High-temperature, high-pressure spherical segment valv

Giovannetti, A., Jr.

Himmelright, R. M.

Meyer, K. A.

Nitta, H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Nov. 24, 1964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR., ETAL 3,158,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 
/ 
(NASA CR MMX OR AD NUMBER) 
INVENTORS 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700025501 2020-03-17T02:00:59+00:00Z
Nov. 24, 19W A. GIOVANNETTI, JR., ETAL 3,1158,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
F i l e d  Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 
Nov. 24, 1964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR. ,  ETAL 3,158,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 
Nov. 24, 1964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR., ETAL 3,158,l"ir2 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 
NOV. 24, 1964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR.. ETAL 3,158,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 
Nov. 24, 1964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR., ETAL 3,158, '1 72 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 
ANGELO GIOVANNETTI 
RUSSELL M. HIMMELRIG~ 
KENNETH A. MEYER 
HAHUZO N/TTA 
INVENTORS 
\;tF b 
ATTOUNE YS 
Nov. 24, 19M A. GIOVANNETTI, JR., ETAL 3,958,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 
-- -- - 
TO OPEN 
ANGELO GIOVANNETTI 
k?usssbd M. /#/MNEL RIGHT 
KENNETH A. MEYER 
HAKYZB N/T;TA 
INVENTORS 
Nov. 24, 11964 A. GIOVANNETTI, JR.. ETAL 3,158,172 
HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH-PRESSURE SPHERICAL SEGMENT VALVE 
Filed Aug. 2, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 
89 ' 'v INVENTORS 
3,158,172 United States Patem Oace 
,a,,,,, .,, ,, , 
B 2 
away from the sealing element between its outside sur- 
3,158,172 
Ei[IG%B=TEBqPEUTUa6F,, mGH-P"=SW face and the downstream pipe segment, and then to rotate 
SPHBRICAL SEGMEPJT VALVE it into the open position. A system of cooling ducts 
Gtoya_sanePti9 Jr., sm SGse, Rosel ISIPS Mimmehighty for the introduction of cooling fluid are provided to 
~~~l~ park, icennetb A. M~~~~ @aknzo Nit(a, 5 cool all surfaces subjected to high temperatules. Means 
palo ~ l t o ,  Ca@f., assignrsrs (0 the Blslited States of are provided for furnishing a blanket of cool air over 
America a4. represented by the Adrl~iuistsatos of the all sealing surfaces to protect them from high-temperature 
Natioual Aeronautics and $pace Adminisfration gases while the surfaces are uncovered during the move- 
Fi!ed Aug. %, 1960, Ser. No. 47,123 ment of the valve element. 
1 Cldrn. (Cf. 137-340) 10 The construction and operation of the invention is (Granted under 359 us. Code (195219 266) explained in the following description supplemented with 
The invention described herein may be manufactured the acconl~an~ing  drawings, hereby made a Part of this 
and used by or for the Government of the United States specification and in which, 
of America for governmental purposes without the pay- FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a typical installa- 
ment of any royalties thereoil or therefor. 15 tion of the valve mechanism; 
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the valve mech- 
anism with the valve in the closed position; 
FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the valve mechanism on 
or eyelid for performing this funotion. line 3-3 of FIG. 2; 
ew of an enlarged section of the 
4-4 of FIG. 2 showing the valve 
flow of high-temperature, high-pressure gas in a conduit FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the valve shown 
connecting a gas heating unit and a wind tunnel, th in the open position; 
to be used in wind tunnel tests on  missile models. The FIG. 6 is a view similar to  that of FIG. 5 in which 
valve mechanisIn, however, is in no way l i d t e d  t the valve is shown in the sealed position after opening; 
application, as it  may be used in any application wherein FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a section of the valve 
it is necessary to start and stop the flow of a fluid in and seat showing the cooling ducts; 
either under low or high temperatures and pressures. FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the gate section of 
Prior art valve mechanisms for starting and st 
the flow of fluid in pipes are subject to  a number of FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial section of the valve ele- 
disadvantages. Their bulkiness made their use objec- ment shaft and eccentric sleeve; 
tionable in applications wherein space limitations were FIG. 10 is a partial section taken on  the line $0-10 
critical. They were so constructed that the valve element of 9 showing the lower valve element shaft mani- 
in opening and closing was in contact with the surfaces 35 fold; 
of the gaskets or seals used to provide fluid tightness. FIG. 11 is a section through the valve element shaft 
In  a short time the gaskets or seals would not perform and the eccentric on the line 11-11 of FIG. 9; 
their funciion because of excessive wear due to the sur- FIG. 12 is a plan view of the operational linkages taken 
face of the valve element sliding on them. Prior a1-t On the line 12-12 of FIG. 2; 
valves of this type were unsatisfactory for starting and 40 FIG. 13 is a partial plan view of a section showing the 
stopping the flow of gases at high temperatures and pres- an'angement of the valve element shaft, eccentric, eyelid 
sure due to the fact that the seding construction would crankshaft and yoke, the valve being in a closed posi- 
not withstand these high temperatures and pressures for tion; 
extended periods. FIG. 14 is a view similar to  that of FIG. 13 showing 
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide 45 the yoke and eccentric sleeve in phantom; 
a valve mechanism for starting and stopping the flow of FIG. 15 is an enlarged portion of the valve body and 
fluids in pipes which will satisfy operating re eyelid &owing part of cooling system, and 
and restricted space limitations. FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of 
I t  is another object of this in the valve element taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 8 show- 
a valve mechanism for the purpose stated in o ing water connections. 
valve element is out of contact with sealing ele Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which depicts a typi- 
cal insta!lation of the valve. The valve mechanism 2Q 
is shown connected to an air heater 22 on one side by 
55 means of a flanged pipe connection or other convenient 
means, and to a wind tunnel nozzle 24 on the opposite or 
pressure drop through the valve mechanism. downstream side by conventional connecting nieans. The 
wind tunnel nozzle 24 is connected to the test section 26 
wherein a model to  be tesred is supported by model sup- 
0 port 28. A diffuser section is shown at 30 connected to 
the test section. The assembly is supported by the con- 
crete foundation 32 as shown. In operation, air is heated 
to about 3500" F. in heater 22 and transferred under a 
pressure of 2000 p.s.i.g. to the wind tunnel test section 26 
6 for testing missiie models under hypersonic wind condi- 
tions. The air is heated in the beginning to give it suffi- 
ciently high inital temperature to prevent its cooling be- 
low liquification temperature when it expands on passing 
the direction of flow of fluid in the con through the nozzle. A transfer carriage 34 is provided 
rotation of the eccentric sleeve and t for alternately rotaiing one of a plurality of nozzles into 
that order serves to first move the valve element laterally operating position. 
3,158, 
3 
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the valve body or casing 
35 comprising areas 57 and 39 (FIG. 3) defines a valve 
chamber and valve seat, The hollow valve elerneat shaft 
is shov~n at 36. Yoke 38 is connected to eccentric sleeve 
4@ by means of connecting sleeve 42 for rotation of the 5 
eccenilic sleeve 40 about longitudinal axis 94 (FIG. 11). 
The shaft aad eccentric sleeve each coi~sist of an upper 
and lower section, as shown; however, they are each 
referred to herein and in the claim unless otherwise speci- 
fied as sing!e elements as including two sections as the 10 
construction and operation of the sections are identical. 
The yoke actuating mechanism is shown generally at 44 
and the mechanism for actuating the shaft 36 of the valve 
element, or eyelid, is shown generally at 46. 
Reference is now made to FIG. 3 for a more detailed 15 
description of the construction of the valve mechanism. 
As shown, the hollo.;v eyelid shaft 36 is journaled in the 
eccentric sleeve $0 for rotation therein. Sleeve 40 is 
eccentricaliy bored for receiving shaft 36. The ecceii- 
tric sleeve 40 is rotatable within the valve body 35. The 20 
valve element 46 is attached to the shaEt 36 and is ro- 
tatable therewith. 
Inlet nozzle 90 is provided for introducing fluid into the 
interior of the valve body. For cooling the inlet nozzle 
58, spiral cooling ducts 52 are provided between the in- 25 
let nozzle and insulating liner 54. In  FIG. 4, inlet pipes 
56 for introducing cooling fluid into the system of cool- 
ing ducts 52 of the inlet nozzle SO are shown. Also 
shown at 6O in FIG. 4 are crossover channels connecting 
the cooling ducts 52. A valve element master pipe 62 30 
(FIG. 3) is provided for supplying cooling fluid to a sys- 
tem of pipes or channels in valve element 48 as will be 
exp!ained later. Circular manifold 6% is mounted as 
shown to distribute cooling fluid from the chancel in shaft 
36 to master pipe 62. 35 
A flanged bonnet 64 is bolted to valve body section 37 
for supporting outlet cone 66 in position to transfer Suid 
from the valve body to a nozzle pipe segment to be at- 
tached to the downstream side of the outlet cone as &own 
in FIG. 1. The bonnet 64 is provided with cooling pipes 40 
or channels 68 as shown which are supplied with cooling 
fluid through inlet pipe 70. High temperature, high- 
pressure gaskets are provided between connecting parts 
t:uoughout as shown. Circular closure seal or gasket 74 
snpported on bonnet 64 serves to effect fluid-tight closure 45 
between the bonnet and the outside of valve element 48 
when the valve is in the ciosed or open position. For 
compensating for expansion and contraction of nozzle 24 
secured to outlet cone 66, the cone is supported in a float- 
ing relationship by means of expansible bellows 76 and 50 
the supporting construction formed by inner connecting 
ring 78, outer connecting ring 80, packing gland 82 and 
alignment guide 84. As nozzle 24 expands and contracts 
from temperature changes due to hot gases traveiing there- 
through, cone 06 moves back and forth through the action 55 
of expansible bellows '76 and the surrounding construc- 
tion in which it is mounted. 
The structure of valve element 48 is illustrated in FIGS. 
4, 5, and 6. The valve element is a spherically shaped 
segment and consists of closure section 86 and a gate 60 
section 88 having a circular opening as shown. Both 
the rim 89 of the gate section 88 and the spherical clo- 
sure section 86 of the va1.v.e element are cooled by means 
of a systen of pipes or channels 90 as shown in FIGS. 
5, 6, 7, 15, and 16. Crossover channels 931 connect pipes 65 
90 as shown in PIG. 15. The internal structure of the 
gate section of the valve element 48 is shown in FIG. 8. 
The pipes 9tt are supplied by transfer pipe 92 as shown in 
FIG. 16 connected to master pipe 62. 
A particular novel and advantageous feature of the in- 70 
vention is the construction by which the valve is opened 
and closed by a sequence of movements which prevent it 
from sliding on seal 74. The valve element is first moved 
laterally away from its seat at the closed position, then 
rotated into the open position with the gate section ad- 75 
172 
a, 
jacent the downstream opznhg and finally the gate section 
moved to a sealing position with the ouier convex sur- 
face ol tile valve element 48 against thz seal 74. It is 
clos:d by the leverse sequence o i  moverfients. This con- 
struction will now be explained. Referring to FIG. 11 
it will be noted that the ecceatlically bored sleeve 4O ro- 
tates arou~ld its axis 94, and ilie eyelid shaft which is 
mocl~~leci on the center of the eyelid rotates around its 
center 96. The coostruction of the eccentric 463 is fur- 
ther illustrated in FIG. 9. It will be noted that as the 
eccentlic 48 is rotated about its center 94 the eyelid shaft 
will be movcd laterally, thus moiri~lg the closu~e section 
86, or the gate section $8 as the case may be, laterally 
away from the seat. Referring to FIG. 12, it is seen 
that the crnstruction permits the rotation of the eccent~ic 
by means of yoke 38 and its actuating mechanism 44 
through an angle of 1Io30' wLich can then be followed 
by rotation of the eyelid shaft through an angle of 79"30' 
by nleans of actuating mechanism 46. The yoke actuat- 
ing mechanism comprising hydraulic cylinder 98, connect- 
ing rod Ill0 and lickage HQ2 is shown in FIG. 12. The 
eyelid shaft actuating mechanism conlprising hydraulic 
cylinder 11914, co~~necting lod I06 and linkage 108 is shown 
in FIG. 12. FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the manner of 
co,meciing the ecceniric 40 to the yoke 38 by n:eans of 
yoke pins 1 P O  and the manner of connecting eyelid shaft 
36 to crank 112 by means of crank pins 214. FIGS. 3, 4 
and 13 show the valve element in the closed position 
with its outer convex surface sealed against the gasket 
74. FIGS. 5, 7, and 14 show the valve element in the 
open position with the gate section 68 aligned with the 
outlet cone 68 in a position for sealing the valve element 
48 against gasket "1. FIG. 6 shows the gate section 88 
a!igned with the valve passageway with the outer convex 
surface of the valve element sealed against gasket 74 
this being the operating position of the valve in open 
position. The operation of the yoke 38 to unseal the 
outer convex surface of the closure section of the valve 
element from gasket 54 as the valve is opened and to 
reseal the outer convex surface of the valve element 
against gasket 44 with the valve in  the open position is 
shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The construction by which 
valve crank 112 rotates the closure section 56 through 
79"30' to the open position after the valve element has 
first been moved laterally away from the seat (bjr rota- 
tion of the yoke 1l030'), is shown in FIG. 13. The re- 
verse operation is shown in FXG. 14. The yoke and eye- 
lid shaft actuating mechanisms are controlled by micro- 
switches of a conventional design, not shown, to provide 
the following sequence of operations starting with the 
valvs in the closed position. First the yoke is actuated 
through 1l030' to unseal the valve element through lateral 
movement; second the eyelid shaft actuating mechanism 
is actuated to  rotate the valve element through an angle 
of 79"30' to the open position with the gate section in 
line with the downstrean outlet; and third, the yoke is 
moved in a direction opposite to its former movement 
through an angle of 11 "30' to reseal the outer convex 
surface of the valve elenlent against the gasket 74 with 
the gate in open position. The purpose for sealing when 
the gate section is in  open position is to prevent hot 
gases from passing between the rim 88 of the gate sec- 
tion and the valve housing and cause damage to metal 
surfaces and gaskets by their extreme heat. The sealing 
action also prevents heat from the pebble bed heater 22 
from contacting surfaces of the valve which would be 
damaged thereby. It will be noted that during the open- 
ing and sealing of the valve, seal 74 and various adja- 
cent metal parts lvilL be exposed to hot gases unless some 
means is provided for preventing this. In order to  pro- 
tect these parts from hot gases a blanket of cool air or 
other gas undsr high pressure is introduced in sequence 
with eh-e valva operation and maintained over the seal and 
adjacent surfaces until the closure section or gate section 
is in sealing position, as the case may be. The cool gas 
3,168,178 
5 6 
is ~inder pressure greater than the pressure of ihe hot fied means operating to close said parsageway by a re- 
gases withill the valve and is introduced through gas inlet verse sequence of the operations req~ired io open it, a 
114 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. fluid-coolzd inlet nozzle supported in snid casing on the 
The valve of this invention was constructed for tlie upstream side of said valve seat and said valve clement, 
application in which it is illustrated, with a diameter of 5 said nozzle having a longitudinal axis in aIigu3enl with 
22 inches. /is will be seen the structure provides ex- said passageway longitudinal axis, n ~ c a i ~ s  connected to 
tren~e compactness for this diameter valve. The valve said casing for cooiing said sealing meinber whe:~ said 
under test has \'ilhsiood 600 p.s.i. in the closed position valve eleiiient is in ~ilotion, means connected to said 
anit 2,000 p.s.i. i : ~  the open position. It wiil convey air valve element for cooling said valve element, said cool- 
at a temperature of at least 350'3" F. at 2,OCO p.s.i.g. 10 ing means comprising a two-section hollow shaft con- 
with negligible pressure drop. meted to said valve element, a source of cooling fluid 
It will be apparent from the above description that co3p:ed to said shaft, a master pipe, a circular inanifold 
many rnodificatioils are possible in the light of the above for divei ling fluid from the hollow of said valve element 
teaching. It  is, therefore, to be understood that within shaft into said master pipe, and a system of distributing 
the scope of the appended claim the inventi~n nlay be 15 pipes internally of said valve element, said Raid being 
practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein, forced into o;ic section of said valve elernent shaft, cir- 
What is claimed is: culaied internally of said valve element through said sys- 
A valve comprising a casing have a passageway ex- tem of piges and out the other section of said valve ele- 
tending therethrough about a longitudinal axis and sur- ment shaft. 
rousded by a valve seat, a spherical segment valve ele- 20 
merit having a closure section and a gate section and References Cited by the Examines 
rno~~nled ia said casing for rotation between a dosed UNITED STATES PATENTS 
position with the closure section closing said passageway 1,442,452 Taylor --------------- 251-161 
and an open position with the gate section aligned with 1,586,72~ 1/26 Westinghouse et al. ----- 285-226 
said passageway, said valve seat comprising a circular 25 1,951,677 3/34 Rosener -------------- 137-340 
sealing member, said sealing nlember forming a seal with 2,467,945 4,49 Pottmeyer ------------ 137-340 
the surface of said valve element, and means comected 2,811,981 11,57 --------------- 137-340 
to said va17re elenlent for effecling sequential opening and 
closing of said valve element, said last s~ecified means FOREIGN PATENTS 
pperating to open said passageway by sequentially mov- 30 135,288 11/29 Switzerland. 
lng said valve elernent along said passageway away from 
said valve seat, pivotally rotating said valve e l e ~ e n t  to OTHER REFERENCES 
the position in which said gate section is aligned with Instrumentation, vol. 6, #4, page 24, March 1953, 73- 
said passageway and seating said gate sectio~l against 147. 
said sealing member by moving said valve element along 35 M, &'r?~y NELSON, ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ , ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ , ~ ~ . ,  
said passageway toward said valve seat, said last speci- 


High-temperature, high-pressure spherical segment valve Patent

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