CA2088474C - Fire safe valve - Google Patents

Fire safe valve Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2088474C
CA2088474C CA 2088474 CA2088474A CA2088474C CA 2088474 C CA2088474 C CA 2088474C CA 2088474 CA2088474 CA 2088474 CA 2088474 A CA2088474 A CA 2088474A CA 2088474 C CA2088474 C CA 2088474C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
valve
heat
stem
bonnet
temperature sensitive
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA 2088474
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2088474A1 (en
Inventor
William M. Taylor
Gerald S. Baker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cameron International Corp
Original Assignee
Cooper Cameron Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cooper Cameron Corp filed Critical Cooper Cameron Corp
Publication of CA2088474A1 publication Critical patent/CA2088474A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2088474C publication Critical patent/CA2088474C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16KVALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K17/00Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves
    • F16K17/36Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position
    • F16K17/38Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position of excessive temperature
    • F16K17/383Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position of excessive temperature the valve comprising fusible, softening or meltable elements, e.g. used as link, blocking element, seal, closure plug
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/1624Destructible or deformable element controlled
    • Y10T137/1797Heat destructible or fusible
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/7722Line condition change responsive valves
    • Y10T137/7723Safety cut-off requiring reset
    • Y10T137/7724Thermal

Abstract

A fire safe valve which includes a body having an inlet, an outlet, a valve chamber communicating with the inlet and the outlet and having an opening, a bonnet secured to the body and having a bore therethrough with the opening of the bore communicating with the valve chamber opening and defining a back seat surrounding the bore, a valve member, a valve stem connected to the valve member and extending through the bonnet bore, a backseating shoulder on the valve stem, an actuator, said valve stem connecting to the actuator to move the valve member within the valve chamber to open and close flow through the valve, a temperature sensitive material retaining said valve stem shoulder spaced from said bonnet bore seat during normal operations and allowing additional movement of the valve stem responsive to excessive temperatures to bring the valve stem shoulder into engagement with the bonnet bores seat to backseat and prevent flow of fluids within the valve from escaping therefrom. A heat transmitting jacket is connected between a positron close to said heat sensitive means and a position spaced therefrom to ensure the early transmission of heat to the temperature sensitive material when remote portions of the valve are subjected to fire. The jacket includes heat pipes mounted in spaced ring for the transmission of heat.

Description

FART SAFE VAhrJE
The present invention relates to an improved valve which when subjected to fire or elevated temperatures which will destroy the stem packing will react to such temperatures prior to the destruction of the stem packing to move to its fail safe position and to back seat to prevent any loss of fluid from the valve chamber when the packing is destroyed.
prior to the present invention, there have been numerous valves of this type which included a fusible material in supporting relationship to the position of the stem so tksat when a fire melted the fusible material, it allawed the stem to move to its safe position with the stem shoulder engaging the seat surrounding the outer portion of the stem arhich is above the shoulder. This back seating prevented flaaids, within the valve chamber below the seat from flowing past the destroyed packing and feeding the fire. It is also desired that the stem move to its backseated position before the fire causes the building of excessive gressure in the valve chamber.
U: S. Patent NO. 4,214,500 disclOSes such a valve in which tha heat sensitive material is within the cap surrounding the outer end of the stem. It operates to r~lsase support for the stem whenever it is subjected to a level of heat at which it melts which allows the stem shoulder to ~sngsge the seat surrounding the bonnet opening through which the stem extends. This prevents the passage of fluids within the valve from being discharged through the area in which the stem packing is contained.
U. ~: Patant tJo. 4,245,661 disclOSa~~ another similar s~;ructure saapported by fusible material which when it melts allows the stem to back seat and pr~svent thg discharge of fluids contained within the valve through the stem passage.

°
U. S. Patent Na. 4,570,659 discloses another valve which utilizes eutectic material to support the valve steam to prevent back seating until the material melts.
U. S. Patent ~To. 4,540,013 discloses a fire responsive stem retention apparatus which includes securing the inner cap to the outer sleeve by sweating it thereon with fusible material. This is used to prevent axial movement of the stem and t0 allow the Stem t0 move and baCkseat when the fusible material melts and releases the inner cap and allows backseating of the stem.
Thus, U. S. Patent ~tos. 4,214,600: 4,245,6611 4,540,0131 and 4,570,659 all disclose valves which include a fusible material to prevent the valve from backseating during normal operations but which melts to allow the valve to back seat when exposed to fire or excessive heat.
However, nave of these patents has recognized the'pr~blem of a fire haaating the body of the valve away from the fusible Material which can cause the stem packing to fail before the fusible material melts and allows backseating.
It has been discovered that if the fire is directed at the body of the valve and the fusible material is contained within the bonnet, the fusible Material may not melt and release its support of the stem before the stem seals or packing are destroyed so that the vavve leaks past the stem which renders it useless and dangerous.
Prior to the present invention, the use of heat pipes has been known, Euch heat pipes are aafficient heat transfer devices which functions to transfer heat to attempt to keep both ends at the same t~perature. ~n article on haat pipes appeared, entitled "The Heat Pipes Hot ~Iew Way to Have Energy" in the Harch 17., lga6 issue of Machine sign, phges 52 to ~6. Meat Pipes are available from Th~r~BCOr~, InC. Of LaIbcaSBt~r, Pa.

r The present invention relates to an improved fire safe valve which includes a fusible material supporting the stem spaced from its backseating position during narmal operations and includes a jacket connected to the valve which includes heat pipes to transfer heat from locations on the valve distant with respect to the fusible material to locations near the fusible aaaterial. This structure is in the form of a bolt-on jacket containing heat pipes which can transfer heat from the valve body to the fusible support material allowing the valve to backseat prior to the destruction of the stem seals or packing.
Axe object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve which when subjected to fire or elevated temperatures ensures that the valve stem will move to its backseated position responsive to the removal of the support provided by fusible material.
Another object is to provide an improved valve which when subjected to fire does not create further fire problems by leaking through the stem seal.
~ further object is to provide an improved valve having a fusible material supporting the stem from backseating which will back seat before sufficient damage to the stem seals or packing can occur independently of the portion of the valve which is receiving the direct heat .;.-.~ from the tire.
These and other objects of the invention are hereinafter set forth and explained with reference to the drawings wherein:
~aGURE l is a sectional view of the improved valve of the praaeat invention showing the valve stem and gate in their innermost positions with the valve span and the stem not in backshated position.
p~I~ is a similar sectional view of the valve shcawn in P'Tl but showing the valve stem and gate with the gate closed but with the stem not in backseated position.
FIGURE 3 is a similar sectional view of the valve shown in FIGURE 1 but showing the valve stem and gate in their outermost positions with the gate closed and with the valve stem in its backseated position.
FIGURS 4 is n sectional view of the heat transmission jacket shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.
FIGURE 5 is n sectional view taken along line 5 - 5 in 1p FIGURE 4 to illustrate the position of one end of the heat pipes.
FIGURF 6 is n sectional view taken along line 6 - 6 in FIGURE 4 to illustrate the position of the other end of the heat pipes.
FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of n modified form of valve of the present invention having n heat transfer jacket with the pipes running generally parallel to the stem and showing the valve closed but not backseated.
FIGURE 8 is n similar sectional view to FIGURE 7 but 20 showing the valve closed and backseated.
FIGURF 9 is a view of the semicircular heat pipes used with the valve to ensure uniform transmission of the heat to the fusible material in an area around its entire circumference.
Vmlve l0 is a gate valve including body 12, having openings foaming the inlet and outlet for the valve and such openings communicate with valve chamber 1~ through valve seat 1g. valve member 18 is movably positioned ~rithin valve chamber 14 far opening and closing flow 30 therethrough by its coaction with valve seat 16. Stem 20 ey~gends ~erefrom through tlhe bore 22 in bonnet 2~ to actuator 26. Stem 20 includes stem shoulder 28 on its exterior and stem seat 30 is positioned at the entrance to fore 22. During normal ope:~ati~ns as can b~: seen in FIGLT~ES 1 and 2, stem shoulder 28 remains spaced from stem ~s,gg~,,la seat 30 but when there is a fire or extremes of temperature, it is desired that stem shoulder 28 engage steam seat 30 in tight sealing engagement. Stem packing 32 is provided in bore 22 and provides the seal around stem 20 within bore 22.
Valve 10 is provided with a heat responsive material or fusible material 34 which is positioned within sleeve 36 which connects between bonnet 24 and actuator 26. Material 34 is positioned within sleeve 36 between sleeve shoulder 38 and shoulder 40 on stop ring 42. Stop ring 42 engages shoulder 43 on stem ring 45 to prevent backseating movement while stop sing 42 ~is suppoa°ted by material 34. g'tais is clearly shown in F'ZGURES 1 and 2 . As shown in ~FZGLTRE 3 , when material 34 is exposed to heat sufficient heat, it melts and passes out through port 35 in sleeve 36 and allows the additional movement of stem t~ bring stem shoulder 28 into tight sealing engagement with seat 30, thus backseating the stem 20 so that seen if the stem packing 32 is destroyed by the fire, none of the fluids 2U within valve body 12 can flow through bore 22 and escape to feed the fire.
Zn accordance with the objects of the present invention heat transfer jacket 44, as shown in FZGURE 1, includes outer sleeve 46, first ring 48, second ring 5o and heat pipes 52 having their ends secured in rings 48 and 50.
Heat transfer jacket 44 is secured to bonnet 24 by suitable securing means, such as cap screws 54, at a position close to body 12 and to sleeve 36 by suitable means (not shown).
Semicircular heat pipes 56 are positioned in recess 58 on 30 the interior of second ring 5o to ensure uniform transmission of heat to the exterior of sleeve 34 and fusible material 34. Semicircular heat pipes 56 are shown in more detail in FIGURH g and have a curvature and sire which will place them in tight heat exchange engagement with the interior of recess 58 and with the exterior of sleeve 36.

'l 2p~~~~
The details of heat transmission jacket 44 are shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. Jacket 44 includes inner ring 48, outer ring 50 and shell or sleeve 46 connecting rings 48 and 50. Heat pipes 52 are positioned within openings 48a in inner ring 48 and extend through and thread within openings 50a in outer zing 50 as shown. F3eat pipes 52 are preferably soldered into the openings in rings 48 and 50 so that the heat transmission between heat pipes 52 and rings 48 and 50 are improved. It should be noted that sleeve or sheet 46 performs the functions of securing the positions of rings 48 and 5o with heat pipes 5a therein and also to protect heat pipes 52 from damage or the collection of materials thereon which might interfere with the intended heat transmission of heat pipes 52.
Valve 10 operates in the usual manner as illustrated in FIGURES 1; 2 and 3. In FIGURE 1 valve 10 is in its opening position (valve member 18 and stem 20 being positioned at their leftmost position as shown in the figure. In FIGURE 2 valve 1o has been moved to its closed position which shuts off flow therethrough by valve member 18 preventing flow through body 12. In this closed position, stem 20 and valve member 18 have moved to the right as compared to the position shown in FIGURE 1 but stem shoulder 28 is still spaced from seat 30 because stem 20 is prevented from further movement to the right by the engagement o! stem sleeve 43 with the inner flange 41 on stop ring 42. Bas shown, stop ring 42 is prevented from moving to the right by fusible material 34. t~'hen conditions are such that fusible material 34 is heated to its melting point, it melts and allows stop ring 42 and stem sleeve 43 t~ m~v~ t~ the right with respect t~ the closed position show~a in FIGURE 2. This allows stem 20 to move to the right, bringing stem shoulder 28 into tight sealing engagement with seat 3o so that fluids within chamber l4 cannot flow therefrom through the annular space between stem 20 and bore 22 after packing 32 has been damaged by the excessive heat. This backseating prevents the fluids in the valve from leaking out of the valve and provides a safer valve under fire conditions.
Valve 60, shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, includes body 62 including openings therein which form inlet 8~G and outlet 66 both of which communicate with valve chamber ~8. Valve seats 70 are positioned within valve chamber ~8 and on opposite sides of valve member 72. Stem 74 extends from valve member 72 and includes outwardly gacing shoulder 76 which faces seat 78 surrounding the entrance to bore 80 1p through bonnet 82. :eat 78 functions as the backseat.
~ctuatox 84 is secured to bonnet 82 and to stem 74 to cause the opening and closing movement of stem 74 and valve member 72. The outer end of stem 74 is supported by heat responsive material 86 which is positioned within sleeve 88 to support stem extension 90. Heat transmission jacket ~2 is positioned with its inner ring g4 in tight engagement around the inner portion of bonnet 82 and its outer rang 95 in tight engagement around sleeve 88. Outer ring 98 includes recess 98 on its interior and semicircular heat 2p pipes 100 positioned therein to ensure maximum heat transmission from ring 96 to material 86. Beat jacket J2 also includes sleeve 102 connecting the exterior of rings 94 and 9~. Heat jacket 92 is similar to jacket 44 except that because of the valve configuration shown inn FIG~JR~S 7 and 8 heat pipes 104, which are secured in rings 94 and 9~b, acre positioned in generally parallel relationship to the axis of stem 74.
Semicircular heat pipes a~b and 100 are shown in greater detail in FIGtJI2E 9 and are two heat pipes which are 30 ht into a semicircular configuration to be pasition with their respective recesses as previously described. Heat pipes ~6 (100) ire slightly smaller than a complete 180°
semicircle to allow their entry into their recesses with ease.
mll ~f the heat pipes shown herein ara made of any suitable materials which provides greatly improved heat tranamis~3on: One heat pipe which is believed to be _g_ ~~~~' !~
satisfactory is a water filled copper tube with a suitable copper wick therein. Also, heat transmission is assisted by seeking both inner and outer rings of copper. In most cases, heat pipes may be secured in position by soldering or with the use of a heat conducting epoxy, such as that sold by person & Ginning Company under the txade name ~cobond. This form of securing will enhance the heat transmission between the rings and the' heat pipes as compared to the mounting of the heat pipes without the solder or epoxy.

Claims (10)

1. A valve suitable for use in installations needing protection against fire or excessive heat comprising a body having an inlet, and outlet and a valve chamber having an opening through said body, a valve member movably positioned in the valve chamber to close flow between said inlet and said outlet in one position and to allow flow therebetween in another position, a bonnet connected to said body and surrounding the opening of said valve chamber, said bonnet having a bore extending therethrough, said bonnet defining a seat surrounding the opening to said bore, means far moving said valve member, a stem connected to said valve member and extending through said bonnet opening to connect to said moving means, a shoulder on said stem, temperature sensitive means for limiting travel of said stem in one direction so that its shoulder is spaced a preselected distance from said bonnet seat, said temperature sensitive means being preselected to release said travel limitation of said stem when it is exposed to a preselected amount of heat so that the stem shoulder will backseat on said bonnet seat, and means for rapidly transmitting heat from a portion of said valve spaced from said temperature sensitive means to a position near said temperature sensitive means to ensure that excessive heat to which the valve is exposed is directed to said temperature sensitive means.
2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said heat transmitting means includes heat pipes mounted on said valve to transmit heat to a position near said temperature sensitive means from a position on the valve spaced significantly therefrom.
3. A valve according to claim 2 including a jacket supporting said heat pipes, and means for connecting said jacket to said valve at a point closer to the body than said temperatures sensitive means.
4. A valve according to claim 3 including a first ring secured to said bonnet adjacent said body, a second ring secured to said bonnet adjacent said temperature sensitive means, said heat pipes securing within openings in said rings and extending therebetween to transmit heat from the first ring to the second ring.
5. A valve according to claim 4 including said heat pipes being soldered into openings in said rings.
6. A valve according to claim 4 including said second ring having an internal recess, heat pipes positioned within said internal recess in said second ring to improve the heat transmission from the second ring to the temperature sensitive means.
7. A valve according to claim 4 including said heat pipes being secured within openings in said rims by a heat transmitting epoxy.
8. A valve according to claim 4 wherein said heat pipes include a copper tube, a copper wick and water within the copper tube.
9. A valve according to claim 8 wherein said first and second rings are copper.
10. A valve according to claim 4 including an outer sleeve secured to the exterior of said first and second rings.
CA 2088474 1992-02-10 1993-01-29 Fire safe valve Expired - Lifetime CA2088474C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/833,150 US5201336A (en) 1992-02-10 1992-02-10 Fire safe valve
US07/833,150 1992-02-10

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2088474A1 CA2088474A1 (en) 1993-08-11
CA2088474C true CA2088474C (en) 2002-08-06

Family

ID=25263573

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2088474 Expired - Lifetime CA2088474C (en) 1992-02-10 1993-01-29 Fire safe valve

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US5201336A (en)
EP (1) EP0556032B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2088474C (en)
DE (1) DE69309739T2 (en)
NO (1) NO180351C (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1252131B (en) * 1991-11-27 1995-06-05 Sgs Thomson Microelectronics ARCHITECTURE AND METHOD OF ORGANIZATION OF THE MEMORY OF AN ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER OPERATING WITH LOGIC MODES OF THE FUZZY TYPE
US7721750B2 (en) * 2007-10-18 2010-05-25 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Modified heat pipe for activation of a pressure relief device
US8672290B2 (en) 2012-03-13 2014-03-18 Vetco Gray Inc. Self aligning spherical backseat assembly for a valve
US10695598B2 (en) 2017-08-28 2020-06-30 Justrite Manufacturing Company, Llc Vented safety cabinet with thermally-actuated damper
US11137093B2 (en) 2017-12-20 2021-10-05 Cameron International Corporation Annular sleeves for fluid-handling components

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2080373A (en) * 1934-07-16 1937-05-11 Patrol Valve Company Relief valve
US4245661A (en) * 1978-10-27 1981-01-20 Combustion Engineering, Inc. Heat responsive back seat arrangement for valve operator
US4214600A (en) * 1979-02-15 1980-07-29 Cameron Iron Works, Inc. Valve
US4540013A (en) * 1983-10-13 1985-09-10 Smith International, Inc. Fire responsive stem retention apparatus
US4570659A (en) * 1983-11-01 1986-02-18 Gray Tool Company Fire resistant valve

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2088474A1 (en) 1993-08-11
EP0556032A1 (en) 1993-08-18
DE69309739T2 (en) 1997-07-31
NO180351B (en) 1996-12-23
NO180351C (en) 1997-04-02
NO930445D0 (en) 1993-02-09
EP0556032B1 (en) 1997-04-16
NO930445L (en) 1993-08-11
US5201336A (en) 1993-04-13
DE69309739D1 (en) 1997-05-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3842853A (en) Fire safety valve
US5743285A (en) Gas cylinder thermal relief valve
JPH07502324A (en) Pressure relief valve with heat trigger and movable sealing plug
CA2088474C (en) Fire safe valve
US3788600A (en) Gate valve
CA1127500A (en) Fire safe valve
US4658848A (en) Heat responsive backseat for gate valves
US3916940A (en) Valve
CA1282668C (en) Safety valve
US4214600A (en) Valve
US3877476A (en) Heat actuated valve
US5452852A (en) Valves and an improved method of replacing valves in pressurized systems
JP2542123B2 (en) Fire shutoff device
US4989627A (en) Thermal fuse valve
JPS5850364A (en) Expansible tube type refractory valve
EP0314577B1 (en) Hot fluid pipeline relief valve
RU2243440C1 (en) Valve with thermally activated closure member
CA1121792A (en) Valve
CN106051251A (en) Full-automatic mechanical fireproof safety valve
SU1208390A1 (en) Arrangement for shutting off pipelines with fluid
GB2176576A (en) Gate valve
CN106015681A (en) Reusable mechanical fireproof safety valve
KR900004330Y1 (en) Safety valve
EA045431B1 (en) WATER SUPPLY VALVE
GB2343237A (en) Radiator isolation valve

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
MKEX Expiry

Effective date: 20130129