Abstract
A control valve (100) for regulating a fluid flow in an HVAC system is described, the control valve (100) comprising a valve housing (11) defining a flow path (12), a valve regulating body (13) arranged in the flow path (12) and being adjustable between a closed position and an open position for the fluid flow, and a flow regulating insert (14) configured to regulate the fluid flow over a range of pressure differences across the flow regulating insert (14), wherein the flow regulating insert (14) comprises a spatially fixed pin (141) and an elastically deformable annular throttling member (142) encompassing at least a part of the pin (141), wherein the annular throttling member (142) defines an orifice (143) in the flow regulating insert (14) for the passage of the fluid flow, the orifice (143) being modifiable by deformation of the annular throttling member (142) under a pressure difference across the flow regulating insert (14).
Claims
1. A control valve for regulating a fluid flow in an HVAC system, the control valve comprising a valve housing defining a flow path, a valve regulating body arranged in the flow path and being adjustable between a closed position and an open position for the fluid flow, and at least one flow regulating insert configured to regulate the fluid flow over a range of pressure differences across the flow regulating insert, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a spatially fixed pin and an elastically deformable annular throttling member encompassing at least a part of the pin, wherein the annular throttling member defines an orifice in the flow regulating insert for the passage of the fluid flow, the orifice, being modifiable by deformation of the annular throttling member under a pressure difference across the flow regulating insert.
2. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises at least two spatially fixed pins and at least two elastically deformable annular throttling members, each encompassing at least a part of one of the pins.
3. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a carrier plate extending across the cross-section of the valve housing at the position of the flow regulating insert and comprising a recess for receiving the pin and the annular throttling member, wherein the annular throttling member defines the orifice between the pin and a portion of the carrier plate.
4. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a frame element for receiving the pin and the annular throttling member, wherein the annular throttling member defines the orifice between the pin and a portion of the frame element, the flow regulating insert comprising a carrier plate extending across the cross-section of the valve housing at the position of the flow regulating insert and comprising a recess for receiving the frame element.
5. The control valve according to claim 4, wherein the frame element comprises a recess forming a seat for the annular throttling member.
6. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing comprises a recess for receiving the flow regulating insert.
7. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing comprises a first and second valve housing member, wherein the flow regulating insert is fixedly held between the first and second valve housing member.
8. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve regulating body is rotatable around an axis of rotation between the closed position and the open position for the fluid flow.
9. The control valve according to claim 8, wherein the valve regulating body is a ball with a through bore.
10. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert is arranged within the valve regulating body.
11. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert is arranged upstream or downstream of the valve regulating body with respect to the flow path.
12. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a recess contributing to the orifice for the passage of the fluid flow.
13. The control valve according to claim 1, wherein the control valve is a 6-way valve comprising two consumer ports and four source ports, wherein the four source ports comprise two first source ports for a first fluidic circuit and two second source ports for a second fluidic circuit, wherein a flow regulating insert of the at least one flow regulating insert is arranged in at least one of: the two consumer ports and the four source ports.
14. The control valve according to claim 13, wherein the control valve comprises a first flow regulating insert of the at least one flow regulating insert and a second flow regulating insert of the at least one flow regulating insert, wherein the first and second flow regulating inserts are configured to regulate the flow rate to a first and a different second specific value, respectively.
15. A flow regulating insert for positioning in a flow path of a control valve according to claim 1, comprising a spatially fixed pin and an elastically deformable annular throttling member encompassing at least a part of the pin, wherein the annular throttling member defines an orifice in the flow regulating insert for the passage of the fluid flow, the orifice being modifiable by deformation of the annular throttling member under a pressure difference across the flow regulating insert.
16. The flow regulating insert according to claim 13, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises at least two spatially fixed pins and at least two elastically deformable annular throttling members, each encompassing at least a part of one of the pins.
17. The flow regulating insert according to claim, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a carrier plate comprising a recess for receiving the pin and the annular throttling member, wherein the annular throttling member defines the orifice between the pin and a portion of the carrier plate.
18. The flow regulating insert according to claim 13, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a frame element for receiving the pin and the annular throttling member, wherein the annular throttling member defines the orifice between the pin and a portion of the frame element, the flow regulating insert comprising a carrier plate comprising a recess for receiving the frame element.
19. The flow regulating insert according to claim 13, wherein the flow regulating insert comprises a recess contributing to the orifice for the passage of the fluid flow.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] The present invention will be explained in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0045] FIG. 1a: shows a side cut view of an embodiment of a control valve;
[0046] FIGS. 1b-c: show magnifications of a part of the flow regulating insert of FIG. 1a.
[0047] FIG. 1d: shows a front view of the pin of FIG. 1b;
[0048] FIG. 2a: shows a side cut view of an embodiment of a flow regulating insert;
[0049] FIG. 2b: shows a perspective cut view of the flow regulating insert of FIG. 2a;
[0050] FIG. 3a: shows a side cut view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert with two pins;
[0051] FIG. 3b: shows a rear view of the flow regulating insert of FIG. 3a;
[0052] FIG. 4a: shows a rear view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert with three pins;
[0053] FIG. 4b: shows a side cut view of the flow regulating insert of FIG. 4a;
[0054] FIG. 5a: shows a rear view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert with four pins;
[0055] FIG. 5b: shows a side cut view of the flow regulating insert of FIG. 5a;
[0056] FIG. 6: shows a measurement of the flow rate regulated by a control valve according to the present invention;
[0057] FIG. 7a: shows a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a control valve;
[0058] FIG. 7b: shows an exploded perspective view of the control valve of FIG. 7a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0059] FIG. 1a shows a side cut view of an embodiment of a control valve loo comprising a valve housing 11 defining a flow path 12. The control valve loo comprises a valve regulating body 13 arranged in the flow path 12 and being adjustable between a closed position and an open position for the fluid flow. The valve regulating body 13 is rotatable around an axis of rotation 131 between the closed position and the open position. In an embodiment, the valve regulating body 13 is a ball with a through bore, and the control valve loo is a ball valve. Upstream to the valve regulating body 13, there is arranged a flow regulating insert 14 comprising a carrier plate 144 which extends over the cross-section of the valve housing 11. The flow regulating insert 14 comprises two tapered pins 141 and two annular throttling members 142, the annular throttling members 142 each encompassing one of the pins 141, respectively. The annular throttling members 142 are elastically deformable O-rings. The pins 141 and annular throttling members 142 are received in recesses 1441 of the carrier plate 144. The annular throttling members 142 each define an orifice 143 between the pins 141 and a portion 1443 of the carrier plate 144 adjacent to the annular throttling members 142. The carrier plate 144 comprises laterally arranged recesses 1442 which form a seat for the annular throttling members 142.
[0060] FIGS. 1b and 1c show magnifications of a part of the flow regulating insert 14 encircled by the circle C in FIG. 1a, for different pressures P1 and P2 of the fluid flow. FIG. 1b shows the configuration for the pin 141 and the annular throttling member 142 received in the recess 1441 of the carrier plate 144 at a pressure P1 of the fluid flow. The pin 141 comprises at one end bridges 1411 which form a retaining surface, such that the annular throttling member 142 may be kept within the carrier plate 144 even if the fluid flow changes the direction of the flow path. The bridges 1411 are connected at an end to a fitting ring 1412. The fitting ring 1412 is received in the recess 1441 in a form-fit and force-fit manner. The fluid may flow across the fluid regulating insert through the space between the bridges 1411. A part of the orifice 143 is defined between the annular throttling member 142 and the pin 141 and another part of the orifice 143 is defined between the annular throttling member 142 and a portion 1443 of the carrier plate 144. FIG. 1c shows the configuration at a pressure P2>P1. The annular throttling member 142 is deformed due to the increased pressure drop across the fluid regulating insert and pressed against the orifice 143 and against the portion 1443 of the carrier plate 144 forming a bearing surface for the annular throttling member 142. Due to the deformation of the throttling member 142, the size of the orifice 143 through which the fluid may flow, is decreased, yielding a regulation of the flow rate. Part of the annular throttling member 142 is pressed into the laterally arranged recesses 1442 forming a seat for the annular throttling member 142.
[0061] FIG. 1d shows a front view of the pin 141 and the annular throttling member 142 seen in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 1b. The pin 141 comprises four bridges 1411 which are connected to the fitting ring 1412. The annular throttling member 142 can be seen through the spaces between the bridges 1412 through which the fluid flow can pass.
[0062] FIG. 2a shows a side cut view of an embodiment of a flow regulating insert 24 with a carrier plate 244 fixedly held between a first valve housing member 211 and a second valve housing member 212 screwed onto the first valve housing member 211. The first valve housing member 211 comprises a circumferential recess 2111 receiving the carrier plate 244. The second valve housing member 212 comprises a bearing surface 2121 onto which the carrier plate 244 abuts such that the carrier plate 244 is clamped in a form-fit manner and force-fit manner between the first and second valve housing member 211, 212. The carrier plate 244 may comprise protrusions which may be deformed while the carrier plate 244 is mounted into the control valve such that the carrier plate 244 can be clamped in a force-fit manner without straining the pins 241 arranged in recesses 2441 of the carrier plate 244. By clamping the carrier plate 244 in the shown manner, leakage and/or vibrations can be avoided. Especially, the fluid flow is restricted to flow through the orifice 243. In FIG. 2a there is shown a pin 241 received in a recess 2441 of the carrier plate 244. The pin 241 is arranged in a spatially fixed manner. An annular throttling member 242 encompasses a protruding part of the pin 241 and defines an orifice 243 between the pin 241 and a portion of the carrier plate 244.
[0063] FIG. 2b shows a perspective cut view of the flow regulating insert 24 of FIG. 2a fixedly held between a first valve housing member 211 and a second valve housing member 212 screwed onto the first valve housing member 211. In FIG. 2b, two pins 241 can be seen which are arranged in parallel with respect to the flow path 22. The pins 241 comprise recesses 2413 contributing to the orifice 243. At least a part of the annular throttling member 242 may be compressed into the recesses 2413 of the respective pin 241 under a pressure difference across the flow regulating insert 24, which modifies the orifice for the passage of the fluid flow.
[0064] FIG. 3a shows a side cut view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert 34 with two pins 341 and two annular throttling members 342. In FIG. 3a, only one of the pins and throttling members is furnished with reference numerals for better visibility. However, both pins and throttling members, respectively, are designed in the same fashion. The pin 341 is arranged in a spatially fixed manner. The annular throttling member 342 encompasses the pin 341. The flow regulating insert 34 further comprises two frame elements 346 arranged in the carrier plate 344 of the flow regulating insert 34 and each receiving the pin 341 and the annular throttling member 342.
[0065] The annular throttling member 342 defines an orifice 343 between the pin 341 and a portion of the frame element 346. The frame element 346 comprises laterally arranged recesses 3461 forming a seat for the annular throttling member 342. The carrier plate 344 comprises recesses 3441 for receiving the frame elements 346. The carrier plate 344 receives the frame elements 346 in a form-fit manner and force-fit manner, such that the fluid flow is restricted to flow through the orifices 343. The carrier plate 344 is clamped between a first valve housing member 311 and a second valve housing member 312. The first valve housing member 311 is screwed onto the second valve housing member 312. The second valve housing member 312 comprises a circumferential recess 3111 receiving the carrier plate 344. The first valve housing member 311 comprises a bearing surface 3121 onto which the carrier plate 344 abuts such that the carrier plate 344 is clamped in a form-fit manner and force-fit manner between the first and second valve housing member 311, 312. The flow path is symbolized by the arrow 32.
[0066] FIG. 3b shows a rear view of the flow regulating insert 34 of FIG. 3a. The two pins 341 and frame elements 346 arranged within the flow regulating insert 34 can be recognized through the opening of the second valve housing member 312. The line A-A shows the line of cutting for the cut view as shown in FIG. 3a.
[0067] FIG. 4a shows a rear view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert 44 with three frame elements 446 and pins 441. The pins 441 and frame elements 446 can be recognized through an opening of a second valve housing member 412.
[0068] FIG. 4b shows a side cut view of the flow regulating insert 44 of FIG. 4a where the cut is taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4a. The carrier plate 444 of the flow regulating insert 44 is clamped between a first housing member 411 and the second housing member 412 in a similar fashion as shown for the embodiment of FIG. 3a. Due to the specific arrangement of the three pins 441, only one pin 441 and annular throttling member 442 encompassing the pin 441 and one frame element 446 can be seen in the cut view. The pin 441, the annular throttling member 442 and the frame element 446 have a similar design as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3a.
[0069] FIG. 5a shows a rear view of a further embodiment of a flow regulating insert 54 with four pins 541 and four frame elements 546. The pins 541 and the frame elements 546 can be recognized through an opening of a second valve housing member 512. A side cut view of the flow regulating insert 54 with the cut taken along the line A-A is shown in FIG. 5b. The carrier plate 544 of the flow regulating insert 54 is clamped between a first housing member 511 and the second housing member 512 in a similar fashion as shown for the embodiment of FIG. 3a or FIG. 4b. The pin 541, the annular throttling member 542 and the frame element 546 have a similar design as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3a.
[0070] The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a-5b could also be designed without frame elements, in a similar fashion as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-2b.
[0071] FIG. 6 shows a measurement of the flow rate regulated by a control valve according to the present invention. The flow rate is shown versus the pressure difference across the flow regulating insert. The measurement was taken for an arrangement where the control valve was a ball valve and the flow regulating insert comprised three pins and annular throttling members arranged in parallel with respect to the flow path. The flow regulating insert was installed upstream to the valve regulating body. Curve A shows the measurement for the ball valve being open with an angle of 36.5. Curve B shows the measurement for an angle of 66.5 and curve C shows the measurement for the fully open ball valve (90). It can be recognized that the control valve works as a pressure independent valve above a certain minimum p-value. Below the minimum p-value, the control valve works like a ball valve without flow regulating insert, but with a lower K.sub.v-value. For a fully open valve (90), the minimum p-value is about 0.5 bar, wherein the minimum p-value increases with decreasing valve position angles.
[0072] FIG. 7a shows a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a control valve 600 designed as a ball valve comprising a valve regulating body 63 shaped as a ball with a through bore 631. The valve regulating body 63 is rotatable around the axis 631. The control valve 600 comprises a first valve housing member 611 accommodating the valve regulating body 63 and a second valve housing member 612 accommodating a flow regulating insert 64. The flow regulating insert 64 comprises a carrier plate in the shape of a cartridge 644 extending over the cross-section of the second valve housing member 612. The cartridge 644 comprises a recess 6441 receiving a pin 641 and an annular throttling member 642. The annular throttling member 642 encompasses the pin 641. The cartridge 644 comprises lateral latches 6444 configured to catch the pin 641 in a latching fashion. The flow regulating insert 64 is arranged downstream to the valve regulating body 63, as indicated by the flow path 62. Further, the flow regulating insert 64 is held in place by a fitting clip 65, as better visible in FIG. 7b.
[0073] FIG. 7b shows an exploded perspective view of the control valve 600 of FIG. 7a showing the flow regulating insert 64 and the cartridge 644. The fitting clip 65 comprises two ends with holes 651 which can be used to catch and remove or insert the clip 65. Thus, the shown embodiment is particularly suitable for interchanging different flow regulating inserts 63 with different flow regulating characteristics, depending on the specific application of the control valve 600.
