Patent ID: 6886595

Claim:
A bi-directional head loss valve comprising: a valve body having a flow path along a flow axis and a transverse valve actuation axis, the body including an actuation shaft housing and a guide shaft mount disposed in opposition along the transverse valve actuation axis; a fixed plate within the valve body transverse the flow axis, the fixed plate having a plurality of downstream orifices parallel to the flow axis; a mobile plate housed within the valve body upstream of and parallel to the fixed plate, the mobile plate having a plurality of upstream orifices parallel to the flow axis, the mobile plate being adapted to move along the transverse valve actuation axis: from a fully open position, wherein the upstream and downstream orifices are in flow communication; to a fully closed position, wherein the downstream orifices are blocked by the mobile plate; an actuation shaft along the transverse actuation axis slidably housed within the actuation shaft housing, the actuation shaft having an inner end engaging the mobile plate and an outer end adapted to engage a valve actuator; and a guide shaft along the transverse actuation axis having an inner end engaging the mobile plate and an outer end engaging the guide shaft mount; wherein at least one of: the guide shaft; the mobile plate; and the guide shaft mount, include pressure equalization channels in communication with the flow path.