A regulator cone

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a regulator cone (1) of substantially cylindrical form, on whose circumferential surface there are provided four V-shaped grooves (2, 3), whose cross-Sectional areas increase along the longitudinal axis of the regulator cone (1). Two of the grooves (2, 3), the primary grooves (2), extend along the entire active length of the regulator cone (1), and two of the grooves (2, 3), the secondary grooves (3), extend along that half of the active length of the regulator cone (1) where the primary grooves (2) have their largest cross-sectional area.

Description: The present invention relates to a regulator cone for a valve, there being provided, on the circumferential surface of the regulator cone, V-shaped grooves whose cross-sectional areas increase along the longitudinal axis of the regulator cones as mentioned in the preamble of claim 1. Such regulator cone is described in EP 0 301 578. According to this prior art the flow rate through the valve shall linearly depend on the stroke of said regulator cone. Regulator cones with grooves - either rectangular or V-shaped - provided in the circumferential surface are also described in DE-A-1 062 507. In regulating the flow in a piping system, it is often necessary to obtain an exponential flow characteristic to be able to achieve performance targets. The flow characteristic is defined as the relationship between the flow and the stroke length. In flow regulation in piping systems which, in their one end, are fed at an as good as constant liquid pressure and, in their other end, discharge towards another lower, as good as constant liquid pressure, i.e. from a pressure tank to an open level vessel, the total pressure drop over the piping system will be distributed between, on the one hand, pressure drop in pipes because of flow losses, and, on the other hand, pressure drop over the regulator cone. Thereby, the pressure drop over the regulator cone will be a function of the flow. In flow regulation in systems in which the pressure drop over the regulator cone is a function of the flow, the surface area characteristic must be steeper than the flow characteristic, since the surface area characteristic must also compensate for the reducing pressure drop over the regulator cone on increasing flow. The surface area characteristic is defined as the relationship between the regulator surface and the stroke length. Conventional types of regulator cones do not provide a desired surface area increase, nor do the prior art regulator cones provided with V-grooves display such a flow characteristic. Furthermore, DE-A-1 816 002 describes a regulator body for a valve which has a cylindrical circumference that comprises a substantially V-shaped groove, starting from the front face. It extends to different positions along the stroke length at opposite sides of the cylindrical circumference. In order to avoid cavitation, the bottom of the groove is rounded and the side surfaces thereof are convex. It is an object of the present invention to realize a regulator cone with an exponential flow characteristic which is well-defined in order to be able to obtain rapid and exact regulation of the flow. A further object of the present invention is to realize a regulator cone of reasonably long stroke length, which is necessary in employment together with aseptic diaphragms within, for instance, the food industry. Yet a further object of the present invention is to realize a regulator cone which is gentle to sensitive products and which is hygienic and easy to clean. Furthermore, the regulator cone according to the invention is less susceptible to wear. The invention is characterized by the features of claim 1 and preferred embodiments are derived in sub claims. These and other objects have been attained according to the present invention in that the regulator cone of the type described by way of introduction has been given the characterizing features that the regulator cone is of substantially cylindrical form and that the grooves consist of an even number, of which half of the number of grooves, the primary grooves, extend along the entire active length of the regulator cone, and half of the number of grooves, the secondary grooves, extend along a portion of the active length of the regulator cone. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings: Fig. 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an exponential flow characteristic; and Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a regulator cone with its different operational phases. The Drawings illustrate only those details essential to an understanding of the present invention. Both of the preferred embodiments as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 show a substantially cylindrical regulator cone 1 on whose circumferential surface there are provided four V-shaped grooves 2, 3, with triangular cross-sectional areas. Two of the grooves, the primary grooves 2, extend along the entire length of the regulator cone, while two of the grooves, the secondary grooves 3, extend along a part of the length of the regulator cone 1. In both of the preferred embodiments, the secondary grooves 3 extend along that half of the active length of the regulator cone 1 where the primary grooves 2 have their largest cross-sectional area. The active length of the regulator cone 1 is defined as that substantially cylindrical part of the regulator cone 1 where the regulator cone 1 controls, in relation to a valve seat, the forwardly flowing liquid. The regulator cone 1 may also be designed with two grooves 2, 3, of which one primary groove 2 and one secondary groove 3. However, this results in a regulator cone 1 which is less capable than the regulator cone 1 of the preferred embodiment of cancelling out the dynamic forces which occur in the liquid flowing forward through the regulator valve. Furthermore, the regulator cone 1 may be designed with six grooves 2, 3, three primary grooves 2 and three secondary grooves 3. However, this solution results in narrower throughflow channels in the regulator cone 1, which is a drawback for certain foods, for example juice with fruit flesh pieces. Additional grooves 2, 3 in the regulator cone 1 would probably thereby be unsuitable and could even impede manufacture of the regulator cone 1. In Fig. 1, the two secondary grooves 3 consist of two separate grooves, while, in Fig. 2, they have been connected together into one groove normal to the longitudinal axis of the regulator cone 1. However, in this latter case, they functionally constitute two secondary grooves 3, since the area where the forwardly flowing liquid is permitted to advance is still triangular. In terms of production engineering, it may be an advantage to cause the secondary grooves 3 to consist of one groove which is disposed normal to the longitudinal axis of the regulator cone 1. The four grooves may be designed with a straight bottom line 4, 5. At the one defining surface 6 of the regulator cone 1 where the grooves 2, 3 have their largest cross-sectional areas, the regulator cone according to the invention is provided with a bevelled edge 7. The primary V-grooves 2 and the secondary grooves 3, respectively, are preferably disposed diametrically in order to counterbalance the dynamic forces from the flow of the liquid. The surface area characteristic of the regulator cone 1 according to the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. The one axis of the diagram indicates the stroke length S in per cent and the second axis indicates the cross-sectional area, the regulation area Q in per cent. In order to be able physically to design regulator cones 1 with reasonable stroke lengths and with as steep area characteristics as are required to achieve an exponential flow characteristic as shown in Fig. 3, use must be made of a design with V-grooves 2, 3 which, already in linearly milled grooves, give an almost square change of the area with the stroke length of the regulator cone. Moreover, use must be made of primary and secondary V-grooves 2, 3 in which, during the first half of the stroke length of the regulator cone, only the primary V-grooves 2 are open and, during the latter half of the stroke length, both the primary 2 and the secondary 3 V-grooves are open. By the combination of primary 2 and secondary 3 V-grooves, it is possible to achieve the situation that the area characteristic during the first part of the stroke length consists of an as good as square relationship and, during the second part of the stroke length, consists of a combination of two as good as square relationships, which together gives an exponential surface area characteristic. The regulator cone 1 creates its pressure drop by converting pressure into speed which, in turn is converted into heat by vortex formation. This presupposes that the liquid flows in towards that end where the V-grooves 2, 3 of the regulator cone 1 have their largest cross-sectional area, see Fig. 4, and flows out where the area of the V-grooves 2 and 3 is smallest. In the opposite flow direction, the V-grooves 2, 3 act as a diffusor and the kinetic energy of the liquid is more or less completely converted back into compression energy again. In that case in which the regulator valve is employed in filling machines for liquid contents, milk, juice or the like, which are controlled by computer software, the mathematical calculation may be entered direct into the program and by such means a highly exact and rapid regulation of the valve may be achieved. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, during phase I only the primary grooves 2 are active, i.e. at a stroke length of 0 to 50 per cent. During phase II, the secondary grooves are activated and give the steep surface area characteristic shown by the curve in Fig. 3. In the preferred embodiment, only 0 to 80 per cent stroke length is employed for regulation. The remaining 20 per cent, i.e. phase III is used on washing of the regulator valve. In particular in the use of the regulator cone 1 according to the present invention in the food industry, in which the hygienic demands are stringent, the regulator cone 1 may be designed with a physical length which is shorter than its stroke length so that, on washing, it is possible wholly to withdraw the regulator cone 1 from the valve seat and thereby avoid tight gaps between the regulator cone 1 and the valve seat, at the same time as a large opening area is provided so as to achieve the correct wash flow. In such instance, the bevel 7 which is disposed on the regulator cone 1 makes an active contribution. The V-shaped grooves 2, 3 are also very easy to wash. The regulator cone 1 according to the present invention also enjoys major advantages when it is employed for liquid foods including solid particles, since it permits, for instance, fruit flesh pieces to pass, as no narrow gaps are formed between one regulator cone 1 and the valve seat. In earlier designs of regulator cones, this situation would result in a pulsating flow, since fruit flesh pieces could easily become trapped in the narrow gaps formed at this region. Sensitive food products such as acidulated milk, yoghurt and the like will also be subject to gentler handling using a regulator cone 1 according to the present invention, since, in this case, the liquid is not sheared but is treated in a gentle manner. Today, no regulator valves are employed for such foods, these being pumped instead, in order to ensure as gentle a handling process as possible. Practical trials have shown that a regulator cone 1 according to the present invention also causes less foam formation. In addition, a regulator valve will be obtained which provides silent throttling of the flow and, thereby, a low wear forecast for the regulator cone 1 and the valve seat, because of minimized risk of erosion and cavitation. As will have been apparent from the above description, the present invention realizes a regulator cone which may be employed for rapid and exact regulation, while not suffering from any of the faults and drawbacks inherent in prior art regulator cones. The present invention should not be considered as restricted to that described above and shown on the Drawings, many modifications being conceivable without departing from the scope of the appended Claims.

Claims: Regulator cone (1) for a valve having a substantially cylindrical configuration there being provided on the circumferential surface of the regulator cone (1) at least a V-shaped groove (2) whose cross-sectional area increases along the longitudinal axis of the regulator cone (1), wherein the cross-section of said groove (2) is triangular and wherein said groove (2) extends along the entire stroke length of the regulator cone (1), characterized in that an even number of grooves is used, that at least a secondary groove (3) extends along half of said stroke length of the regulator cone (1), where the first mentioned primary groove (2) has its largest cross-sectional area, wherein half of the number of the grooves are primary grooves (2) and the other half of the number of the grooves are secondary grooves (3), that also all of the primary and secondary grooves (2, 3) comprise a triangular cross-section and that the side surfaces (8) of said grooves (2, 3) are linearly configured along said longitudinal axis of said regulator cone (1). Regulator cone as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that two primary grooves (2) and two secondary grooves (3) are used. Regulator cone as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the two primary (2) and the two secondary (3) grooves, respectively, are diametrically disposed. Regulator cone as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary grooves (3) are interconnected into a groove disposed normal to the longitudinal axis of the regulator cone (1). Regulator cone as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the regulator cone is bevelled (7) at one defining surface (6) where the cross sectional area of the grooves (2, 3) is largest.

Inventors: WESSMAN BO, WESSMAN, BO
Applicants: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE, TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F16K3
IPC codes: F16K1, F16K47