SECTIONING ASSEMBLY FOR DIAPHRAGM VALVES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves.

Background Art

Diaphragm valves are known to allow or stop the passage of a fluid through different sections of a plant.

This type of valve is used, for example, in chemical and pharmaceutical plants, wherein a certain operating fluid has to be transported through different sections in order to undergo respective transformations, for example, by reactions with additional chemical components, with or without a heat input.

Diaphragm valves include a body defining a passage for the fluid, and a septum arranged within said passage, to control the fluid flow.

More precisely, said septum cooperates with a diaphragm unit, made of flexible material, superimposed on an opening obtained in the valve body in correspondence to said septum. The diaphragm unit is in turn associated with a closing cover, and fixed together with it, for example, by means of flanged portions, to the valve body.

The diaphragm unit is therefore operated, by means of suitable actuators acting in correspondence to said cover, between a closing condition, at which it cooperates with a closing edge of the septum, in order to completely close the communication between the respective passageway portions conformed by the valve body, and an opening condition, at which the diaphragm unit is positioned away from said closing edge of the septum, in order to allow the fluid flow through the passage within the valve body.

The same type of valve, including a diaphragm unit, can also form a two- or three-way passage, thus connecting the respective sections of the plant. Even in such case, the diaphragm unit, suitably activated, can allow or interrupt the fluid flow through the respective sections of the plant.

For example, US patent 8,708,308 discloses a diaphragm valve and, in particular, a sealing system suitable for use in diaphragm valves.

Moreover US 6,402,159 illustrates a sealing unit suited to be interposed between a pair of flanged tubular portions.

A common problem in the industries where the diaphragm valves are commonly used is the need to isolate certain plant sections from others, for example to allow maintenance, washing, or other types of operation.

In such case, an integral substitution of the diaphragm valves is then required, temporarily, by other shut-off units, that allow to carry out the necessary activities only in the sections to be involved. This occurs, e.g. when only certain portions of the plant have to be flushed with a specific washing fluid, e.g. to carry out a passivation treatment, e.g. to remove pickling and/or welding residues, without contaminating the rest of the circuit.

[12] In this case, as in other similar cases, the diaphragm valves present in the portion of the plant in question must be removed to replace them with alternative means, allowing the selected portions to be suitably isolated.

[13] Replacing the diaphragm valves is expensive and, moreover, not allowed wherein the diaphragm valves are permanently attached, e.g. welded, to the plant piping.

[14] Therefore, known solutions do not fully meet the needs of the specific industries.

Presentation of the invention

[15] The task of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, devising a sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves that allows an easy and flexible sectioning of a fluid circulation plant.

[16] A further object of the invention is to provide a sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves of easy manufacturing and functional construction, of versatile use, provided with absolutely reliable operation and relatively cheap.

[17] Said objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by the sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves according to claim 1 .

[18] The sectioning assembly according to the invention is provided for the usage in association with the valve body of diaphragm valves of a known type.

[19] In particular, as previously mentioned, the diaphragm valves of known type adapted to be used with the sectioning assembly according to the invention conform a valve body that has at least one fluid passageway within. A septum is also interposed within the aforementioned passageway, which is thus divided into at least a first branch and a second branch.

[20] The septum is arranged transversally inside the passageway between opposed walls of said passageway, extending in a preferably rectilinear way.

[21 ] The valve body also has an opening facing a portion of the passageway, affected by the separation septum, in particular overlying with respect to the separation septum itself preferably in a centred way.

[22] The above mentioned first branch and second branch lead to the opening of the valve body, respectively, by means of a first outlet portion and a second outlet portion.

[23] The first outlet portion and the second outlet portion have respective outlet axis on opposed sides of the interposed septum.

[24] Normally, the valve body of the diaphragm valve of known type is used in combination with a closing cover that has a flexible diaphragm unit suitable to cooperate with a closing edge of said septum, particularly provided at the top of the septum, thus controlling the fluid flow through the passageway formed by the valve body. The closing cover in fact comprises actuators for the diaphragm unit, suitable for closing or opening said first outlet section and said second outlet section, respectively, by pushing the diaphragm unit against or moving away the same sealing unit with respect to said closing edge of the septum, in order to prevent or, respectively, to allow the fluid flow from the first branch to the second branch and vice versa.

The sectioning assembly according to the invention comprises a diverter cover and a sealing unit, configured to be fixed fluid-tightly at a respective peripheral edge to the opening of the valve body of the diaphragm valve.

The sectioning assembly is intended to be assembled to the valve body of the diaphragm valve, in place of the relevant closing cover and the diaphragm unit, to allow the diversion of a fluid flow through at least one branch of the valve body, while ensuring the isolation of the other branch.

The diverter cover comprises at least one diverter branch intended to be aligned, in the above assembled condition, at a determined outlet portion of the valve body, so as to allow the outflow of said fluid from the corresponding diverter branch.

The above-mentioned sealing unit is essentially a diaphragm that is at least partially an open or through diaphragm, intended to be sealingly interposed between the opening of the valve body and the diverter cover.

More precisely, the sealing unit comprises a sectioning portion, is intended to be fluid- tightly pressed against the closing edge of the septum of the valve body, in an assembled condition, so as to isolate the first branch from the second branch.

The sectioning portion is arranged transversally to connect opposite portions of the peripheral edge of the sealing unit.

Preferably the sectioning portion extends centrally on the plane of the sealing unit itself, thus linking opposite portions of the peripheral edge.

In any case, the sectioning portion is meant to cooperate sealingly with the closing edge of the septum of the valve body, to provide a sectioning function, that is an isolation of at least one branch of the valve body.

According to a prerogative of the invention, the sealing unit has at least one outflow opening cooperating with the sectioning portion and configured to be, in the aforementioned assembled condition, aligned with the entrance of said diverter branch of the diverter cover. Accordingly, said outflow opening is, when in the same assembled condition, aligned with the corresponding outlet portion of the valve body, intercepted by the diverter branch, so as to put into communication the same diverter branch of the diverter cover and the same aligned outlet section.

The sectioning portion is advantageously arranged laterally to the outflow opening of the same sealing unit. Preferably the sectioning portion is arranged centrally as to the sealing unit, while the outflow opening is arranged asymmetric, to isolate one respective side branch of the body valve being on one side of the septum.

The sectioning portion preferably extends in a substantially rectilinear way, corresponding to a substantially rectilinear arrangement of the cooperating closing edge of the septum. The diverter cover comprises a connection portion to the valve body, preferably carrying a protruding abutment shape which, when in the assembled condition, is suitable to engage, by pressing, the sectioning portion of the interposed sealing unit, against the closing edge of the septum of the valve body.

Such abutment shape preferably has the form of a tooth with shaped profile, protruding from the plane of the mentioned connection portion, and matching the profile of the closing edge of the septum of the valve body.

The abutment shape is meant to ensure the sealing, thus the isolation between the first branch and the second branch of the valve body. The abutment shape, in fact, presses, when in the assembled condition, the sealing unit against the closing edge of the septum, at the sectioning portion, ensuring the separation between the respective branches of the valve body.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the outflow opening of the sealing unit and/or the inlet opening of the diverter branch have a shape corresponding to the outlet portion of the branch of the valve body, intended to be aligned, e.g. of a substantially circular segment.

According to a further particular aspect of the invention, the diverter cover can include at least one additional diverter branch, aligned, when in the assembled condition, with a further outlet portion wherein the opening of the valve body is subdivided, in order to divert a corresponding outflow through the respective additional branch of the valve body. In particular, the pathways or branches obtained in the valve body may be in a number different from two, e.g. three.

Correspondingly, the sealing unit may comprise at least one further outflow opening, which is intended to be aligned, when in the assembled condition, with the inlet section of the further diverter branch of the diverter cover.

The provision of multiple outflow openings and diverter branches allows to advantageously achieve the separate circulation of a fluid or of distinct fluid, through respective branches of the valve body, which are mutually isolated from the sectioning assembly. Anyway, the sectioning portion of the sealing unit engages fluid-tightly the closing edge of the septum, being pressed by the diverter cover, preferably by its abutment shape, in order to sealingly separate the various branches provided by the valve body. [45] In this case the sectioning portion is preferably shaped as a linear band connecting transversally opposed portions of the peripheral edge of the sealing unit.

[46] The sealing unit is preferably made of flexible material, e.g. rubber, synthetic rubber, plastic material, e.g. PTFE, or a similar suitable material for use.

[47] Advantageously, the sectioning assembly according to the invention can be used on any existing diaphragm valve of the known type, simply by assembling the diverter body with its sealing unit on the valve body, instead of the normally provided closing cover, with the diaphragm unit thereof.

[48] In particular, the sectioning assembly is also compatible with diaphragm valves connected in a not removable manner, e.g. welded, to the plant's piping.

[49] The sectioning assembly is therefore very flexible as well as easy to use, whenever it is necessary to isolate different sections of a plant, connectable by means of a diaphragm valve.

[50] Thanks to the sectioning assembly, it is possible to use the diverter branch(es) to connect measuring instruments or to carry out specific treatments, e.g. passivation, on selected suitably isolated sections of the plant.

[51 ] Additionally, the sectioning assembly according to the invention can be used to conduct a test or a maintenance or repairing intervention on certain sections of the plant, without affecting other sections, that the assembly is able to isolate in a safe manner.

[52] The sectioning assembly further has a very versatile structure, simple and cheap.

Brief description of the drawings

[53] The details of the invention will become more evident from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves according to the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[54] Figures 1 and 2 respectively show a front view and a sectional view of a sectioning assembly according to the invention, in the assembled condition to the valve body of a diaphragm valve of a known type;

[55] Figures 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective view of the respective components of the same sectioning assembly;

[56] Figures 5, 6 and 7 respectively show a plan view, a sectional view according to the plane

VI-VI shown in Figure 5, and a side view of a detail of a particular of the sectioning assembly according to the invention;

[57] Figure 8 shows a front view of a diaphragm valve of a known type;

[58] Figure 9 shows a front sectional view of a further embodiment of the sectioning assembly according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention With particular reference to these figures, a sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves according to the invention is referred to by reference numeral 10.

The sectioning assembly 10 is suitable for the use, in a very versatile way, on diaphragm valves of known type, diaphragm valve 1 shown in Figure 8 being an example thereof. The diaphragm valve 1 comprises, as known, a valve body 2 and a cover 3, suitable to be removably connected to the valve body 2. The cover 3 is suitable to contain a diaphragm unit 21 made of flexible material, located between the valve body 2 and the cover 3, as well as actuators, such as manual actuators of handwheel type, as shown in the figure, for the opening and closing of the valve itself, or pneumatic or motorized actuators.

The diaphragm valve 1 shown for illustration purposes in Figure 8 is a two-way type, but the sectioning assembly may also be applied to valves with a different number of ways, such as a three-way valve.

The valve body 2, which in Figures 1 and 2 is represented in an assembled condition with respect to the sectioning assembly 10 according to the invention, in fact comprises within a passageway 4 for an operating fluid, subdivided into a first branch 5 and a second branch 6, in a known manner, by a septum 7 conforming a closing edge 70 preferably shaped (see in particular Figure 2).

The septum 7 is arranged transversally inside the passageway 4, between opposed side walls thereof, in a preferably rectilinear way.

In the illustrated case, the first branch 5 and the second branch 6 are aligned but may be differently arranged.

The valve body 2 comprises an operational opening 8, to which the first branch 5 and the second branch 6 lead, the two branches being separated by the septum 7 by means of a first outlet portion 50 and a second outlet portion 60, respectively.

Normally, said cover 3 is suitable to be fixed at the opening 8, to control, by operating the diaphragm unit 21 , the fluid flow between the first branch 5 and the second branch 6. Basically, the diaphragm unit 21 is alternatively pushed to match the closing edge 70 of the septum 7, so as to close the passage 4, thus separating the first branch 5 from the second branch 6, and spaced, from said closing edge 70, so as to define a free space above the same edge 70 for the outflow of the fluid beyond the septum 7 from the first branch 5 to the second branch 6 and vice versa.

The sectioning assembly 10, which is intended to be associated with the valve body 2 of any diaphragm valve 1 , comprises a diverter cover 1 1 and a sealing unit 12 configured to be applied to the valve body 2 instead of the cover 3 and the diaphrag m unit 21 , to properly isolate or divide the sections of the plant flowing to the branches 5, 6 of the valve body 2 respectively. The diverter cover 1 1 comprises a connection portion 13 to the opening 8 of the valve body 2. This connection portion 13, preferably plate shaped, may provide holes 14 for fixing it by known parts, e.g. of screw-type, to the valve body 2 (see Figure 3).

The diverter cover 1 1 also comprises a diverter branch 15 to allow the fluid outflow through a selected branch of the valve body 2, as described in detail below.

The diverter branch 15 preferably forms, also as a separated component, a flanged end

16 for the connection to the respective outflow pipes.

In fact, the diverter branch 15 defines a conduit 17 within for the fluid outflow from one of the branches of the valve body 2. More precisely, the diverter branch 15 is configured to be aligned, in use, to a respective outlet portion 50, 60 of the valve body 2 to intercept a respective fluid flow passing through the first branch 5 or, alternatively, the second branch 6.

For example, in the case illustrated in figure 2, the diverter branch 15 is aligned with the outlet portion 50 of the first branch 5, to intercept a flow coming from or inflowing to the same first branch 5.

To facilitate the outflow through the deviation made possible by the diverter cover 1 1 , the conduit 17 of the diverter branch 15 has an inlet section having a shape substantially equal or similar to the outlet portion 50, 60 intended to be facing them in an assembled condition (see in particular Figure 5).

The diverter cover 1 1 also comprises aa abutment shape 18, suitable to cooperate to the sealing, through the interposition of a corresponding operating portion 22 of the sealing unit 12, with said closing edge 70 of the septum 7, so as to reliably separate the first branch 5 from the second branch 6. In particular, the abutment shape 18 has a profile matching with the closing edge 70 of the septum 7, to isolate fluid-tightly the first branch 5 and the second branch 6.

The sealing unit 12, in turn, preferably functions as a diaphragm made of flexible material, suitable to be interposed between the diverter cover 1 1 and the opening 8, in order to reliably isolate the first branch 5 and the second branch 6, acting as diverter bypass for at least one branch.

The sealing unit 12 is configured to be fixed fluid-tightly to the opening 8 of the valve body 2, at a peripheral edge 12a, e.g. by means of screw-type fixing means.

For this purpose, it preferably comprises fixing holes 19, corresponding to the above- mentioned holes 14, provided at the connection portion 13 of the diverter cover 1 1 .

In addition, the sealing unit 12 comprises at least one outflow opening 20 arranged in order to face, in particular to be aligned, in the assembled condition, with an outlet section 50, 60 of the opening 8 of the valve body 2. The mentioned sectioning portion 22 is arranged laterally to the outflow portion 22 and transversally to the peripheral edge 12a, for connecting opposite portions of the same peripheral edge 12a.

Preferably the sectioning portion 22 is arranged in central position as to the sealing unit 12.

Preferably, the outflow opening 20 is arranged asymmetric, in particular displaced on one side of the peripheral edge 12a.

Preferably, the outflow opening 20 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the outlet section that is intended to be facing, e.g. a shape substantially of a circular segment. In essence, the sealing unit 12, when permanently fixed between the diverter cover 1 1 and the valve body 2, is able to isolate the outlet portions 50, 60 on the opening 8, allowing the fluid passage at least through one of the branches 5, 6 of the valve body 2. The remaining branch or branches shall remain isolated.

In the assembled configuration, the abutment shape 18 presses the sealing unit 12 against the closing edge 70 of the septum 7, ensuring a complete sealing. The operating fluid can then be safely diverted through the slit 20, from the aligned branch to the diverter branch 15, in particular to the conduit 17 of the diverter branch 15, while the other branch can be occluded by the sealing unit 12 or, as described in the following, diverted through a further bypass provided by the same diverter cover 1 1 .

The diverter branch 15 preferably forms a linking portion 23 to the connection portion 13 of the diverter cover 1 1 . This linking portion 23, same as the internal conformation of the corresponding portion of the conduit 17, preferably has a form corresponding to the outlet section intended to be aligned, so as to facilitate the outflow through the deviation thus realized. Usefully, this shape could be substantially that of a circular segment.

The operation of the sectioning assembly for diaphragm valves according to the invention is easily understandable from the preceding description.

During maintenance or treatment of one or more sections of the plant, the cover 3 and its respective diaphragm unit 21 are removed from the diaphragm valve 1 .

The sealing unit 12 is then superimposed on the opening 8 of the valve body 2, aligning the outflow opening to one of the outlet portions 50, 60, intended to be affected by the deviation.

Finally, the diverter cover 1 1 is fixed to the sealing unit 12 by means of known connection means, in correspondence to the holes 14 and to the fixing holes 19. In particular, the diverter branch 15, in particular the conduit 17 within, is aligned to the outlet portion, one selected between the first outlet portion 50 and the second outlet portion 60, which in turn is aligned with the outflow opening 20. [91 ] Reciprocally fastening the diverter cover 1 1 , the sealing unit 12 and the valve body 2, the branches 5 and 6 are isolated in a sealing manner to each other. More precisely, the sealing unit 12 is moved to match, sealing it, the closing edge 70 of the septum 7 of the valve body 2, through the engagement exerted by the abutment shape 18 formed by the diverter cover 1 1 .

[92] Therefore, as an example, it is possible to connect to a flanged portion 16 of the diverter cover 1 1 a supply or discharge pipe for a particular operating fluid, in order to subject the corresponding diverted branch to a determined treatment.

[93] According to a further embodiment, illustrated in Figure 9, otherwise similar to the above described embodiment, it is possible to provide that the diverter cover 1 10 comprises a diverter branch 150 and a further diverter branch 151 , so as to achieve a further bypass diversion.

[94] In addition to the outflow opening 200, the sealing unit 120 then comprises a further outflow opening 201 , which is aligned with a corresponding outlet portion 60, when in the assembled condition.

[95] Therefore, in the illustrated case the first branch 5 is in communication with the diverter branch 150 through the outflow opening 200, while the second branch 6 is in communication with the additional diverter branch 151 through the additional outflow opening 201 .

[96] The sealing unit 120 is sealed to the opening 8 along the peripheral edge 120a.

[97] The sealing unit 120 ensures the sealed separation between the first branch 5 and the second branch 6 by means of the corresponding sectioning portion 220, which is preferably engaged by the abutment shape 18 of the diverter cover 1 10.

[98] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, the sectioning portion 220 of the seali ng unit

120, which has for example the shape of a band, is intermediate between the outflow opening 200 and the further outflow opening 201 .

[99] The operation of the sectioning assembly 100 according to such embodiment is entirely similar to the one described for the previously illustrated embodiment.

[100] The sectioning assembly according to the invention therefore allows to achieve the purpose of reliably and flexibly sectioning different parts of a plant suitable for a fluid circulation.

[101 ] This purpose is mainly achieved by providing the diverter cover associated to the valve body of a diaphragm valve of a known type, comprising a diverter branch, and a sealing unit to allow the fluid outflow from a selected branch of the valve body to said diverter branch.

[102] In the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shape and dimensions, may be any according to requirements. Where the technical features mentioned in any of the claims are followed by reference numerals, these reference numerals are included to improve the comprehension of the claims only, and consequently they have no limiting effect on the object of each element identified by way of example by these reference numerals.