DIAPHRAGM AND DIAPHRAGM VALVE

Abstract

The invention relates to a diaphragm for a diaphragm valve. The diaphragm has a functional region and a fastening portion, which surrounds the functional region. In a relaxed state, the functional region includes a central portion, which protrudes on a wet side of the diaphragm; a lateral portion, which protrudes on a dry side of the diaphragm, the lateral portion being curved, at least in parts, toward the dry side of the diaphragm; and an intermediate portion, which is arranged between the central portion and the lateral portion and is curved, at least in parts, toward the wet side of the diaphragm.

Claims

1. A diaphragm for a diaphragm valve, wherein the diaphragm has a functional region and a fastening portion surrounding the functional region, the functional region in a relaxed state comprising: (i) a central portion, which protrudes on a wet side of the diaphragm; (ii) a lateral portion, which protrudes on a dry side of the diaphragm, the lateral portion being curved, at least in parts, toward the dry side of the diaphragm; and (iii) an intermediate portion arranged between the central portion and the lateral portion, which is curved, at least in parts, toward the wet side of the diaphragm.

2. The diaphragm according to claim 1, wherein a diaphragm thickness in a region comprising the intermediate portion and the lateral portion, at least in parts, decreases toward the fastening portion.

3. The diaphragm according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion, at least in parts, follows an arc of a circle having a first radius.

4. The diaphragm according to claim 3, wherein the lateral portion, at least in parts, follows an arc having a second radius, and wherein the second radius is smaller than the first radius.

5. The diaphragm according to claim 3, wherein a ratio of the second radius to the first radius is between 0.40 and 0.85.

6. The diaphragm according to claim 3, wherein the first radius is in a range greater than 1/10th of a seat diameter.

7. The diaphragm according to claim 1, wherein the relaxed state of the diaphragm corresponds to an unloaded intermediate position of the diaphragm, which is between an open position and a closed position.

8. The diaphragm according to claim 1, wherein the central portion comprises a wet-side sealing web.

9. The diaphragm according to claim 8, wherein the sealing web is surrounded by two recesses in a section perpendicular to its course.

10. The diaphragm according to claim 8, wherein a wet-side contour of the intermediate portion is rotationally symmetrical to a positioning axis, and wherein the sealing web transitions into the rotationally symmetrical wet-side contour.

11. A diaphragm valve comprising a diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm has a functional region and a fastening portion surrounding the functional region, the functional region in a relaxed state comprising a central portion, which protrudes on a wet side of the diaphram; a lateral portion, which protrudes on a dry side of the diaphragm, the lateral portion being curved, at least in parts, toward the dry side of the diaphragm; and an intermediate portion arranged between the central portion and the lateral portion, which is curved, at least in parts, toward the wet side of the diaphragm, and wherein the diaphragm is braced between a valve body (200) and a drive body.

12. The diaphragm valve according to claim 11, wherein a length of a longitudinal sectional contour of the functional region of the diaphragm is shorter, in particular between 1-4% shorter.

13. The diaphragm valve according to claim 11, wherein the valve body comprises a fastening portion for the diaphragm, a sealing web for cooperation with the functional region of the diaphragm being arranged within the fastening portion, a sealing contour of the sealing web of the valve body comprising two contact portions which are convexly curved in a longitudinal section of the sealing web and each inwardly abut the fastening portion.

14. A valve body for a diaphragm valve, wherein the valve body comprises a fastening portion for a diaphragm, a sealing web for cooperation with a functional region being located within the fastening portion of the diaphragm, a sealing contour of the sealing web comprising two contact portions which are convexly curved in a longitudinal section of the sealing web and each inwardly abut the fastening portion.

15. The valve body according to claim 14, wherein the convexly curved contact portion, at least in parts, follows an arc of a circle, the radius of which is in a range greater than 1/10th of a seat diameter (d0).

16. The valve body according to claim 14, wherein an imaginary tangent of the sealing contour at an inflection point forms an angle with a positioning axis in the range between 40° and 52°.

17. The valve body according to claim 1, wherein the convexly curved contact portion perpendicular to a positioning axis takes up between 1/20th and ⅕th of the seat diameter of the sealing web.

18. The valve body according to claim 1, wherein at least one contact portion of the sealing contour which is concavely curved in the longitudinal section of the sealing web inwardly abuts the correspondingly convexly curved contact portion, the concavely curved portion being less curved than the convexly curved portion.

19. The valve body according to claim 18, wherein a center of curvature of the convexly curved portion and a center of curvature of the concavely curved portion lie on an imaginary common line which with an or the positioning axis forms an angle in a range between 45° and 70°.

20. A diaphragm for a diaphragm valve, wherein the diaphragm comprises a fastening portion, a functional region for cooperation with a sealing web of a valve body being arranged within the fastening portion, a closing contour of the functional region formed in a closed state of the diaphragm comprising two concavely curved contact portions in a longitudinal section of the functional region, which contact portions each inwardly abut the fastening portion.

21. A diaphragm valve comprising a valve body comprising a fastening portion for a diaphragm, a sealing web for cooperation with a functional region being located within the fastening portion of the diaphragm, a sealing contour of the sealing web comprising two contact portions which are convexly curved in a longitudinal section of the sealing web and each inwardly abut the fastening portion and a diaphragm comprising the fastening portion, the functional region for cooperation with the sealing web of the valve body arranged within the fastening portion, a closing contour of the functional region.

22. The diaphragm valve according to claim 21, wherein when the diaphragm valve is in a closed state, the concavely curved contact portions of the diaphragm each abut the associated convexly curved contact portion of the valve body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In the drawing:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a part of a diaphragm valve in an exploded view;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal section of a sealing web of a valve body;

[0045] FIGS. 3 and 4 are each longitudinal sections of a diaphragm;

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a diaphragm and an associated valve body in a schematic section;

[0047] FIG. 6 shows various positions of the diaphragm in schematic form;

[0048] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross section of a central portion of the diaphragm; and

[0049] FIG. 8 is a view of a wet side of the diaphragm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a part of a diaphragm valve 100 in an exploded view. A valve body 200, a first diaphragm 300 and a second diaphragm 400 are shown along a positioning axis 102. The two diaphragms 300 and 400 form a two-part diaphragm arrangement 104, wherein the first diaphragm 300 can be designated as a diaphragm shield and the diaphragm 400 as a supporting diaphragm. The diaphragm 300, 400 comprises a wet side 390, 490 and a dry side 392, 492, the dry side 392, 492 facing away from the valve body 200, and the wet side 390, 490 facing the valve body 200.

[0051] In one example, the first diaphragm 300 comprises polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, or a perfluoroalkoxy polymer, PFA, and the second diaphragm 400 comprises an elastomer such as a vulcanized ethylene propylene diene rubber, EPDM. In another example, the materials are chosen differently. In a further example, only a single diaphragm comprising PTFE, PFA or EPDM is used.

[0052] A pin 330, which is fixedly connected to the first diaphragm 300, extends through a central opening 430 of the second diaphragm 400 and is connected to a valve rod (not shown). The valve rod is driven by a drive (not shown) in order to move the diaphragm 330 along the positioning axis 102.

[0053] The valve body 200 includes two process fluid connections 230, 232. A particular fluid channel leads from the corresponding process fluid connection 230, 232 to a sealing web 206, which is accessible via an opening 234 of the valve body 200.

[0054] The valve arrangement 104 is inserted into the opening 234 and clamped in a fluid-tight manner in a corresponding lateral fastening portion between the valve body 200 and a drive body. In an adjustment direction 106, the drive presses the diaphragm arrangement 104 onto the sealing web 206 in order to prevent a fluid flow between the fluid channels. When the diaphragm arrangement 104 is lifted off the sealing web 206, an opening cross section is unblocked, thereby allowing the fluid flow between the two fluid channels.

[0055] In the present case, the diaphragm arrangement 104 comprises two diaphragms 300, 400. The aspects disclosed in this description can of course also be transferred to diaphragm arrangements having a single diaphragm or more than two diaphragms.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section of sealing web 206 of the valve body 200. The sealing web 206 is constructed mirror-symmetrically to the positioning axis 102, which is why only one half of the valve body 200 is shown in FIG. 2.

[0057] The valve body 200 includes an outer fastening portion 204 for abutting the diaphragm 300 from FIG. 1 and for bracing the diaphragm arrangement 104 from FIG. 1. The sealing web 206 is arranged within the fastening portion 204 in order to interact with a functional region of the diaphragm 300, 400.

[0058] A sealing contour of the sealing web 206 comprises two contact portions 210 which are convexly curved in a longitudinal section yz of the sealing web 260 and each inwardly abut the associated fastening portion 204 toward the positioning axis 102. The sealing contour of the sealing web 206 runs along a surface of the sealing web 206 and relates to the longitudinal section yz of the sealing web 206.

[0059] The convexly curved contact portion 210 follows, at least in parts, an arc of a circle, the radius R10 of which is greater than 1/10th of a seat diameter d0 in a region, in particular in a region between 1/17th and ⅕th of the seat diameter d0, and in particular in a range between 1/11th and 1/7th of the seat diameter d0.

[0060] At an inflection point 216, an imaginary tangent 214 of the sealing contour forms an angle α with a positioning axis 102 in the range between 40° and 52°, in particular in a range between 44° and 50° , and in particular in a range between 47° and 49°. In a portion 240 around the inflection point 216, the sealing web 206 follows the tangent 214, whereby the portion 240 in section yz is within an imaginary truncated cone surface having the positioning axis 102 as the cone axis.

[0061] The convexly curved contact portion 210 takes up, perpendicular to the positioning axis 102, between 1/20th and ⅕th of the seat diameter d0 of the sealing web 206, in particular between 1/15th and ⅙th of the seat diameter d0.

[0062] Sealing web 206 comprises at least one contact portion 212 that is concavely curved in longitudinal section yz of sealing web 206. An inner region of the sealing contour of the sealing web 206, which contour comprises the at least one concavely curved contact portion 212, is surrounded by the two convexly curved contact portions 210. The concave contact portion 212 inwardly abuts the corresponding convexly curved contact portion 210 toward the positioning axis 102. In the present case, the sealing web 206 comprises a central, flat plateau portion 224. The plateau portion 224 can also be omitted, resulting in a single concavely curved contact portion 212. The concavely curved portion 212 is less curved than the convexly curved portion 210.

[0063] A center of curvature 218 of the convexly curved portion 210 and a center of curvature 220 of the concavely curved portion 212 lie on an imaginary common line 222. The line 222 forms an angle β with the positioning axis 102 in a range between 45° and 70°, in particular in a range between 65° and 50°.

[0064] The concave contact portion 212 follows, at least in parts, a circular path having a second radius R12, the first radius R10 being larger than one sixth of the second radius R12 and smaller than half the second radius R12, in particular larger than a quarter of the second radius R12 and smaller than half the second radius R12.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the diaphragm 300, and FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the diaphragm 400. Both diaphragms 400 are described together below.

[0066] The diaphragm 300, 400 comprises the functional region 302, 402 and a fastening portion 304, 404 surrounding the functional region 302, 402. The diaphragm 300, 400 is shown in a relaxed state, which means that no forces are being exerted on the diaphragm 300, 400. In particular in the relaxed state shown, the diaphragm 300, 400 is not clamped in a valve or connected to a drive.

[0067] The functional region 302, 402 in the relaxed state 306, 406 includes: A central portion 308, 408, which protrudes on the wet side 390, 490 of the diaphragm 300, 400;

[0068] a lateral portion 310, 410, which protrudes on a dry side 392, 492 of the diaphragm 300, 400, the lateral portion 310, 410 being curved, at least in parts, toward the dry side 392, 492 of the diaphragm 300, 400; and an intermediate portion 312, 412 arranged between the central portion 308, 408 and the lateral portion 310, 410, which intermediate portion is curved, at least in parts, toward the wet side 390, 490 of the diaphragm 300, 400.

[0069] A first vertical plane 340, 440 of the positioning axis 102 runs through the fastening portion 304, 404. A second vertical plane 342, 442 of the positioning axis delimits the lateral portion 310, 410 from the outside. A third vertical plane 344, 444 delimits the central portion 308, 408 from the outside. The first vertical plane 340, 440 is located between the second vertical plane 342, 442 and the third vertical plane 344, 444.

[0070] A diaphragm thickness or wall thickness of the diaphragm 300, 400 decreases, at least in parts, in a region comprising the intermediate portion 312, 412 and the lateral portion 310, 410 toward the fastening portion 304, 404. In a further example, the diaphragm thickness or wall thickness of the diaphragm 300, 400 in the region comprising the intermediate portion 312, 412 and the lateral portion 310, 410 is selected to be essentially constant.

[0071] The intermediate portion 312, 412 follows, at least in parts, an arc of a circle 314, 414 having a first radius R1_3, R1_4. The lateral portion 310, 410 follows, at least in parts, an arc of a circle 316, 416 having a second radius R2_3, R2_4. The second radius R2_3, R2_4 is selected to be smaller than the first radius R1_3, R1_4. In particular, a ratio of the second radius R2_3, R2_4 to the first radius R1_3, R1_4 is between 0.40 and 0.85, in particular between 0.55 and 0.75. The first radius R1_3, R1_4 is in a range greater than 1/10th of a seat diameter d0, in particular in a range between 1/17th and ⅕th of the seat diameter d0, and in particular in a range between 1/11th and 1/7th of the seat diameter d0.

[0072] FIG. 5 shows the diaphragm 300 and the associated valve body 200 in a schematic section. The fastening portions 204 and 304 abut one another in a fluid-tight manner. The diaphragm 300 is shown schematically in the relaxed state. An opening cross section 520 results between the diaphragm 300 and the sealing web 206 through which the opening process fluid can flow.

[0073] If the diaphragm 300 is pressed onto the sealing web 206, this results in a closed contour of the functional region 302 formed in this closed state of the diaphragm 300, which contour has two contact portions 510 that are concavely curved in the longitudinal section yz of the functional region 302, and each of which inwardly abuts the fastening portion 304. The closing contour of the functional region 302 refers to a wet-side surface of the diaphragm 300, specifically in a longitudinal section xy of the associated sealing web 206. When the diaphragm valve 100 is in the closed state, the concavely curved contact portions 510 of the diaphragm 300 each abut the associated convexly curved contact portion 210 of the valve body 200.

[0074] A length of a longitudinal sectional contour of functional region 302, 402 of diaphragm 300, 400 from FIG. 3 or 4 is shorter, in particular between 1-4% shorter, in particular between 2-3% shorter, than a longitudinal sectional contour of sealing web 206 of valve body 200. The longitudinal section contour refers to a wet-side surface of the diaphragm 300, 400, specifically in the longitudinal section of the associated sealing web 206.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows various positions of the diaphragm in schematic form in section yz. The relaxed state 306, 406 of the diaphragm 300, 400 from FIGS. 3 and 4, which is not shown in FIG. 6, corresponds to an unloaded intermediate position of the diaphragm 300, 400, which is located between an open position 602 and a closed position 604. A maximum opening cross section 610 results between the open position 602 and the closed position 604.

[0076] The shown position 606 of the diaphragm 300, 400 is reached when the diaphragm 300, 400 is lifted off the sealing web 206 and is moved toward the open position 602. Due to the configuration of the diaphragm 300, 400 explained in this description, a lateral curvature 608 is reached in the position 606 in a section which comprises the positioning axis 102. The bulge 608 opens toward the corresponding wet side. The curvature 608 comprises a minimum flexing radius Rw, which is not fallen below when passing through the positions going from the position 604 to the position 602.

[0077] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross section of the central portion of the diaphragm 300. The central portion 308 comprises a wet-side sealing web 702. The sealing web 702 is surrounded by two recesses 704, 706 in a section xz perpendicular to the course of the sealing web 702.

[0078] In an alternative example, the sealing web 702 and the corresponding recesses 704, 706 are omitted. In this example, a wet-side surface of the central portion 308 is rotationally symmetrical to the positioning axis 108.

[0079] FIG. 8 shows a view of the wet side of diaphragm 300 in the z-direction. The diaphragm 300 comprises a wet-side surface contour of the intermediate portion 312, which contour is designed to be rotationally symmetrical to the positioning axis 102. In regions 802 and 804, the sealing web 702 continuously transitions into the rotationally symmetrical wet-side surface contour of the intermediate portion 312.