A top entry ball valve comprises a housing with a central cavity communicating with two bores which define a flow path through the housing. A ball valve element is provided and comprises a through bore. The ball valve element is rotatably mounted within the central cavity for rotation about an axis for selectively aligning the through bore with the housing bores. The ball valve element further comprises first and second flat surfaces on opposite sides of the ball valve element. The flat surfaces are perpendicular to the axis. The top entry ball valve further comprises first and second seats which are configured to provide a seal between the ball valve element and the central cavity. First and second protective rings are provided for receiving and supporting at least a portion of the first and second seats.

A sealing element for a ball valve with a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring whose central axes are parallel, the first sealing ring and the second sealing ring being made of different materials, and the first sealing ring being located on a side of the second sealing ring facing towards a ball in a ball valve in an axial direction, and being used to make contact with a spherical surface of the ball to form a seat The first and second sealing rings are fixed together, and the first sealing ring is a stamped annular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet. Since PTFE has a very low friction coefficient, the friction torque between the first sealing ring and the spherical surface of the ball is relatively small, and the first sealing ring does not wear easily and is not prone to sealing failure. A ball valve using the sealing element is also disclosed.

A system, in certain embodiments, includes an annular ball valve seat including an annular spring, which biases the annular ball valve seat axially. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the annular ball valve seat includes a main body section, a lip section extending from the main body section, and a seat groove between the main body section and the lip section, wherein the first annular spring is disposed within the seat groove. A first leg of the annular spring biases the lip section in a first axial direction and a second leg of the annular spring biases the main body section in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction. The annular ball valve seat is configured to be disposed within a ball valve, on either side of a ball of the ball valve. The particular design of the annular ball valve seat enables pressure within a body cavity of the ball valve to be self-relieving.

A trunnion-type ball valve including a seat retainer (14) attaching a ball seat(s) to at least one side of a ball (12) having a through hole (12a) provided in a body (11). The ball is turnably provided via a stem (13), and the ball seat is attached in a protrusion-prevented and free state in an attachment groove formed in the seat retainer. An excessive pressure due to an abnormal pressure rise in a cavity upon full close or upon full open is configured to be relieved into a flow channel via a communication part provided between an inner peripheral surface of the ball seat and the attachment groove by moving the seat retainer in a direction opposite to the ball by self-tension utilizing the pressure and pushing-out the ball seat to a ball-side by the excessive pressure flowed into a rear-surface side of the ball seat in the attachment groove.

A system, in certain embodiments, includes an annular ball valve seat including an annular spring, which biases the annular ball valve seat axially. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the annular ball valve seat includes a main body section, a lip section extending from the main body section, and a seat groove between the main body section and the lip section, wherein the first annular spring is disposed within the seat groove. A first leg of the annular spring biases the lip section in a first axial direction and a second leg of the annular spring biases the main body section in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction. The annular ball valve seat is configured to be disposed within a ball valve, on either side of a ball of the ball valve. The particular design of the annular ball valve seat enables pressure within a body cavity of the ball valve to be self-relieving.

A valve assembly includes a body, a ball, a first seating assembly, and a second seating assembly. The body includes an inlet, an outlet, and an inner chamber. The ball is positioned within the inner chamber. The ball includes a bore extending through the ball such that the ball is movable from a closed position and an open position. The ball prevents fluid flow from flowing between the inlet and the outlet in the closed position. The ball enables fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet in the open position. The first seating assembly is positioned adjacent the inlet. The second seating assembly is positioned adjacent the outlet.

A thermal management module is provided that includes a housing, a rotary valve, and a sealing assembly arranged in a passageway of the housing. The sealing assembly includes a main seal, a secondary seal, and a seal support. The main seal is loose-fitting on the seal support and is loose-fitting in the housing, allowing rotation of the main seal. The rotating seal will wear uniformly, thereby reducing wear, and maintain good sealing performance throughout the lifetime of the thermal management module. The rotary valve can be configured with an opening that is asymmetric in relation to an axial direction of the rotary valve, thereby providing a rotational torque for turning the main seal. The opening of the rotary valve can have a die parting line that is inclined relative to the axial direction of the rotary valve, also providing a rotational torque for turning the main seal.

A ball valve includes a housing, a ball disposed within a cavity of the housing and configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position. The ball valve also includes an annular seat assembly positioned between the housing and the ball, and the annular seat assembly has an annular seat body having a ball-contacting surface configured to contact the ball and having an annular groove. The annular seat assembly also has an annular seal positioned within the annular groove, and the annular seal is configured to contact and to form a seal between the annular seat body and the housing and enables the annular seat body to move relative to the housing to automatically relieve a cavity pressure within the cavity across the annular seat assembly into an upstream bore of the housing.

A valve including a double piston effect seat assembly with unidirectional lip seals is provided. In one embodiment, a valve includes a ball disposed in a cavity of a hollow valve body. The ball includes a flow port and is rotatable to control flow through the valve. The valve also includes a seat assembly having a seat in contact with the ball, a ring positioned on an opposite side of the seat from the ball, and unidirectional lip seals. The seat assembly is a double piston seat assembly, with the double piston effect provided by the arrangement of the seat, the ring, and the unidirectional lip seals. Additional valve systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

A refrigerant control valve apparatus which maintains improved sealing ability while being restrained from being enlarged includes a housing including a first discharge port and a second discharge port which includes a smaller diameter than the first discharge port, a rotor rotatably housed at the housing, a bore portion provided at an outer wall portion of the rotor to control a flow of refrigerant relative to the first discharge port and the second discharge port, a second seal portion of the second discharge port being configured to make contact with an edge portion of the bore portion in a case where the rotor is specified at any rotation position for sending out the refrigerant to the second discharge port.