SHUTTLE VALVE FOR A SAFETY VALVE ARRANGEMENT AND SAFETY VALVE ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A shuttle valve for a safety valve arrangement is provided with a valve housing (2), which includes a fluid inlet (4) and two fluid outlets (6, 8). A movable shut-off body (12) is arranged in the valve housing (2) and can be moved between two closure positions, in which the movable shut-off body (12) closes one of the fluid outlets (6, 8). The shut-off body (12) is arranged in a pivotably about a pivot axis (D). The shuttle valve includes a linear drive (46) which is coupled to the shut-off body (12) in a manner such that the shut-off body (12) is pivotable between its two closure positions by moving the linear drive (46).

Claims

1. A shuttle valve for a safety valve arrangement, the shuttle valve comprising: a valve housing comprising a fluid inlet and two fluid outlets; a movable shut-off body arranged in the valve housing, the movable shut-off body being moveable between two closure positions, wherein in each of the two closure positions the movable shut-off body closes one of the fluid outlets; a shut-off body pivot with a shut-off body pivot axis, wherein the shut-off body is connected to the shut-off body pivot to pivot about the pivot axis; and a linear drive coupled to the shut-off body such that the shut-off body is pivotable between the closure positions by moving the linear drive.

2. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive is a hand-actuated linear spindle drive.

3. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein a movement axis of the linear drive extends transversely to the pivot axis.

4. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive engages on the shut-off body radially distanced to the pivot axis.

5. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein: the shut-off body comprises two sealing surfaces which are spaced away from one another; a corresponding valve seat is formed on each of the fluid outlets in the valve housing; and the valve seats are configured such that in one of the closure positions, one of the sealing surfaces is in sealing contact with one of the valve seats.

6. A shuttle valve according to claim 5, wherein the sealing surfaces and the valve seats are configured such that a purely metallic sealing pairing or a metallic—soft-sealing sealing pairing is provided between the sealing surface and the associated valve seat.

7. A shuttle valve according to claim 5, wherein the linear drive engages on one of the sealing surfaces in a center or essentially or nearly in the center.

8. A shuttle valve according to claim 5, wherein the pivot axis is situated outside the sealing surfaces.

9. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis of the shut-off body is arranged in the shuttle valve outside flow paths from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlets.

10. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the shut-off body is articulated on the pivot axis via a pivot arm arranged on the shut-off body at an outer side.

11. A shuttle valve according to claim 10, wherein the shut-off body is movably articulately connected to the pivot arm.

12. A shuttle valve according to claim 11, wherein at least one spring element is arranged between the shut-off body and the pivot arm such that the shut-off body is held in a defined idle position when the shut-off body is not located in one of the closure positions.

13. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is defined by an jointed articulation of the shut-off body which is situated in an inside of the valve housing.

14. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive is coupled to the shut-off body by a joint connection and the joint connection is configured such that the joint connection permits a relative movement between the linear drive and the shut-off body in a direction transverse to the pivot axis and transverse to a movement axis of the linear drive.

15. A shuttle valve according to claim 13, wherein: the joint connection comprises a joint head which is arranged on the linear drive and which is guided in a rotationally movable manner in a recess in the shut-off body and in guided in a linearly movable manner transversely to the pivot axis; and the joint head of the linear drive is positively held by an insert in a recess of the shut-off body such that a relative movement between the shut-off body and the joint head is possible transverse to the movement axis of the linear drive.

16. A shuttle valve according to claim 1, wherein a linearly movable part of the linear drive is led through one of the fluid outlets.

17. A safety valve arrangement, comprising: a first safety valve; a second safety valve; and a shuttle valve comprising: a valve housing comprising a fluid inlet and two fluid outlets; a movable shut-off body arranged in the valve housing, the movable shut-off body being moveable between two closure positions, wherein in each of the two closure positions the movable shut-off body closes one of the fluid outlets; a shut-off body pivot with a shut-off body pivot axis, wherein the shut-off body is connected to the shut-off body pivot to pivot about the pivot axis; and a linear drive coupled to the shut-off body such that the shut-off body is pivotable between the closure positions by moving the linear drive, wherein the first safety valve is connected to one of the fluid outlets and the second safety valve is connected to another of the fluid outlets.

18. A safety valve arrangement, according to claim 17, wherein a movement axis of the linear drive extends transversely to the pivot axis and the linear drive and engages on the shut-off body radially distanced to the pivot axis.

19. A safety valve arrangement, according to claim 17, wherein: the shut-off body comprises two sealing surfaces which are spaced away from one another; a corresponding valve seat is formed on each of the fluid outlets in the valve housing; and the valve seats are configured such that in one of the closure positions, one of the sealing surfaces is in sealing contact with one of the valve seats.

20. A safety valve arrangement, according to claim 17, wherein: the linear drive is coupled to the shut-off body by a joint connection and the joint connection is configured such that the joint connection permits a relative movement between the linear drive and the shut-off body in a direction transverse to the pivot axis and transverse to a movement axis of the linear drive; the joint connection comprises a joint head which is arranged on the linear drive and which is guided in a rotationally movable manner in a recess in the shut-off body and in guided in a linearly movable manner transversely to the pivot axis; and the joint head of the linear drive is positively held by an insert in a recess of the shut-off body such that a relative movement between the shut-off body and the joint head is possible transverse to the movement axis of the linear drive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a shuttle valve according to the invention, in a first closure position;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the shuttle valve according to FIG. 1, in a second closure position;

[0033] FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of a part-region of FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a lateral view of a first embodiment of a shut-off body, with a connecting pivot arm;

[0035] FIG. 5 is a lateral view of a second embodiment of the shut-off body with a connecting pivot arm; and

[0036] FIG. 6 is a sectioned view of the arrangement in FIG. 5, along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5; and

[0037] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing the shuttle valve according to the invention with two safety valves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Referring to the drawings, the shuttle valve represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 is part of a safety valve arrangement, with which an overpressure prevailing in a fluid-filled space of a technical facility is to be relieved. The shuttle valve comprises a valve housing 2, on which a fluid inlet 4 and two fluid outlets 6 and 8 are arranged. The arrangement of the fluid inlet 4 and of the fluid outlets 6 and 8 on the valve housing 2 is such that a middle axis A of the fluid inlet 4 is offset from the middle axis B of the fluid outlet 6 as well as the middle axis C of the fluid outlet 8 in each case by an angle of 112.5°, so that the angle between the middle axes B and C of the two fluid outlets 6 and 8 is 135°. Thereby, the middle axes A, B and C lie in a common plane. The offset between the middle axes A, B and C can however also be selected differently. Thereby, the angle between the middle axis A of the fluid inlet and the middle axes B and C of the fluid outlets 6, 8 is preferably not smaller than 90°. The angles between the middle axes A, B and C preferably each lie in a range between 100° and 140°. This arrangement has the advantage that a smaller deflection of the flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet is effected than if these are arranged at an angle of 90° to one another. Lower pressure losses consequently occur.

[0039] A shut-off body 12 with which one of the fluid outlets 6 and 8 can be each closed in a selective or alternating manner is arranged in an interior 10 of the valve housing 2, through which interior the flow paths run from the fluid inlet 4 to the two fluid outlets 6 and 8. For closing the fluid outlets 6 and 8, the shut-off body 12 at two sides which are directly away from one another comprise two sealing surfaces 14 and 16 which are conically chamfered on their outer edge, wherein in a first closure position of the shut-off body 12, in which this body closes the first fluid outlet 6, the first sealing surface 14 comes to bear on a first valve seat 18 in a fluid tight manner, said valve seat being formed on an annular sleeve 20 arranged at the outer side of the first fluid outlet 6 and engaging into the valve housing (FIG. 1) and wherein the second sealing surface 16 in a second closure position of the shut-off body 12, in which this body closes the second fluid outlet 8 comes to bear in a fluid-tight manner on a second valve seat 22 formed on an annular sleeve 24 arranged at the outside of the fluid outlet 8 and engaging into the valve housing 2 (FIG. 2).

[0040] The shut-off body 12 is pivotable into its two closure positions. For this, a pivot arm 28 is arranged on a peripheral wall 26 of the shut-off body 12 which connects the sealing surfaces 14 and 16, and this pivot arm extends in a direction normal to the peripheral wall 26. The pivot arm 28 in the region of its end which is away from the shut-off body 12 is articulated on a joint pin 30 forming the pivot axis D of the shut-off body 12. The joint pin 30 and thus also the pivot axis D of the shut-off body 12 are arranged in the valve housing 2 lying on the middle axis A of the fluid inlet 4, in a region 32 situated outside the flow paths from the fluid inlet 4 to the fluid outlets 6 and 8. The pivot axis D is situated in the inside of the valve housing 2, at a side which is away from the fluid outlet 4. The alignment of the joint pin 30 and of the pivot axis D is hereby normal to the middle axis A of the fluid inlet and normal to a plane spanned by the middle axis B and C of the fluid outlets 6 and 8.

[0041] A connection branch 34 is arranged on the valve housing 2 coaxially to the middle axis A of the fluid inlet 4. The connection branch 34 forms a flow path from a space of a technical facility which is not represented in the drawings and which is subjected to a fluid pressure, to the fluid inlet 4 of the valve housing 2, wherein an inner lumen 36 of the connection branch 34 which forms the flow path continuously enlarges from an inlet-side cross section which is smaller than the cross section of the fluid inlet 4, to the cross section of the fluid inlet 4.

[0042] A connection branch 38 on the valve housing 2 connects onto the first fluid outlet 6. The connection branch 38 has an inner lumen 40, whose cross section continuously tapers departing from the end of the connection branch 38 which faces the fluid outlet 6 and at which the cross section of the inner lumen 40 corresponds to the cross section of the fluid outlet 6.

[0043] A further connection branch 42 is arranged on the valve housing 2 adjacently to the second fluid outlet 8. With this connection branch 42 too, the cross section of an inner lumen 44 continuously tapers to a smaller cross section, departing from the end of the connection branch 42 which faces the fluid outlet 8 and at which the cross section of the inner lumen 44 corresponds to the cross section of the fluid outlet 6.

[0044] The connection branch 38 and the connection branch 42 are designed as pipe bends. Here, a middle axis E of the inner lumen 40 of the connection branch 38 at the end of the connection branch 38 which faces the first fluid outlet 6 corresponds to the middle axis B of the fluid outlet 6 and at the end of the connection branch 38 which is away from the fluid inlet 6 runs parallel to the middle axis A of the fluid inlet. A middle axis F of the inner lumen 44 of the connection branch 42, at the end of the connection branch 42 which faces the second fluid outlet 8 corresponds to the middle axis C of the fluid outlet 8 and at the end of the connection branch 42 which is away from the fluid inlet 8 likewise runs parallel to the middle axis A of the fluid inlet. A safety valve which is likewise not represented in the drawings is arranged in each case at the ends of the connection branches 38 and 42 which are away from the valve housing 2, with which safety valves an overpressure prevailing in the space connected to the connection branch 34 can be selectively relieved.

[0045] The represented shuttle valve is provided with a linear drive 46 for pivoting the shut-off body 12 into its two closure positions. The linear drive 46 is a hand-actuated spindle drive. This spindle drive comprises a threaded spindle 49 which is coupled to an actuation rod 48 led through an outer wall of the connection branch 42 and the fluid inlet 8 into the interior 10 of the valve housing 2 where it is coupled in movement to the shut-off body 12. The actuation rod 48 defines a movement axis G of the linear drive 46. The alignment of the actuation rod 48 or the alignment of the movement axis G are such that they extend transversely to the pivot axis D formed by the joint pin 30. The actuation rod 48 as well as the threaded spindle 49, at the outer side of the connection branch 42 are led through a housing 50 which is arranged there, wherein a rotatable spindle nut 52 of the spindle drive which engages into the housing 50 is arranged at an end of the housing 50 which is away from the valve housing 2. The spindle nut 52 is connected to a hand wheel 54 in a rotationally fixed manner for the manual actuation.

[0046] The actuation rod 48 at its end engaging into the interior 10 of the valve housing 2 is articulately connected to the shut-off body 12. The actuation rod 48 at its end engaging into the interior 10 of the valve housing 2 comprises a joint head 56, for forming this joint connection. The joint head 56 is designed in an essentially cylindrical manner and has a cross section which is larger than the cross section of a connection to the actuation rod 48. The actuation rod 48 engages with the joint head 56 into a recess 58 formed centrally on the shut-off body 12 on its sealing surface 16.

[0047] A shoulder which subdivides the recess 58 into a section 60 directly adjacent the sealing surface 16 and into a section 62 connecting to this section in the direction of the sealing surface 14 (FIG. 3) is formed on the recess 58. The dimension of the section 60 directly adjacent to the sealing surface 16 in a direction parallel to the sealing surface 16 is hereby larger than the corresponding dimension of the section 62 facing the sealing surface 14, wherein the latter mentioned dimension is larger than the maximal cross section of the joint head 56.

[0048] An insert 64, through which the actuation rod 48 is led engages into the section 60 of the recess 58 which is directly adjacent the sealing surface 16. The insert 64 encompasses the joint head 56 and holds this in the recess 58. An outer side of the insert 64 is hereby flush with the sealing surface 16 of the shut-off body 12. A recess 66 which with regard to its position and dimensions corresponds essentially to the section 62 of the recess 58 which faces the sealing surface 14 is formed on an outer side of the insert 64 which is directly away from the above-mentioned outer side. This section 62 of the recess 58 together with the recess 66 formed on the insert 64 forms a receiving space for the joint head 56 which is arranged at the end of the actuation rod 48 and which is positively fixed herein in the direction of the movement axis G of the linear drive 46, but which hereby permits a relative movement between the actuation rod 48 and the joint head 56 and the shut-off body 12 in a direction transverse to the pivot axis D and transverse to the movement axis G of the linear drive 46.

[0049] As is explained by way of FIGS. 4-6, the shut-off body 12 is movably connected to the pivot arm 28. For this, the pivot arm 28 at its end facing the shut-off body 12 is designed in such a fork-like manner that it engages around the shut-off body over half its periphery. Thereby, the pivot arm 28 engages into an annular groove 68 which peripherally surrounds the outer periphery of the shut-off body 12. At the diameter line of the shut-off body 12, the pivot arm 28 with its fork ends is articulately connected to the shut-off body 12 via two bolts 70 arranged diametrically opposite one another. The pivot arm 28 at the opposite longitudinal end comprises a through-hole 72 which extends parallel to the longitudinal axes of the bolts 70 and through which the pivot axis D for pivoting the pivot arm 28 extends. According to a first embodiment according to FIG. 4, spring elements 74 in the form of corrugated spring strips extending around half the periphery of the annular groove 68 are arranged in the annular groove 68 at two sides of the pivot arm 28. These spring strips ensure that the pivot arm 28 is centered in the annular groove 68 in the idle position, i.e. that the shut-off body 12 is held in a middle position with respect to the pivot arm 28. By way of this, one prevents the shut-off body 12 from tilting due to its intrinsic weight during the switch-over procedure between the two sealing positions.

[0050] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a variant of the articulation of the pivot arm 28 on the shut-off body 12. In contrast to the solution according to FIG. 4, a central spring element 76 is provided with the solution according to FIGS. 5 and 6. This spring element 76 for example can be a helical spring. The spring element 76 with one end engages into a recess centrally in the pivot arm 28 and at the opposed end into a recess on the periphery of the shut-off body 12, i.e. on the base of the annular groove 68. This spring element 76 also serves for holding the shut-off body 12 in a centered manner or centrally to the pivot arm 28, in an idle position in which the shut-off body 12 is not in one of the sealing positions.

[0051] FIG. 7 shows a safety valve arrangement according to the invention. The safety valve arrangement comprises a change-over valve as described and two safety valves S1 and S2, arranged on the exit sides of the change-over valve.

[0052] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

TABLE-US-00001 APPENDIX 2 valve housing 4 fluid inlet 6 fluid outlet 8 fluid outlet 10 interior 12 shut-off body 14 sealing surface 16 sealing surface 18 valve seat 20 annular sleeve 22 valve seat 24 annular sleeve 26 peripheral wall 28 pivot arm 30 joint pin 32 region 34 connection branch 36 inner lumen 38 connection branch 36 inner lumen 42 connection branch 44 inner lumen 46 linear drive 48 actuation rod 49 threaded spindle 50 housing 52 spindle nut 54 hand wheel 56 joint head 58 recess 60 section 62 section 64 insert 66 recess 68 annular groove 70 bolt 72 through-hole 74, 76 spring elements A middle axis B middle axis C middle axis D pivot axis E middle axis F middle axis G movement axis