italsoneedstobefurtherpointedoutthatthemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecontact,orthe
microsawtoothringcontact,caneffectivelyprovideaseatingstressnecessaryforsealingmaterialsbythecutting
linecontactandalsoensurethemasafestallowablestressbythesurfacecontactfollowingthecuttingline
contact,whichcanincreasethesealingperformanceandalsodecreasethepreclampingforceofseatstoballsand
reducetheoperationtorque,andisverysuitablyusedtodesignthesealsmadeofbothhighandlowstrength
materialsforexample,itcanmeettheneedsofinitiallowpressureservicesbythelinecontactandthenthe
needsoflaterhighpressureservicesbytheautodeformedsphericalsurfacecontacttouseapremade90conical
surfacebutnotapremadesphericalsurfaceastheballsealingsurfaceofseats,thusavoidingtheuselesscrept
deformationhowever,onlytheballvalveseatdesignedaccordingtoequilateraltrianglescanensurethatitmay
haveaballclampingforcesosmallasforthelinecontacttoshowitsadvantage.Therefore,itcanbesaidthatthe
sectiondesigningmethodaccordingtotheequilateraltriangleandthesealdesigningmethodaccordingtothe
microlinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecontactaremutuallysupportedandreliedoninthedesigningofball
valveseats.

[0051]

Themediummaybetrappedinthebodycavityandthermallyexpandedtobreedahighpressurewhileaballvalve
isinitsfullyclosedoropenedposition,andthereforeISO14313/API6Dspecifiesthattheballvalveshallbe
providedwithanautomaticpressurerelieftopreventthepressuretrappedinthebodycavityfromexceeding1.33
timesthevalvepressurerating.AsshowninFig.5a.thepressuretrappedinthefloatingballvalvecavityrelativeto
atmosphere(orwithW s =0)isdeterminedbytheballclampingforceW 2fromseats.AsshowninFigs.10and
11a,thepressuretrappedinthemountedballvalvecavityrelativetoatmosphere(orwithvalveendsventedto
atmosphere)isdeterminedbythespringpreloadofseatsontheball.Thegreatertheclampingforceorspring
preloadofseatsontheball,thestrongerthepressuretrappingcapabilityofthecavitytoatmospherei.e.the
magnitudeofthetrappedpressureisthesymboloftheballclampingorpressinglevelfromtheseatduring
assembly.Therefore,decreasingoftheballclampingforcefrommountedseatsorspringpreloadoffloatingseats
duringassemblyistheprimarymeanstosolvethepressuretrappedintheballvalvebodycavity.

[0052]

AsshowninFig.5,maintainingthetightclosureoffloatingballvalvesofthepriorartneedstheballclampingforce
W 2fromseatstoequalmtimestheunsealingactuationforce(Ae+Ac )pofmediumonseats[W 2=m(Ae+Ac )p],
namelyneedsthepressureofW 2toequalmtimesthemediumpressurep,andthemediumpressureforthe
closuretestspecifiedbystandardsshallnotbelessthan1.1timestheratedworkingpressurepaccordingly,
passingtheclosuretestneedsapressureofW 2nottobelessthan1.1intimestheratedworkingpressurepfor
floatingbalvalves,andsimilarly,alsoneedsapressureofspringpreloadnottobelessthan1.1intimestherated
workingpressurepformountedballvalves.Therefore,itisquiteunderstandablethattheballvalvesofthepriorart
areallthevalvewhichcantrapapressureofatleast1.1timestheratedworkingpressurepinitsbodycavity,and
berequiredbyISO14313/API6Dtopassaqualifiedtestwiththepressuretrappedinitsbodycavitywithin
marginally1.33timestheratedworkingpressureptoatmosphere.

[0053]

Theballvalveseatoftheinvention,designedaccordingtoequilateraltriangles,canensurethatkeepingthetight
closureofballvalvesdoesnotrelyontheballclampingforceeitherfrommountedseatsorfromthespringpreload
offloatingseats,andthesealingdesignofthemicrolinecontactfollowedbyamicrosurfacecanalsoensurethat
anymaterialofseatsonlyneedalittleballclampingforcefortheirinitialseatingstress.Therefore,theball
clampingforcefrommountedseatsorfromfloatingseatscanbesosmallastobeinthelevelofbarsornot
greaterthanafifteenthofthepressureratingasdemonstratedbytestingi.e.itisunnecessaryatalltoconsider
thepressuretrappingprobleminthevalvecavityoftheballvalvesinaccordancewiththeinvention.

[0054]

Therefore,ithasbeentooclearaccordingtotheinventionthatitisunnecessaryfor14313/API6Dtorequirethat
ballvalvesshallbeprovidedwithanautomaticpressurerelieffortheirbodycavity,andaccordingtothepressure
relievingspecificationfortheirthebodycavityin14313/API6Dthatthefloatingballvalvesofthepriorartisonly
theformalfloatingballvalvewhoseballlooksfloatablebutactuallycannotfloatatallunderpressurei.e.thatthe
ballvalveswhosepressuretrappedintheircavitycanbeuptoandover1.1timestheratedworkingpressurepare
surelyofthepriorart,andpositivelylowerthantheratedworkingpressurep,surelyoftheinvention.

Briefdescriptionofdrawings
[0055]

Figs.1aand2aareanidenticalusualfloatingballvalverespectivelyinitsfullyopenandclosedpositions,where
seat02isresponsibleforprovidingthemountingjoint,therotatingsupportandtheclosingsealofball03invalve
body01,thefasteningengagementofendcover05andthevalvebodybythreadsforprovidingthemountingor
fixingoftheballandtheseatsinthevalvebody,gasket04forprovidingthesealingofthebodyjoint,valvestem
06forprovidingtherotatingoperationoftheball,andastempackingassemblyforprovidingthesealingofthe
stem.Theseat02isamountedseatdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionfactorinaccordancewith
theinvention.

[0056]

Astheinventiononlyrelatestousingvarioussectionsofvalveseatsforrealizingthemountingjoint,therotating
supportandthetightclosureoftheballinthevalvebody,avarietyoftechnicalsolutionsincludingfloatingseats
fortrunnionmountedballvalvesoftheinventioncanbeenoughillustratedtoausualskilledtechnicianonlyby
usingsomepartialorpartiallyenlargedviewscorrespondingtoFigs.1aand2aandincludingthevalvebody01,the
valveseat02andtheonoffball03.Tofacilitatereadingtheviews,thevalvebodycavitiesareusedasorienting
featuresandmarkedwith"Cavity"inrelativeviews.

[0057]

Fig.1bisaviewoflocalsectionAAinFig.1a,andFig.2bisaviewoflocalsectionBBinFig.2a,whichareused
to,illustrateadequatelythefullyopeningandthefullyclosingdesignsofaballvalvealongwithFigs.1aand2ato
preparefordisclosingvarioussectionsofvalveseatsbyusingsomepartialviewscorrespondingtothem.The

dashedlineinFig.2bisnotthehiddendesignlineinFig.2abutthesupposedlineusedtoshowthattheseat
incorrectlygoesbeyondtheboundarylineA'B"inFig.6a.
[0058]

Fig.3correspondstoFig.2bFig.2bshowstheseat02andtheonoffball03inthefullyclosedposition,andFig.3
showstheseat02andtheonoffball03atthemomentthevalveisopening.Figs.4aand4baretwoenlargements
ofthelocalviewY'inFig.3,butthesealingendsurfaceandtheinsidediameteroftheseatinFig.4aare
determinedbyvertexBofthesectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABC,andthesealingendsurfaceandthe
insidediameteroftheseatinFig.4baredeterminedbypointEoftheextendedAB,Thevalveseat02inFig.4ahas
noextendedsegmentBEasinFig.4bwhichcanpresstheseatendtightonthevalvebody01bymedium
pressurethereonatthemomentthevalveisopening,andmaybepressedintothethroughholeoftheballbythe
mediumontheseatendtocauseadamage,whilethevalveseat02inFig.4bhastheextendedsegmentBE
whichcanpreventthemediumfromwettingtheseatendtostoptheseatfrombeingpressedintothethroughhole
oftheball.

[0059]

Fig.5aisthevalveseat02andtheonoffball03inFig.2a,andFig.5bisanenlargementofthelocalviewZin
Fig.5a,wherep=mediumpressure,W 2=ballclampingforcesfromseats(representsthevalvebody01in
Fig.2a),W s =ballfloatedsealingforces(thrustofmediumonballs)As p,As =actuatingareasofmediumonballs
(circularareasofdia.Ds ),Ae=annularareasofseatsexposedincavity,Ac =annularareasofseatscoveredby
balls,Ds =actuatingdiametersofballsagainstseats,Do=outsidediametersofseats,Di=insidediametersof
seats,andDe=diameterscorrespondingtoannularareasAepofseatsexposedinpassagetheseat'sannular
areaAc coveredbyballsisthedisturbancepickingupareaandcomposedofaballcontactingareaandanonball
contactingareatheballcontactingareabearsthesealingloadsbutpicksupdisturbance,andthenonball
contactingareaAep,notbearinganysealingloadbutalsopickingupdisturbance,shouldbesubjecttoastrict
control.

[0060]

Accordingtotheinvention,diametersDs ,DoandDiandtheirrelativeannularareasAs ,AeandAc ,asshownin

Fig.5b,aredeterminedbythemagnitudeandorientationofthesectiondesigningequilateraltriangle,anddetermine
theballsealingperformanceorsealingmaintainingfactormofvalveseats:
m=As p/Ae+Ac pm=thrustofmediumonballs/thrustofmediumonseats=As/Ae+Ac=Ds2/
Do2Di2.

AsshowninFig.5a.,theactionforcebetweentheballandthedownstreamseatisW 2whenW s W 2(atthetime

W s isonlytopartiallyorjustfullyreplaceW 2atmostbutnotaddedtothedownstreamseat),andisW s butnot
W 2whenW s >W 2,(atthetimeW 2hasbeenfullyreplacedbyW 5)i.e.astothefloatingballvalve,thesealing
forcebetweentheballandtheseatiseitherW 2orW s ,ortorealizethetightclosureofafloatingballvalveisto
relyeitherontheballclampingforceW 2fromtheseatorontheballfloatingforceW s frommediumbutneveron
bothatthesametime.Nevertheless,whichevertorelyonshallbemtimestheunsealingforceofmediumonthe
seat(thethrustofmediumontheseat)accordingtotheconceptofAppendix2,Division1,VolumeVIII,ASME
BoilerandPressureVesselCodei.e.itiswhenW 2orW s equalsm(Ae+Ac )pthatafloatingballvalvecanrealize
itsreliabletightclosure.Therefore,designingaballvalveseatisdesigningitssectiondesigningequilateraltriangle.
[0061]

Figs.6aand6bareillustrationsfordesigningasectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABCofballvalveseats
accordingtotheinvention,andFig.6bisanenlargementofthelocalviewX'inFig.6a.ThecentralboreDnofthe
onoffball03isgivenbyrelativevalvestandards,andthediameterd'oftheball'ssmallcircleontheballendface
isgivenbydesignersaccordingtothestrengthparameter"wallthickness/bore"oftheballatitsentranceandcan
begivenaccordingtotheformula:d'=1.04Dn.Basedongivend',thediameterdofball'sgreatcirclescanbe
givenaccordingtotheneededangle0anddieformula:d=d'/sin0theoreticallytheangle0isexactly
correspondingtothefactormgivenbydesignersaccordingtotheneedofdisturbanceresistance,andactual
calculationsshowthatm=2correspondsto0=38,m=1.8correspondsto0=37,andm=1.5corresponds
to0=35.5.Thenbasedondiametersegmentd'andcirclesd'andd,thedatumsegmentA'B'oftheequilateral
triangleABCcanbedeterminedbyAutoCADdrawing.AtlastbasedonthesegmentA'B',thesideABofthe
equilateraltriangleABCcanbedeterminedbyAutoCAD(drawingasideABparalleltoandsymmetricaboutA'B'
andequalto0.9timesthesegmentA'B'oncircled).Itiseasytoseethattheorientationangle(=45)ofthe
equilateraltriangleABCisdeterminedbythetangentsegmentB"O'(=r')andtheradiussegmentB"O(=r')ofthe
circled'.

[0062]

Fig.7aisanenlargementofthelocalviewXintheFig.1ashowingthattheinterfacingoftheonoffball03withthe
valvebody01isperformedbyamountedseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssectionfactorin
accordancewiththeinvention.Fig.7bistheseat02inFig.7a.Fig.7cistheseatsubstitutedfortheseatinFig.7b.
Fig.7disanexaggeratedsectionalviewofthemicrosawtoothringsmandFonthesealingendsurfaceinFig.7c.
Fig.7eisanenlargementofthemicrosawtoothringsa'andb'intheballsealingconeABintheFig.7c.Thedesign
showninFig.7bisapplicabletolowstrengthmaterial,whilethedesignshowninFig.7cisapplicabletohigh
strengthmaterial.

[0063]

Fig.8aisacorrespondingenlargementofthelocalviewXinFig.1ashowingthattheinterfacingoftheonoffball
03withthevalvebody01isperformedbyamountedseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleasitssection
constituentinaccordancewiththeinvention.Fig.8bistheseat02inFig.8a.Fig.8cistheseatsubstitutedforthe

seatinFig.8b.TheexaggerateddetailsseeFig.7dforthemicrosawtoothringsmandF(notmarked)onthesealing
endsurfaceinFig.8c.TheenlargeddetailsseeFig.7eforthemicrosawtoothringsa'andb'intheballsealingcone
ABinFig.8c.ThedesignshowninFig.8bisapplicabletolowstrengthmaterial,whilethedesignshowninFig.8cis
applicabletohighstrengthmaterial.
[0064]

Fig.9a(anenlargementcorrespondingtothelocalviewXinFig.1a)andFig.9b(anenlargementcorrespondingto
thelocalviewYinFig.2b)showthattheinterfacingoftheonoffball03withthevalvebody01areperformedbya
mountedseatassembly02composedofaninnersealingring02aandanoutersupportingring02banddesigned
withanequilateraltriangleasitssectionoutlineinaccordancewiththeinvention.Fig.9cistheinnersealingring
02ainFigs.9aand9b.Fig.9distheoutersupportingring02binFigs.9aand9b.Fig.9eistheringsubstitutedfor
theinnersealingring02ainFig.9c.TheexaggerateddetailsseeFig.7dforthemicrosawtoothringsmandF(not
marked)onthesealingendfaceinFig.9e.TheenlargeddetailsseeFig.7eforthemisrosawtoothringsa'andb'in
theballsealingconeABinFig.9e.ThedesignshowninFig.9cisapplicabletolowstrengthmaterial,whilethe
designshowninFig.9eisapplicabletohighstrengthmaterial.ItcanbeseenfromFig.9bthatthethrustofmedium
ontheballis(Ds 2p/4=)Fs =FcosFsin(whereFcosistheaxialcomponentontheinnerring,Fsinisthe
axialcomponentontheouterring,Fisthenormalforceoneachinnerringsurface,is45,is15,pisthe
mediumpressure,andDs istheactuatingdiameteroftheballontheseat),thetotalnormalforceonthejointball
supportingsurfaceoftheinnerandouterringsisFs /cosandtheradialornormalforceonthesurfaceoftheinner
ringisonlyFtherefore,theratioofthebearingcapacityofthesealingmaterialusedforthedoubleringseattothat
usedforthesingleringseatis(Fs /cos)/F=1+sin/cos=1.366.

[0065]

Fig.10isanenlargementcorrespondingtothelocalviewXinFig.1ashowingafloatingseatfortrunnionmounted
ballvalvesofthepriorart,wherepart05aisanotherkindofvalveendcoverssimilartothevalveendcover05in
Fig.1a.AsshowninFig.10,thefloatingseatofthepriorartiscomposedofasealingring02a,asupportingring
02b,anOrin.g02candapreloadingspring02d,andalwayshasanOringunsuitableforhightemperatureservices
soastomakethetrunnionmountedballvalvehavealmosthadnothingtodowiththemetallicseatforhigh
temperatureservices.Theannularsealingactuationareaofmediumontheseatisalwaysequaltotheannular
unsealingactuationarea(Au=Do2/4D2/4)ofmediumontheseat,namely,itssealingmaintainingfactorm=
1,sothatthespringpreloadmustbegreaterthantheultimatesealingactuationforceofmediumontheseattobe
capableofavoidingthevibrationofthesealingringduringoperation.

[0066]

Fig.11aisanenlargementcorrespondingtothelocalviewXinFig.1ashowingthatinterfacingoftheonoffball03
withthevalveendcover05aisperformedbyafloatingseatassembly02composedofasealingring02a,a
supportingring02b,aclampingring02c,asealinggasket02dandapreloadingspring02eanddesignedwithan
equilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineinaccordancewiththeinvention,wherepart05a(seeFig.11b)is
anotherkindofvalveendcoverssimilartothevalveendcover05inFig.1a,whosefasteningandsealing
connectionwiththefloatingseatassemblyiscompletedbyathreadengagementandthesealinggasket,and
whoseconnectionwiththevalvebodyiscompletedbyanotherbolts.Figs.11c11garerespectivelythe
supportingring02b,thesealinggasket02d,thepreloadingspring02e,theclampingring02candthesealingring
02ainFig.11a.Fig.11histhesealingringsubstitutedforthesealingringinFig.11g.Theexaggerateddetailssee
fig.7dforthemicrosawtoothringsmandF(notmarked)onthesealingendsurfaceinFig.11h.Theenlargeddetails
seeFig.7eforthemicrosawtoothringsa'andb'intheballsealingconeABinFig.11h.Comparedtothepriorart
showninFig.10,floatingseatsoftheinventionnotonlyavoidusinganOringindesignsbutalsohavea
disturbanceresistancefactorgreaterthan1andadecreasedspringloadsoasbothtodecreasetheoperation
torqueandtoeliminatethevibrationduringoperation.Whythedisturbanceresistancefactoroffloatingseatsofthe
inventiongetsgreaterthan1isthattheyhavenothadthedisturbancepickingupareaAuofthepriorartwhich
includesanunnecessaryannularareaAec exposedinthecavityonlypickingupdisturbancebutnotbearingany
sealingload.

Detaileddescriptionoftheinvention
[0067]

Figs.7aand7bshowamountedseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionfactor,whose
ballsealingsurfaceisformedbyrotatingarcABoppositetosideABofthesectiondesigningtriangleABC,whose
supportedcylindricalsurfaceisformedbyrotatingtheprojectionCDofsideCA,andwhosesealingendsurface
shouldhavebeenformedbyrotatingtheprojectionCF'ofsideBC,butisactuallythesurfaceformedbyrotating
theintentionallyextendedprojectionCFofsideBCtosatisfythespecialneedoftheupstreamseatatthemoment
thevalveisopeningthepointFistheprojectionoftheextensionpointEofsideABifthesideABisnot
extended,thevalveseat02,asshowninFig.4a(theenlargementofthelocalviewY'inFig.3),willhaveno
extendedsegmentBEasinFig.4bwhichcanpresstheseatendtightonthevalvebody01bymediumpressure
thereonatthemomentthevalveisopeningandmaybepressedintothethroughholeoftheballbythemediumon
theseatendtocauseadamageifthesideABisextended,thevalveseat02,asshowninFig.4b(the
enlargementofthelocalviewY'inFigs),willhaveanextendedsegmentBEwhichcanpresstheseatendtighton
thevalvebody01bymediumpressurethereonatthemomentthevalveisopeningonlytoresultinthemedium
flowingintothecavitythroughthegapnearthepointBaccordingly,theextendedsegmentBEcanbecalleda
pressurerelayingsurfaceofthevalveseat.AsshowninFig.4,addingaventinggrooveontheball03nearthe
ball'ssmallcircleontheballendface(nearpointB)canresultinthemediumventingtothecavityandpressing
theseatendtightonthevalvebodybeforethevalveisfullyopening,andevencanavoidusingthepressure
relayingsurfaceBE.TheballsealingchordABoftheseat02isata45degreeangletotheaxisofthecentralbore
oftheball,andtheballsealingsurfaceoftheseatmaybepremanufacturedintoa90conicalsurfacewithsideAB
asitsgeneratrixandthennaturallyformsasealingsphereduringassemblyandservicethecompression
allowanceoftheseatduringassemblycanalsobeadjustedbyslightlyincreasingthesidelengthofitssection

designingequilateraltriangleABCbasedonkeepingitsoutsidediameterconstant.Topreventtheseatinitsbeing
openingsituationfromwashingawayfromthevalvebodytobepressedintothethroughholeoftheballbythe
medium,thevalveseatshouldbeprovidedwithaninsidediametergreaterthanthatoftheflowpassage,namely
segmentEFshouldnotbebeyondsegmentGHinFig.7,andwithanadditionthicknessforlowstrengthmaterial
bysuitablyparallelmovingitssealingendsurfaceorbysuitablyparallelmovingthesurfaceformingsideCFtothe
positionofthedashedlineinFig.7b,Addingapressurerelayingsurfacetotheseatoraddingtheextension
segmentBEtoABwillincreasethedisturbancepickingupareaAepoftheseatanddecreasetheinsidediameter
oftheseatbuthardlyinfluencethesealingperformanceorthesealingmaintainingfactoroftheseatbecausethe
relatedvariationsaretoolimited,whileaddingathicknesstotheseatdoesnotyetchangethesealingperformance
orthesealingmaintainingfactoroftheseat,andtherefore,thoughinfluencingtheequilateralcharacteristicofseat
designingtriangles,addingthepressurerelayingsurfaceandthethicknesstotheseatnotonlydoesnotchange
theseatcharacteristicsdeterminedbytheoriginalequilateraltrianglebutalsoimprovestheseatprocessing,
mountingandmaintainingabilities.
[0068]

Fig.7cshowsamountedhardseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionfactor,whose
materialstrengthishighandwhoseoriginaldesigningdimensionsarethesameastheonesoftheseatshownin
Fig.7bmadeoflowstrengthmaterialandhavingnoadditionalthickness.Toendowtheseatmadeofhighstrength
material,suchaspolyparaphenylene(PPP)ormetal,withacertainelasticdeformationandassembling
compressionallowance,itsoriginalsupportedcylindricalsurfaceCDneedstobecutshorttoqDorpartiallysmall
fromCqtoms(oritsoriginalsealingendsurfaceCFneedstobecutshorttomForpartiallylowfromCmtoqs)to
makeitsoriginalcylindricalsurfacebecomeasteppedcylindricaloutsidesurfaceandtheintersectioncirclesof
thenewlydevelopedcylindricalsurfacemsandendsurfaceqsbeawayfromthevertexCofthetriangleABC
alongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroovek,ifnecessary,also
needstobecutoutwhosebottomsurfaceistangenttotheintersectioncircleandparalleltotheballsealingcone
AB.Therearetwosawtoothringsa'andb'intheballsealingconeABformedbycuttingoutanothercutofconical
surfacesa"b"symmetricallyarrangedaboutthesideABandparalleltotheoriginalballsealingconeABandhaving
aradialdistanceZtawayfromtheonoffball(03)surfacepassingthroughthevertexesa'andb'ofthesawtooth
rings(seeFig.7e),whichmeanstheheightofthesawtoothringsisZtrelativetotheonoffballsurfacethelinear
distancebetweentheundercutconicalsurfacea"b"andtheballsealingconeABisonlytheformalheightofthe
sawtoothrings.TheremaybeormaynotbeatleasttwosawtoothringswiththeendoutlineedgesmandFas
theirvertexesontheremainingendsurfacemFifthereisnosawtoothring,thereneedstobeasoftgasketwhose
configurationandvolumeareequivalenttothecutoutpartCmsqiftherearemorethantwosawtoothrings,their
shapesarethesameastheonesofthosetwosawtoothringsmandFandtheirvertexesareallontheremaining
endsurfacemF.AsshowninFigs.7c,7dand7e,thecrestsofthesealingendsawtoothringsmandFandthe
ballsealingsawtoothringsa'andb'areacuttingedgewhosecornerorwhosecrestangleisabout90120,the
toothheightZtisabout1020timestheroughnessRaoftheseatedsurface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs to
thetoothheightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratioofthewidthXs totheheightZtofprofileelements
betweenthesurfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthesurfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofile
element),thusensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbyasmooth(conicalorspherical)surface
protectingthelinecontactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbeeasytorealizethesealingofthe
precisionmachinedsurfacewithoutlapping.TheamountofthecutoutpartCmsqoftheseatisdeterminedbythe
allowablestrengthcapacityofitssealingendsurfaceanditscylindricalsupportedsurface,thewidthkofthe
annulargrooveisdeterminedbyitsrequiredelasticity,andthevalueofkoftenequalszero.Asuitableelasticity
andanappropriatefitclearancebetweenitscylindricalsupportedsurfaceanditscorrespondingvalvebodycan
resultinacertainbendingofitssectiontopreventtheradialslidingofitssealingendsurface.Therearcuttingout
oftheseatisequivalenttodecreasingtheoutsidediameterDooftheseatandincreasingthedisturbance
resistancefactormoftheseat.

[0069]

Figs.8aand8bshowamountedseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionconstituent,
whoseballsealingsurfaceisformedbyrotatingarcABoppositetosideABofthesectiondesigningtriangleABC,
whosesealingendsurfaceisformedbyrotatingsideBC,andwhosesupportedcylindricalsurfaceisformedby
rotatingtheprojectionCDofsideCAwhoseballsealingchordABisata45degreeangletotheaxisofthe
centralboreoftheball,andwhoseballsealingsurfacemaybepremanufacturedintoa90conicalsurfacewith
sideABasitsgeneratrixandthennaturallyformsasealingsphereduringassemblyandservicewhose
compressionallowanceforitsassemblycanalsobeadjustedbyslightlyincreasingthesidelengthofitssection
designingequilateraltriangleABCbasedonkeepingitsoutsidediameterconstant.

[0070]

Fig.8cshowsamountedhardseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionconstituent,whose
materialstrengthishighandwhoseoriginaldesigningdimensionsarethesameastheonesoftheseatshownin
Fig.8bmadeoflowstrengthmaterial.Toendowtheseatmadeofhighstrengthmaterial,suchas
polyparaphenylene(PPP)ormetal,withacertainelasticdeformationandassemblingcompressionallowance,its
originalsupportedcylindricalsurfaceCDneedstobecutshorttoqDorpartiallysmallfromCqtons(oritsoriginal
sealingendsurfaceCBneedstobecutshortorpartiallylowfromCmtoqs)tomakeitsoriginalcylindricalsurface
becomeasteppedcylindricaloutsidesurfaceandtheintersectioncirclesofthenewlydevelopedcylindrical
surfacensandendsurfaceqsbeawayfromthevertexCofthetriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthe
vertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroovek,ifnecessary,alsoneedstobecutoutwhosebottom
surfaceistangenttotheintersectioncircleandparalleltotheballsealingconeAB.Therearetwosawtoothringsa'
andb'intheballsealingconeABformedbycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacea"b"symmetricallyarranged
aboutthesideABandparalleltotheoriginalballsealingconeABandhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromthe

onoffball(03)surfacepassingthroughthevertexesa'andb'ofthesawtoothrings(seeFig.7e),whichmeansthe
heightofthesawtoothringsisZt,relativetotheonoffballsurfacethelineardistancebetweentheundercut
conicalsurfacea"b"andtheballsealingconeABisonlytheformalheightofthesawtoothrings.Theremaybeor
maynotbeatleasttwosawtoothringswiththeendoutlineedgesastheirvertexesontheremainingendsurface
ifthereisnosawtoothring,thereneedstobeasoftgasketwhoseconfigurationandvolumeareequivalenttothe
cutoutpartCmsqiftherearemorethantwosawtoothrings,theirshapesarethesameastheonesofthosetwo
sawtoothringsandtheirvertexesareallontheremainingendsurface.AsshowninFigs.8c,7dand7e,thecrests
ofthesealingendsawtoothringsmandFandtheballsealingsawtoothringsa'andb'areacuttingedgewhose
cornerorwhosecrestangleisabout90120,thetoothheightZtisabout1020timestheroughnessRaofthe
seatedsurface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratio
ofthewidthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthesurfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsand
thesurfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbya
smooth(conicalorspherical)surfaceprotectingthelinecontactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbe
easytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurfacewithoutlapping.TheamountofthecutoutpartCmsq
oftheseatisdeterminedbytheallowablestrengthcapacityofitssealingendsurfaceanditscylindricalsupported
surface,thewidthkoftheannulargrooveisdeterminedbyitsrequiredelasticity,andthevalueofkoftenequals
zero.Asuitableelasticityandanappropriatefitclearancebetweenitscylindricalsupportedsurfaceandits
correspondingvalvebodycanresultinacertainbendingofitssectiontopreventtheradialslidingofitssealingend
surface.TherearcuttingoutoftheseatisequivalenttodecreasingtheoutsidediameterDooftheseatand
increasingthedisturbanceresistancefactormoftheseat.
[0071]

Figs.9a9dshowamountedseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineand
composedofaninnersealingring(innerring)02aandanoutersupportingring(outerring)02b.Theinnerringis
usingtheequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlinethesurfaceformedbyrotatingarcABoppositetosideAB
istheballsealingsurfaceoftheseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBCisthesealingendsurfaceofthe
seat,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceoftheinnerring.Theouterringisofa
trapezoidsection,whoseheightsideD'E'isthegeneratrixformingthecylindricalsurfaceoftheseatwhichisclear
ofitsaccommodatingboreDEinthevalvebody,andwhoseobliquesideCAisthegeneratrixofthesupporting
conicalsurfacefortheinnerring.Theinnerringisresponsibleforsealing,andtheouterring,forsupportingthe
innerringandhencetheouterringismadeofhigherstrengthmaterialthantheinnerring.Thematerialstrengthof
theinnerringisdeterminedbyitsball'sthrustload,andthematerialstrengthandtheaveragewallthicknessofthe
outerringaredesignedaccordingtoapipebearingthemediumpressureequivalenttothematerial'sultimate
allowablestrengthoftheinnerring.Thefitclearancebetweentheouterringanditsaccommodatingboreinvalve
bodyisatfirsttomakeitsinternalendanditsexternalendbeventedtoeachotherorbeatanequalizedpressure
toreducetheexposureinfluenceoftheseatinthebodycavity,andthentoenabletheouterringandtheinnerring
toslidefreelyonorrelativetoeachotherandtobemutuallypressedtightandsupported.Theballsealingchord
ABisata45degreeangletotheaxisofthecentralboreoftheball,andtheballsealingsurfacemaybe
premanufacturedintoa90conicalsurfacewithsideABasitsgeneratrixandthennaturallyformsasealingsphere
duringassemblyandservicethecompressionallowanceduringassemblycanalsobeadjustedbyslightly
increasingthesidelengthofthesectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABCbasedonkeepingaconstantoutside
edgediameteroftheinnerring.Theball03underfluidpressurepressesatthesametimetheouterringandthe
innerringmutuallysupportedtomakebothbeinitiativelypressedtoprotecteachotherfrombeingpressedi.e.the
thrustofmediumontheballisbornejointlybytheinnerringandtheouterringandis(Ds 2/p/4=)Fs =Fcos
+Fsin(whereFcosaistheaxialcomponentontheinnerring,Fsinistheaxialcomponentontheouterring,Fis
thenormalforceoneachinnerringsurface,is45,is15,pisthemediumpressure,andDs istheactuating
diameteroftheballontheseat).Sincethetotalnormalforceonthejointballsupportingsurfaceoftheinnerand
outerringsisFs /cosandtheradialornormalforceonthesurfaceoftheinnerringisonlyF,theratioofthe
bearingcapacityofthesealingmaterialusedforthedoubleringseattothatusedforthesingleringseatis
(Fs /cos)/F=1+sin/cos=1.366,whichactuallyisbecausethattheinnerringoftheinventionisusingtwo
surfacetobearthethrustofmediumonballsandthesingleringseatisusingonesurface.Inaddition,theinner
ringisalmostenclosedforbeingcompressedand,liketheoilinahydrauliccylinder,hasnocompressive
deformation,noextrusivedeformationorruptureandnowheretocreepandhencecanhaveanactualbearing
strengthfarhigherthanitsmaterialallowablestrength.Therefore,theassembledseatoftheinventioncanensure
thatthesoftmaterialwithexcellentsealingpropertyisusedforahigherpressurelimitofvalvesandhasalonger
lifetimeandahigherreliability.

[0072]

Fig.9eshowsaninnerring02aofthemountedhardseatdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssection
outlineandsubstitutedfortheinnerring02ainFig.9a,whosematerialstrengthishighandwhoseoriginaldesigning
dimensionsarethesameastheonesoftheinnerringshowninFig.9cmadeofsoftmaterial.Toendowtheinner
ringmadeofhighstrengthmaterial,suchaspolyparaphenylene(PPP)ormetal,withacertainelasticdeformation
andassemblingcompressionallowance,itsoriginalsupportedsurfaceCAneedstobecutshorttoqAorpartially
smalltoformanewcylindricalsurfacens(oritsoriginalscalingendsurfaceCBneedstobecutshortorpartially
lowtoformanewendsurfaceqs)tomaketheintersectioncirclesofthenewlydevelopedcylindricalsurfacens
andendsurfaceqsbeawayfromthevertexCofthetriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassingthroughthevertexC
asthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroovek,ifnecessary,alsoneedstobecutoutwhosebottomsurfaceis
tangenttotheintersectioncircleandparalleltotheballsealingconeAB.Therearetwosawtoothringsa'andb'in
theballsealingconeABformedbycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacea"b"symmetricallyarrangedabout

thesideABandparalleltotheoriginalballsealingconeABandhavingaradialdistanceZtawayfromtheonoff
ball(03)surfacepassingthroughthevertexesa'andb'ofthesawtoothrings(seeFig.7e),whichmeanstheheight
ofthesawtoothringsisZtrelativetotheonoffballsurfacethelineardistancebetweentheundercutconical
surfacea"b"andtheballsealingconeABisonlytheformalheightofthesawtoothrings.Theremaybeormaynot
beatleasttwosawtoothringswiththeendoutlineedgesastheirvertexesontheremainingendsurfaceifthereis
nosawtoothring,thereneedstobeasoftgasketwhoseconfigurationandvolumeareequivalenttothecutoutpart
Cmsqiftherearemorethantwosawtoothrings,theirshapesarethesameastheonesofthosetwosawtooth
ringsandtheirvertexesareallontheremainingendsurface.AsshowninFigs.9e,7dand7e,thecrestsofthe
sealingendsawtoothringsmandFandtheballsealingsawtoothringsa'andb'areacuttingedgewhosecorner
orwhosecrestangleisabout90120,thetoothheightZtisabout1020timestheroughnessRaoftheseated
surface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetoothheightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratioofthe
widthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthesurfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthe
surfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thusensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbya
smooth(conicalorspherical)surfaceprotectingthelinecontactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbe
easytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachinedsurfacewithoutlapping.TheamountofthecutoutpartCmsq
isdeterminedbytheallowablestrengthcapacityofthesealingendsurfaceandthesupportedsurface,thewidthk
oftheannulargrooveisdeterminedbytherequiredelasticity,andthevalueofkoftenequalszero.Therear
cuttingoutoftheinnerringisequivalenttodecreasingtheoutsidediameterDooftheseatandincreasingthe
disturbanceresistancefactormoftheseat.
[0073]

Figs.11a11gshowafloatingseat02designedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlineand
composedofasealingring02a,asupportingring02b,aclampingring02c,asealingring02dandapreloading
spring02e.ThesealingringisusingtheequilateraltriangleABCasitssectionoutlinethesurfaceformedby
rotatingarcABoppositetosideABistheballsealingsurfaceoftheseat,thesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideBC
istheclampedsurfaceofthesealingring,andthesurfaceformedbyrotatingsideCAisthesupportedsurfaceof
thesealingring.Thesupportingringisresponsibleforprovidingasealingsupportforthesupportedsurfaceafter
completingthefasteningandsealingconnectionwiththevalveendcover05abyathreadengagementandthe
sealinggasket,thepreloadingspringprovidesaninitialseatingstressforthesealingringbytheclampingring,and
amediumpressureprovidesasealingstressforthesealingringbytheclampingringornotby.Themedium
pressurecanonlyindirectlypressthesealingringthroughtheclampingringifthereisatightengagementbetween
theclampedsurfaceandtheclampingsurface,andifnottherebetween,themediumcanfreelyenterthecontact
surfaceanddirectlypressthesealingring.Ithasahighersealingefficiency,withoutfrictionloss,formediumto
directlypressonthesealingring.Thesealingringisresponsibleforsealingandmadeoflowstrengthmaterial,
whosematerialstrengthisdeterminedbyitsballsealingload.TheballsealingchordABisata45degreeangleto
theaxisofthecentralboreoftheball,andtheballsealingsurfacemaybepremanufacturedintoa90conical
surfacewithsideABasitsgeneratrixandthennaturallyformsasealingsphereduringassemblyandservicethe
compressionallowanceduringassemblycanalsobeadjustedbyslightlyincreasingthesidelengthofthesection
designingequilateraltriangleABCbasedonkeepingaconstantoutsideedgediameterofthesealingring.Besides,
thereisaspannerholeontheendfaceofthesupportingring.

[0074]

Fig.11hshowsasealingring02aofthefloatinghardseatdesignedwithanequilateraltriangleABCasitssection
outlineandsubstitutedforthesealingring02ainFig.11a,whosematerialstrengthishighandwhoseoriginal
designingdimensionsarethesameastheonesofthesealingringshowninFig.11gmadeofsoftmaterial.To
endowthesealingringmadeofhighstrengthmaterial,suchaspolyparaphenylene(PPP)ormetal,withacertain
elasticdeformationandassemblingcompressionallowance,itsoriginalsupportedsurfaceCAneedstobecut
shorttomAorpartiallysmalltoformanewcylindricalsurfaceqs(oritsoriginalclampedsurfaceCBneedstobe
cutshortorpartiallylowtoformanewendsurfacens)tomaketheintersectioncirclesofthenewlydeveloped
cylindricalsurfaceqsandendsurfacensbeawayfromthevertexCofthetriangleABCalongitsaltitudepassing
throughthevertexCasthecuttingdevelops,andanannulargroovek,ifnecessary,alsoneedstobecutout
whosebottomsurfaceistangenttotheintersectioncircleandparalleltotheballsealingconeAB.Therearetwo
sawtoothringsa'andb'intheballsealingconeABformedbycuttingoutanothercutofconicalsurfacea"b"
symmetricallyarrangedaboutthesideABandparalleltotheoriginalballsealingconeABandhavingaradial
distanceZtawayfromtheonoffball(03)surfacepassingthroughthevertexesa'andb'ofthesawtoothrings(see
Fig.7e),whichmeanstheheightofthesawtoothringsisZtrelativetotheonoffballsurfacethelineardistance
betweentheundercutconicalsurfacea"b"andtheballsealingconeABisonlytheformalheightofthesawtooth
rings.Theremaybeormaynotbeatleasttwosawtoothringswiththeendoutlineedgesastheirvertexesonthe
remainingsupportedsurfaceifthereisnosawtoothring,thereneedstobeasoftgasketwhoseconfigurationand
volumeareequivalenttothecutoutpartCmsqiftherearemorethantwosawtoothrings,theirshapesarethe
sameastheonesofthosetwosawtoothringsandtheirvertexesareallontheremainingsupportedsurface.As
showninFigs.11h,7dand7e,thecrestsofthesealingsupportedsawtoothringsmandFandtheballsealing
sawtoothringsa'andb'areacuttingedgewhosecornerorwhosecrestangleisabout90120,thetoothheight
Ztisabout1020timestheroughnessRaoftheseatedsurface,andtheratioofthetoothpitchXs tothetooth
heightZtequals20500(correspondingtotheratioofthewidthXs totheheightZtofprofileelementsbetweenthe
surfaceroughnesswithwiderprofileelementsandthesurfacewavinesswithnarrowerprofileelements),thus
ensuringthatadeformingsealingedgeisfollowedbyasmooth(conicalorspherical)surfaceprotectingtheline
contactthereonfromforeverdisappearingsothatitcanbeeasytorealizethesealingoftheprecisionmachined
surfacewithoutlapping.TheamountofthecutoutpartCmsqofthesealingringisdeterminedbytheallowable
strengthcapacityofitssupportedsurfaceanditsclampedsurface,thewidthkoftheannulargrooveisdetermined

byitsrequiredelasticity,andthevalueofkoftenequalszero.Asuitableelasticityforthesealingringcanresultin
acertainbendingofitssectiontocompensateforitsfloatability.Therearcuttingoutofthesealingringis
equivalenttodecreasingitsoutsidediameterDoanditssealingactuationareaofmediumorreducingthe
disturbanceresistancefactormoftheseat,butthefactormisalwaysgreaterthan1becausethecircularradiusof
thecutpointmisalwaysgreaterthanthatofthepointA.
[0075]

Asawhole,alltheballvalveseats,whetherofmountedtypeorfloatingtype,whetherofmetalorofnonmetaland
whatevershapestheirsectionis,canbedesignedwithasectiondesigningequilateraltriangleandwiththeir
sectionasunexposedandasapproximatetoanequilateraltrianglewhosesideistheballsealingchordas
possible.

[0076]

AnexamplefordesigningasectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABCofballvalveseatswhose
disturbanceresistancefactorm=2andDN=25(seeFig.6):
1. 1.GiventheboreDn(=25mm)oftheball,determinethediameterd'[=1.04Dn(=26mm)]oftheball'ssmall
circleontheballendface.
Theboreoftheballisspecifiedinstandardsforexample,thecentralboreDnofDN25ballsshallbe25
mm.Theentrancestrengthoftheballisdirectlyproportionaltotheratioof"wallthickness/bore"oftheball
atitsentranceandthenbasedonpractices,uniformlyletting"wallthickness/bore"=0.02comestothe
ball'ssmallcirclediameterd'(=1.04Dn=26mm)ontheballendface.
2. 2.Basedond'(=26mm),determinethediameterd[=d'/sin38(==42mm)]oftheball.
AsshowninFig.6a,giventhediameterd'(=26mm)oftheball'ssmallcircleandthentheangle0,itis
possibletodetermineinturnthediameterd(=d'/sin0)oftheball,thesectiondesigningequilateraltriangle
ABCoftheseatanditsdisturbanceresistancefactormtodeterminetheangle0isactuallytodetermine
thefactorm,fortheangle0isexactlycorrespondingtothefactormandtheoppositeroundingoftheir
relativecalculatedvaluescancompensatefortheirmutualcorrespondence.Bothpracticalandtheoretical
calculationsprovethatm=2correspondsto0=38,m=1.8to0=37,andm=1.5to0=35.5,
whenlettingthesidelengthaoftheequilateraltriangleABCbeequalto0.9a'.(a=0.9a'.).Therefore,m=2
correspondstod=26/sin38=42mm(reducedby0.23),a'=4.94mmanda=4.5mm(increasedby
0.054)m=1.8tod=26/sin37=43mm(reducedby0.2),a'=5.83mmanda=5.3mm(increasedby
0.053)andin1.5tod=26/sin35.5=45mm(increasedby0.23),a'=7.59mmanda=6.8mm(reducedby
0.031).
3. 3.Basedond'(=26mm)andd=(=42mm),drawthedatumsegmentA'B'oftheequilateraltriangleABC
withAutoCAD.
AsshowninFig.6a,theballsealingchordABshouldbesymmetricallyarrangedwithinthedatumsegment
A'B'demarcatedbytheprojectionlineandthetangentB"A'oftheball'ssmallcircled'onfileballendface
inthetwopositionsoftheballrotatedfor90inordertoenablethesealingarc(surface)tofullypressonthe
ballsurfaceandkeepitssealingreadinesswhenthevalveisfullyopenedorclosedlettingtheendAofthe
ballsealingchordABbebeyondthetangentB"A'ofthecircled',theendfaceoftheballinthefullyclosed
position(asshownbydashedlinesinFig.2b)willrestonandbeseatedintheballsealingsurfaceand
causetheseattobedeformedordamagedlettingtheendBoftheballsealingchordABbebeyondtheball
endfacewillcausetheseatareducedinsidediameterorcausetheupstreamseattowashawayortobe
extruded,orcausetheseatanincreasedballcoveredareaAeporcausethedownstreamseattohavea
reduceddisturbanceresistance(asshowninFig.5b)i.e.datumsegmentA'B'oftheequilateraltriangle
ABCisdeterminedbytheballdiameterdandtheball'ssmallcircled'ontheballendface,andcanbe
simplyobtainedbyCADdrawing.BecausethefollowingandthefinalneedsarealltodrawthetriangleABC
basedonthelinesegmentA'B',itisunnecessarytosinkanA'B'calculatingformulabycomplicated
derivation.BecausethereisalwaysanequationofB"O'=B"O=r'independentofthemagnitudeoftheball
diameterdandtheball'ssmallcirclediameterd',theballsealingchordABoftheseatdesigningtriangle
ABCisata45degreeangletotheborecenterlineofthehall.
4. 4.BasedonthesegmentA'B',definethesideABoftheequilateraltriangleABCbyAutoCADdrawing.
ToensurethesidelengthaoftheequilateraltriangleABCtobesymmetricallywithinthesegmentA'B'
(a'),atfirstdrawthesideABofthetriangleABCsymmetricallyonthesegmentA'B'tothelengtha=0.9a'
(=4.5mm)andthenparallelmovethesideABtobeachordofthecircledkeepingsymmetrictoA'B'.
5. 5.DrawthesectiondesigningequilateraltriangleABCbyAutoCADandverifyif[=Da2/(Do2D2i)]equals2
usingthediameters(DS,DiandDo)givenbyvertexesA,BandC.
Ifm>2,slightlyincreasethesidelengthaofthetriangleABCifm<2,slightlydecreasethesidelengtha
ofthetriangleABC.Inordertoensurethatmapproximatesto2foronce,itneedstopayattentionto
oppositelyroundingthecalculateddata:iftheroundingofd=d'/sin38isdecreased,theroundingofa=
0.9a'shouldbeincreasedproperly,andviceversa.

[0077]

Basedonthedefinitionm=As /(Ae+Ac )[thedisturbanceresistancefactor(m)ofmountedseats=actuatingareas

ofmediumonballs(As )/actuatingareasofmediumonseats(Ae+Ac )](seeFig.9),thefollowingequationscanbe
got:As =m(Ae+Ac ),andAs p=mp(Ae+Ac ).PracticalcalculationshowsthatAe+AcAc/cos45 =2 A
c.

Accordingly,As p2 mpAc,

,i.e.theload(As p)onmountedseats=thematerialallowablestrength(2mp

)timesthestressarea(Ac )ofmountedseatsor2 mp.

[0078]

Basedonthattheseat'snormalloadFs /cos[=(Ds 2/p/4cos)]frommedium(pressurep)throughballsisequal

totheallowableload(Daa)ofseats,orbasedontheequation(seeFig.6)Ds2 p4 cos=Da a

thematerialallowablestrength()ofmountedseatscanbeexactlygot:
=Ds2 p4 cosDa a=Ds2 p4 cos Ds+Di/2 DsDi/2 cos=Dsa pDs+D
i DsDi=p1Di2/Ds2=kp

whilepracticalcalculationprovesthatk=1/1Di2/Ds22 m.

[0079]

Therefore,bothcalculatingmethodshasprovedthattheallowablestrength()ofthemountedseatdesignedwith
theequilateraltriangleoftheinvention,canbedeterminedsimplyaccordingto=2 mp,

wheremisthesealingmaintainingfactormandptheultimatemediumpressure.
[0080]

Practicaldesignsillustratethatasmallerdisturbanceresistancefactormofthemountedseatforfloatingball
valves,besidesincreasingtheapplicablepressureratingoflowstrengthseatmaterials,wouldcausealargersize
ofballs,seats,valvebodies,operationtorquesandsoaveryuneconomicdesignwhenm<1.5,fortheseat
designingmethodaccordingtoequilateraltrianglesectionsisonthepremiseofavoidingtheunnecessaryseat
exposurestothemaximumextentpossible.Testingsdemonstratethatafloatingballvalvecanstillkeepitstight
closurebythefloatingofitsballwhenthemofitssingleringseatequals1.8,andbeusedenoughforapressure
ratingof15MpawhenthemofitsPTFE'sdoubleringseatequals2.Therefore,themountedseatforfloatingball
valvesisbotheconomicandreliablewithitsdisturbanceresistancefactormequalto2.Becausetheloadof
floatingseatsisalwayslessthanthatofmountedseatsatanidenticallevelofsizesandratings,thefloatingseat
canbedesignedwiththesectiondesigningequilateraltrianglefordesigningthecorrespondingmountedseat
neverthelessthesealingringformountedseatshasadisturbanceresistancefactormequalto2,andforfloating
seats,onlyanmequalto2
butisstillgreaterthan1asneeded.

[0081]

Theabovedisclosedballvalveseatsareofwhatdoesnotneedexposureandneedstoeliminateexposuretothe
maximumextentpossible,whilethefollowingdisclosureisespeciallyoftheseatforseatmountedballvalvesthat
needsacertainexposure,whichisunderstandableanddistinguishable.

[0082]

Amountedballvalveistheballvalvewhoseballismountedinthevalvebodyonlytobeturnablebutnotfloatable
andcalledthetrunnionmountedballvalveinthepriorartbecauseitsballismountedbytwocoaxialtrunnions
includingoneusedasthevalvestem.Adoubleblockandbleedvalve(DBBvalve)isthevalvewhosetwoseating
surfaces,intheclosedposition,canblockflowfrombothvalveendswhenthecavitybetweentheseatingsurface
isventedthroughableedconnectionprovidedonthebodycavityforspecialinjectingorsampling,andtheDBB
ballvalvesofthepriorartareallofabigsizeoftrunnionmountedballvalves.Sinceaformalfloatingballvalve,
withoutsufficientdisturbanceresistance,canonlyprovidethetightclosurebytheballclampingforcefromitstwo
mountedseatsbutnotbytheballfloatingforcefrommedium,itisobviousthattheformalfloatingballvalvewhose
balllooksfloatableonlyindesignisactuallyaseatmountedbailvalvecapablyusedasthedoubleblockandbleed
valve(DBBvalve),whereintheonoffballofthesaidballvalveismountedinavalvebodynotbytrunnionsbutby
seats,andhenceformallylooksfloatableundermediumpressurebutactuallyisclampedinthesaidseatsonlyto
beturnablebutnotfloatablewithinthewholeworkingpressurerangethesaidseatshaveanincreasedannular
area(Ae)exposedinthebodycavitybyincreasingtheiroutsidediameter(Do)tomaketheirdisturbanceresistance
factor(m)equaltoAs /(Ae+Ac )andsmallerthan1.33(i.e.m=As /(Ae+Ac )<1.33)basedonkeepingfixedthe
actuatingarea(As )ofmediumonthesaidballandtheseat'sannulararea(Ac )coveredbythesaidballdesigned
withequilateraltrianglesectionmethods(seeFigs.7aand8a).AsshowninFig.5a,theclosingorworkingcondition

fortheseatmountedballvalveisthatW 2(theballclampingforcefromtheseat)>As p(thethrustofmediumon

theball)=m(Ae+Ac )p,andhencetheseatcanhaveadisturbanceresistancefactorofm[1.33>m=As (Ae+Ac )=
1/(0.751)>1]oritsballclampingforce(W 2)hasapressureofmp(1.33p>mp>1p)whichensuresthattheseat
bothcanpasstheclosuretestofnotlessthan1.1timestheratedworkingpressure(p)andcanpreventthe
pressuretrappedinthecavityfromexceeding1.33timestheratedworkingpressure(p)whentheseathasafixed
annularareaofAc=As/2 2=0.35 As

coveredbytheballandanincreasedannularareaofAe[0.40As <Ae<0.65As ]exposedinthecavityby

increasingtheseatoutsidediameterDobasedontheequilateraltrianglesectionwithmequalto2.Therefore,the
essenceofincreasingtheseat'sannulararea(Ae)exposedinthecavityisdecreasingtheseat'sdisturbance
resistancefactormandthemagnitudedifferentialbetweenthepressurerelievingpower(Ae+Ac )pofthebody
cavityandtheballclampingforcem(Ae+Ac )pfromtheseattoensurethatthepressuretrappedinthebodycavity
doesnotexceed1.33timestheratedworkingpressure,andalsorelativelyreducingtheballfloatingforcefrom
mediumanditsimpacton"doubleblocking"tightnessatbothsidesoftheball.Becausetheultimateoperation
torqueoftheseatmountedballvalveoftheinventionistwiceasmuchasthatofthefloatingballvalveofthe
invention,theseatmountedballvalveoftheinventionisonlyapplicableforsomesmallsizesofdoubleblockand
bleedvalves,whicharejustunavailableinthepriorart,andhaveasimpledesign,agoodreliability,awide
applicability,alowcostetc.
[0083]

Itneedstobeparticularlypointedoutthattheonoffballrelyingonitsfloatedpressureonitsdownstreamseatfor
itstightclosurecannotautomaticallyrecoveritsintimatecontactwithitsseat(canonlyfloatbetweenitsseatsfor
ever)afterseparatedfromitsseatunderdisturbance,whiletheonoffballrelyingonitsclampingforcefrom
mountedseatsforitstightclosurecanrecoveritsintimatecontactwithitsseatbyitsotherseatsoonafter
disturbancedisappears,andhencetheformerneedsitsseattohaveagreaterdisturbanceresistancefactorthan
thelattertherefore,iftoanidenticalclosingextent,theseatfortheseatmountedballvalvemayrequirealow
valueofsealingmaintainingfactorm2[=W 2/(Ae2+Ac )p,(ballclampingforcesfromseats)/(unsealingactuation
forcesonseats)],whiletheseatforthefloatingballvalveahighvalueofms [=W s (Aes +Ac )p,(ballfloatedsealing
forcesfrommedium)/(unsealingactuationforcesonseats)]i.e.alowvalueofsealingmaintainingfactorm2forthe
seatmountedballvalvedoesnotaffectitsclosingreliability,andalsoreducesthemagnitudedifferentialbetween
thepressurerelievingpower(Ae+Ac )pofitscavityandtheballclampingforcem(Ae+Ac )pfromitsseatstomore
effectivelyensurethatitsseatsatisfiesboththeclosingrequirementandthecavity'spressurerelieving
requirement.ItalsoneedstobefurtherpointedoutthattheW 2neededfortheformalfloatingballisalmostequalto
theW s neededfortherealfloatingballvalveatanidenticallevelofsizesandpressureratingsalthoughW 2is
greaterthanW s inaformalfloatingballvalveandW 2issmallerthanW s inarealfloatingballvalve,forthem2is
smallerthanms (m2<ms )buttheAe2greaterthanAes (Ae2>Aes )andthe(Ae2+Ac )greaterthan(Aes +Ac )
[(Ae2+Ac )>(Aes +Ac )]intheequationsW 2=m2(Ae2+Ac )pandW s =ms (Aes +Ac )pi.e.inbriefandingeneral,the
ballclampingforcefromseatsforformalfloatingballvalvesislargerthantheballfloatedpressureonseatsfrom
mediumforrealfloatingballvalves,orrathertheballclampingforcefromseatsforformalfloatingballvalvesisnot
smallerthantheballfloatedpressureonseatsfrommediumforrealfloatingballvalvesatleastandtheultimate
operationtorqueoftheformalfloatingballvalveofthepriorartisundoubtedlyatleasttwiceasgreatasthatofthe
realfloatingballvalveoftheinvention.

[0084]

Itcanbesaidthattheseatmountedballvalveoftheinventionhasillustratedthatthefloatingballvalvesofthe
priorartareoftenaformalfloatingballvalvewhoseballlooksfloatableonlyindesign.Theseatmountedballvalve
hasbeenveryavailable,buthasneverbeenusedasaDBBvalvebyprovidingableedconnectionforthecavity
becausethepriorarthasthoughtthattheballoffloatingballvalvesintheclosedpositionwillmoreorlessmove
alongtheaxisofflowpassagesagainstitsdownstreamseatforperformingitssealingtaskthereatunderpressure
butneverrealizedthattheballwouldbetooclampedbyitsmountedseatstofloat,asdescribedinUS4940208
andUS4815700.

[0085]

Fromalltheabovementioned,itcanbeseenthatallthevalveseatsforfloatingballvalves,trunnionmountedball
valvesandseatmountedballvalvescanbedesignedordevelopedwithanequilateraltriangleastheirsection
factororsectionconstituentorsectionoutline,andtheiressentialperformancecanbecontrolledormeasuredby
makingthedisturbanceresistancefactormoftheirseatapproximatetothefactormoftheirseatdesigningdatum
equilateraltriangle.

NONPATENTCITATIONS
Reference

SeereferencesofWO2010048770A1

*Citedbyexaminer

CLASSIFICATIONS
InternationalClassification

F16K5/06,F16K5/20

CooperativeClassification

F16K5/0668,F16K5/204

EuropeanClassification

F16K5/06J2,F16K5/20C

LEGALEVENTS
Date

Code

Event

Feb1,2012

DAX

Extensionoftheeuropean
patentto(deleted)

Sep14,2011

AK

Designatedcontracting
states:

Sep14,2011

17P

Requestforexamination
filed

Description

Designatedstate(s):ATBEBGCHCYCZDEDKEEESFIFRGBGRHRHUIEISITLILT
LULVMCMKMTNLNOPLPTROSESISKTR
Kindcodeofrefdocument:A1
Effectivedate:20110426

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