Valve with Expandable Sleeve Fitted Over Perforated Walls of Inlet and Outlet Channels to Control Flow Therebetween

Abstract

A valve features an outer housing, in which there are provided inlet and outlet channels respectively reaching into the housing from inlet and outlet openings thereof. The two channels are axially closed at adjacent inner ends thereof, but feature perforated circumferential walls. A resiliently expandable sleeve is disposed around the circumferential walls in a position normally overlying the perforations, while leaving a gap between the sleeve and inner surfaces of the housing. A charging port communicates with the gap to enable pressurization thereof. Pressurization of the gap normally holds the sleeve tightly over the perforations to prevent flow from one channel to the other. When pressure in the inlet channel exceeds the pressure in the charging chamber, the sleeve radially expands from the circumferential walls of the channels to uncover the perforations and allow fluid to flow between the channels.

1 . A valve comprising:
 an outer housing having an inlet by which fluid is introducible into an interior of said housing and an outlet by which said fluid is exhaustible from said housing;   an inlet channel extending further into the interior of the housing from the inlet thereof to a closed end of said inlet channel situated opposite of the inlet of the housing;   a first circumferential wall surrounding said inlet channel between the closed end thereof and the inlet of the housing;   an outlet channel extending further into the interior of the housing from the outlet thereof to a closed end of said inlet channel situated opposite to the outlet of the housing;   a first set of one or more perforations in said first circumferential wall;   a second set of one or more perforations in said second circumferential wall;   a resiliently expandable sleeve disposed around the first and second circumferential walls within the interior of the outer housing in a position overlying said first and second sets of perforations;   an expansion gap between said resiliently expandable sleeve and interior wall surfaces of the housing to accommodate expansion of said sleeve outwardly from the first and second circumferential walls to open up said first and second sets of perforations; and   a charging port opening into the interior the housing and communicating with the expansion gap therein to enable pressurization of said expansion gap;   wherein the sleeve is expandable off of the first and second circumferential walls to open up the first and second sets of one more perforations when an inlet pressure in the inlet channel exceeds a charge pressure in the expansion gap to enable fluid flow between the inlet and outlet channels via the first and second sets of perforations.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein the inlet channel and the first circumferential wall therearound is defined by a first hollow member having an open end situated adjacent the inlet of the housing, and the outlet channel and the second circumferential wall therearound is defined by a separate second hollow member having an open end situated adjacent the inlet of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 2  wherein the first and second hollow members each comprise an external flange at the open end thereof, and the interior of the outer housing comprises internal shoulders facing the inlet and outlet of the housing to limit insertion of said first and second members into the housing through said inlet and outlet due to interference between said internal shoulders of the housing and the external flanges of the first and second hollow members. 
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 3  wherein said external flanges are clamped toward the internal shoulders by bolted-together pipe flanges situated at the inlet and outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The valve of  claim 3  wherein the resiliently expandable sleeve comprises enlargements at opposing ends thereof that are clamped between the internal shoulders of the housing and the external flanges of the first and second hollow members to seal said first and second hollow members to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The valve of  claim 2  wherein the first and second hollow members are abutted end-to-end at the closed ends of the inlet and outlet channels. 
     
     
         7 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein first and second circumferential walls are tapered in width to narrow toward the closed ends of the inlet and outlet channels. 
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein first and second circumferential walls are frustoconically tapered. 
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein the resiliently expandable sleeve is internally tapered in two directions to narrow in internal width toward the closed ends of the inlet and outlet channels. 
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9  wherein the resiliently expandable sleeve is externally tapered in said two directions at a same taper angle at which said sleeve is internally tapered to achieve a uniform sleeve thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 1  in combination with a first sensing line for connection of the charge port to an upstream pipe feeding the inlet of the housing and a second sensing line for connection of the charge port to a downstream pipe exhausting the outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein said valve is installed in a bypass line of a pump or compressor, and is provided in combination with a pressure reducing regulator valve for controlling flow through the second sensing line, and a back-pressure regulator valve connected in parallel with said pressure reducing regulator valve. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 12  further comprising a second valve of the type recited in  claim 1 , which is installed in a discharge line running from an outlet of the pump or compressor, and the charge port of said second valve is connected to a pre-loaded expansion vessel to pressurize the expansion gap inside the valve housing of the second valve, and thereby prevent opening of the second valve until the inlet channel of the second valve achieves greater pressure than said pre-loaded expansion vessel. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 11  further comprising a differential pressure control valve for controlling flow through the second sensing line and having a third line also connected to the downstream pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 11  further comprising a restrictor valve for controlling flow through the first sensing line. 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 1  in combination with a pre-loaded expansion vessel connected to the charge port to pressurize the expansion gap inside the valve housing, and thereby prevent opening of the valve until the inlet channel achieves greater pressure than said pre-loaded expansion vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 1  in combination with a vessel having a drain line in which said valve is installed as a dump valve, wherein said vessel comprises a level sensor operably linked to a normally closed valve that is connected to the expansion gap, and the level sensor is operable to open said normally closed valve to vent the expansion gap of the dump valve in response to a detected fill level inside the vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein the vessel is a separator vessel having a gas line through which gas is exhaustible from said vessel, said gas line has a back-pressure valve installed therein, a first sensing line is connected between the expansion chamber of the dump valve and the gas line at an upstream location from the back-pressure valve, a second sensing line is connected between the expansion chamber of the dump valve and the gas line at a downstream location from the back-pressure valve, and the normally closed valve is installed in the second sensing line to vent the expansion chamber of the dump valve to the downstream location in the gas line when opened. 
     
     
         19 . A kit for assembly of a valve according to  claim 1 , said kit comprising an outer housing, at least one hollow, perforated internal component selectively receivable within outer housing to the define the inlet and outlet channels and the first and second circumferential walls thereof, and a sleeve received or receivable over said at least one perforated internal component. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 19  wherein the at least one internal component comprises first and second hollow, perforated internal components each receivable within the outer housing through a respective end thereof, and a first end of the sleeve is receivable over a first one of the internal components before or during insertion thereof into a first end of the housing so that a second end of the sleeve hangs off of said first one of the internal components inside the outer housing toward a second end thereof after insertion of said first one of the internal components, whereupon insertion of said second one of the internal components into the second end of the housing also inserts said second one of the internal components into said second end of the sleeve. 
     
     
         21 . A method of assembling a valve comprising:
 providing an outer housing, at least one internal component having a perforated circumferential wall closing around a hollow interior of said internal component, and a sleeve positioned or positionable around said at least one internal component; and   placing said at least one internal component and the sleeve into the outer housing in an installed position situating open ends of said at least one internal component respectively adjacent inlet and outlet openings of the housing and situating said sleeve around the at least one internal component in a position overlying perforations of said circumferential walls at a distance from inner wall surfaces of said outer housing to leave an expansion gap between the sleeve and said inner wall surfaces of the outer housing by which the sleeve can flex away from said at least one internal component to open up said perforations.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said at least one internal component comprises first and second internal components, and the method comprises inserting a first one of the internal components into a first end of the sleeve before or during insertion of said first one of the internal components into a first end of the outer housing so that a second end of the sleeve hangs off of said first one of the internal components inside the outer housing toward a second end thereof once the first one of said internal component is inserted in the first end of the housing, then inserting said second one of the internal components into the second end of the housing and thereby inserting said second one of the internal components into said second end of the sleeve. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising placing the outer housing, and the at least one internal component and the sleeve contained within said outer housing, between two pipe flanges of a fluid line in which the valve is to be installed, and fastening said two pipe flanges together across the housing to clamp at least one end of said at least one internal component in a fully seated position within the outer housing.