Pressure Valve for a Liquid

Abstract

Pressure valve for a liquid comprising a housing with an inlet and an outlet for directing the liquid from the inlet through the housing to the outlet along a flow direction, wherein valve further comprises movable member which is movable in the housing towards and away from the outlet between a blocked position wherein the movable member blocks the outlet and an unblocked position wherein the movable member is moved away from the outlet in a direction opposite the flow direction.

Claims

1. A pressure valve for a liquid comprising a housing with an inlet and an outlet for directing the liquid from the inlet through the housing to the outlet along a flow direction, wherein the valve further comprises a movable member which is movable in the housing towards and away from the outlet between a blocked position wherein the movable member blocks the outlet and an unblocked position wherein the movable member is away from the outlet in a direction opposite the flow direction, wherein the movable member is biased to the unblocked position, wherein the pressure valve comprises at least one flow passage for directing liquid from the inlet side to the outlet side of the movable member, and wherein the at least one flow passage has an outlet directed towards the movable member in a direction with a component opposite the flow direction.

2. The pressure valve according to claim 1, wherein the inlet and the outlet are substantially aligned along the flow direction, wherein the movable member is only substantially movable along the flow direction.

3. The pressure valve according to claim 2, wherein the movable member is movable between the inlet and the outlet.

4. The pressure valve according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is arranged to move to the blocked position upon increasing pressure at the inlet.

5.-6. (canceled)

7. The pressure valve according to claim 1, wherein an outlet of the at least one flow passage is arranged adjacent the outlet of the housing.

8. The pressure valve according to claim 7, wherein there are a plurality of flow passages having outlets arranged surrounding the outlet of the housing.

9. The pressure valve according to claim 1, wherein the outlet of the housing comprises a tubular member protruding into the housing, wherein one end surface of the tubular member is arranged to receive the movable member in the blocked position, wherein the at least one flow passage is arranged to direct liquid to a location at or near said end surface of the tubular member.

10. The pressure valve according to claim 9, wherein the outlet of the at least one flow passage extends into the end surface of the tubular member.

11. The pressure valve according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is at least substantially spherical.

12. The pressure valve according to claim 11, further comprising a ring shaped holder for holding the at least substantially spherical movable member, wherein the ring shaped member is provided with at least one recess in a circumferential surface for fluid passage.

13. The pressure valve according to claim 12, comprising a spring for urging the movable member towards the unblocked position.

14. The pressure valve according to claim 13 when dependent on claim 12, wherein the spring engages the ring shaped holder.

15. The pressure valve according to claim 1, further comprising a dividing wall extending at least partially between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the dividing wall is provided with one or more flow passages.

16. The pressure valve according to claim 15, wherein the flow passages in the dividing wall comprise a slot which is open to the inlet side of the dividing wall.

17. The pressure valve according to claim 15, wherein the dividing wall is cylindrical and arranged coaxially around the outlet and the movable member.

18. The pressure valve according to 17, wherein the cylindrical member limits movement of the movable member along the flow direction.

19. The pressure valve according to claim 1, further comprising a sieve at the inlet, wherein the diameter of the at least one flow passage in the valve is larger than the largest pore size of the sieve.

20. A device for limiting or keeping constant a flowing quantity of liquid, comprising a flow limiter and a pressure valve according to claim 1 arranged in parallel to the flow limiter.

21. A method for manufacturing a pressure valve according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: a. defining a closing pressure for the pressure valve; b. designing the flow passages in the pressure valve such that the movable member moves to the blocked position when the pressure at the inlet reaches the closing pressure; and; c. manufacturing said pressure valve.

Description

[0030] The present invention is further illustrated by the following Figures, which show a preferred embodiment of the pressure valve according to the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, wherein:

[0031] FIG. 1 schematically shows a flow limiting device;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a pressure valve in perspective cross-section;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows the pressure valve in exploded view; and

[0034] FIGS. 4a-c show the pressure valve in cross-section in different working positions

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a device 100 for limiting or regulating a quantity of fluid flowing there through, comprising a housing 100a which comprises a front chamber 103 and a rear chamber 104; a partition 105 arranged in the housing 100a and provided with two or more openings 105a; and a flow limiter 200 arranged in one or both openings. Such a device is described in WO 2015/069114.

[0036] An inlet pipe 101 debouches in the front chamber 103 and an outlet pipe 102 is connected to the rear chamber 104. In this example, three flow limiters 200 as described in EP 1.131.687 A and the Netherlands patent application no. 1010592 are provided in three of the openings 105a of the partition 105. The flow limiters 200 are arranged and capable of providing a constant flow of liquid at their exit side, substantially regardless of the input pressure at the inlet pipe 101, provided that this pressure is sufficiently high, for instance at least approximately 2 bar in this example. In order to provide a suitable flow also at lower pressures, pressure valves 1 are arranged in the other openings 105a. Pressure valves 1 are arranged to open at lower pressures, and thus pass through liquid, and to close at a higher pressure, in this example again at approximately 2 bar. Also at lower pressures, a substantial constant flow of liquid is thus guaranteed. A cross-section of the pressure valve is shown in FIG. 2 and an exploded view is shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] The pressure valve 1 comprises a housing 11 with an inlet 2 and a outlet 3, in this example located opposite the inlet 2 and aligned along axis A, which corresponds in this example to the flow direction through the pressure valve 1. The housing 11 comprises a bottom 11c, in which the outlet 3 opens. In this example, the housing comprises two parts 11a 11b. The upper part 11b is cylindrical and the lower part 11c is provided with the bottom 11c. At the inlet 2, a sieve 12 is provided to prevent the inflow of larger particles.

[0038] The outlet 3 comprises a tubular member 33 of which one end 32 is arranged in the bottom surface 11c of the valve housing 11. The other end 31 of the tubular member 31 has a convex shape as will be explained later for receiving a ball 4 as movable member. Flow passages 62 end in this end 31 of the tubular member 33. The tubular member 33 is further provided with a flange 34, which in assembled state extends at a distance d1 above the bottom 11d of the interior 11e of the housing 11.

[0039] A dividing member 5 having a dividing wall 51 is also arranged in the interior 11e of the housing 11. The dividing wall 51 divides the housing 11 in a circumferential outer part, between the dividing wall 51 and the walls 11a,b, and an inner part, enclosed by the said dividing wall 51. The outlet 3, in particular the upper end 31 thereof, extends in this inner part. Provided in the dividing wall 51 are slots 53 which form flow passages for allowing liquid to flow from the inlet 2 to the outer part and vice versa. By adapting the shape and number of these slots 52, this flow can be adjusted.

[0040] The dividing member 5 further comprises a flange 52 in this example, which is provided with a plurality of openings 54 which again form flow passages for liquid. The shape and number of these openings 54 defines the amount of liquid which is allowed to flow to the lower part near the bottom 11d of the housing 11. In this example, the lower part of the dividing wall 51 engages the flange 34 of the outlet 3. A passage 61a is thus formed between housing wall 11a and dividing wall 51, respectively flange 34. This passage 61a debouches in lower passage 61b defined between flange 34 and bottom 11d of the housing 11. Flow passages 62, which will be explained in greater detail below, are connected to lower passage 61b.

[0041] For closing the outlet 3, in particular the upper part 31 thereof, a movable member 4 in the form of a ball is provided. The ball 4 is held in a correspondingly shaped ring 41 which at its circumferential surface is provided with recesses 42 which again form flow passages. A spring 43 is arranged between ball 4, in particular the ring 41, and the housing 11, in this example the flange 34 of the outlet 3. The spring 43 urges the ball 4 towards the inlet 2, which direction is indicated with the arrow I. The sieve 12 is thereto provided with a receptacle 12a for receiving the ball 4 (see in particular FIG. 2).

[0042] The ball 4 and the ring 41 are in this example received within the dividing wall 51 and the ring 41 and dividing wall 51 cooperate such that the ball 4 is only movable along one axis A, in this example the same axis A along which the inlet 2 and outlet 3 are aligned and which corresponds to the main flow direction. Recesses 42 in the ring 41, together with slots 53 define the flow of liquid towards and from the space within the dividing wall 51.

[0043] The working of the pressure valve 1 will be further explained with reference to FIG. 4a-c. In the position as shown in FIG. 4a, the ball 4 extends at a distance d2 from the outlet 3, in particular the upper end 31 thereof. Liquid is thus allowed to flow from the inlet 2, through the housing 11 to the outlet 3. The main flow direction is indicated in FIG. 4b with the dashed line A. Liquid flows in the direction indicated with arrow II.

[0044] If the pressure at the inlet 2 increases, and thus the pressure at the inlet side 4a of the ball 4, the ball 4 will be urged towards the outlet 3 in the direction of the flow direction A, indicated with arrow II. It will be appreciated that the ball 4 is only movable along the axis A and that movement in another direction is substantially limited. If the pressure at the inlet side 4a is sufficiently high, the ball 4 is moved completely to the outlet 3, closing or blocking said outlet 3. This is shown in FIG. 4c. The movable member in the form of the ball 4 is now in the blocked position wherein liquid flow through the outlet is blocked. The upper end 31 of the outlet 3 is thereto shaped complementary to the ball 4 to allow effective blockage of the outlet 3.

[0045] When the pressure again decreases, the ball 4 may move in a direction opposite the main flow direction A away from the outlet 3, indicated with the arrow I, see FIG. 4b. Some liquid may now flow through the outlet 3. Thus, the higher the inlet pressure, the less liquid flows through the valve 1. In order to adjust the pressure at which the valve 1 closes, flow passages, for instance those indicated with 42, 53, 54 and specifically 62, are provided to direct liquid to the outlet side 4b of the ball 4. The outlet side 4b is the side of the ball 4 oriented towards the outlet 3.

[0046] The flow passages 62 are arranged to direct a flow of liquid from the inlet 2, or the inlet side 4a of the ball 4, towards the outlet side 4b in a direction with a component opposite the main flow direction. The openings in the upper part 31 are thus oriented upwards, such that the flow is also substantially upwardly oriented. This is indicated with the arrows. These flows will urge the ball member 4 in the direction indicated with I and will thus counter any movement in the direction II. By adjusting the amount of liquid flowing through the passages 62, the closing pressure of the valve 1 can be controlled.

[0047] The flow passages 62 are arranged in the tubular part 33 of the outlet 3 and are interconnected with the passage 61b defined between the flange 34 and the bottom 11d of housing 11. This passage 61b connects to the passage 61a defined between the dividing wall 51 and the housing wall, in this example the lower housing part 11a. The passage 61a is delimited in this example by flange 52, in which openings 54 are defined. The shape and number of openings 54 thus also influences the amount of liquid flowing through the passages 62. The amount of liquid flowing from the central space within the dividing wall 51 to the circumferential outer part is inter alia defined by the number and shape of the slots 53 in the dividing wall 51. Also the recesses 42 influence this flow. Thus, by adjusting the flow passages in the pressure valve 1, the closing pressure of the valve can be adjusted efficiently.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown, but extends also to other embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. It is for instance noted that it is possible that the pressure valve is not provided with any spring member, as the flow passages may be responsible for the urging back of the movable member. The pressure valve, or generally valve, may further be used as a fluid valve, for instance for gases.