AU2012231813B2

AU2012231813B2 - Shutoff valve for a flexible tube

Info

Publication number: AU2012231813B2
Application number: AU2012231813A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Lasse ARVOLA; Tomas ARVOLA
Original assignee: NORDKOTE AB
Current assignee: NORDKOTE AB
Priority date: 2011-03-21
Filing date: 2012-03-08
Publication date: 2017-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2032-03-08
Also published as: CA2830466C; SE535655C2; WO2012128688A1; AU2012231813C1; AU2012231813A1; SE1100202A1; CA2830466A1

Abstract

The claimed invention relates to a valve, specially designed for control of flows in flexible tubes or pipes. The purpose is to provide such an appropriate valve that is compact, that does not require considerable maintenance, and that can be completely closed. This is achieved in a valve that comprises two semicircular elements of different radii. These semicircular elements are pivotally connected at both their ends by means of hinges, and enclose the flexible tube or pipe completely. The opening degree of the valve is controlled by the relative rotary position of the semicircular elements so that the flexible tube or pipe is not constricted when the semicircular elements form a circle, and the flexible tube or pipe is maximally constricted when the semicircular elements form a half circle.

Description

WO 2012/128688 PCT/SE2012/000029 1

Shutoff valve for a flexible tube

Technical field

The present invention relates to a valve for respectively closing and opening flexible tubes or pipes. In a ventilation context among other things, flexible tubes or pipes are used for respectively opening and closing the air flows and for controlling the air flows to different rooms. The invention relates to a valve according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background to the invention

In mines and tunnels such as underground railways and road tunnels in underground mines, flexible tubing is used, the diameter of which can vary from 200 mm to more than 2000 mm. In tunnel systems such as in mines, for example, flexible tubing is fitted in nearly every tunnel roof. In mining terms, the word gallery is used for a tunnel. The ventilation is controlled by turning off and on fans that are connected to the flexible tubes. This system means that a large number of fans are required and that the air flows are either on or off. Various types of so-called shutoff arrangements have been and are being used, one type resembling the function of shears, which either clamp the tube or open it. Since the ventilation tubes are always mounted hanging in the tunnel roof or gallery roof, a valve with a shears function takes up too much space to be able to be used in anything other than tunnels with a high roof height, since one of the so-called jaws must be able to move either upwards or downwards on opening. Other types of shutoff arrangements that are used are of the so-called damper type. This requires the tube to be fitted fixedly in the damper valve, however. The actual damper that is located in the tube is in the air flow and is exposed to any particles that accompany the air flow. This means that the so-called damper valves require frequent and extensive maintenance to have the intended function. In most cases, the damper operates so sluggishly that the air flow cannot be shut off completely or opened for a full flow.

Air-driven dampers have also been used, dampers that consist of two cushions that are joined at their ends, the flexible tube is placed between the cushions, the cush- PCT/SE2012/000029 WO 2012/128688 2 ions can be filled with compressed air, wherein the flexible tube is choked, or alternatively are emptied of compressed air, wherein the passage of air through the flexible tube is permitted.

This type of damper cannot close the flow completely, however, more or less ventilation air leaks through even if the air-driven damper is fully closed. This means that a smaller quantity of air gets to the galleries that it is intended to ventilate, and the result is that the fan capacity must be increased to achieve sufficient ventilation. An increase in ventilation also increases the requirement for energy to heat the incoming air.

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is to produce an exceptionally advantageous valve for flow regulation in flexible tubes or pipes.

This object is achieved in that the invention has the features indicated in the claims. Advantages of the invention

It is achieved with the present invention that the air flows in so-called flexible tubing can be controlled and varied steplessly from zero to max air flow with the shutoff valve according to the following description. The air flows can be controlled and adjusted steplessly between full flow and zero in flow. The number of fans in the ventilation system can be reduced and replaced by shutoff valves according to the description, which gives flexible and optimal control of the ventilation requirement and is also an advantage from the energy viewpoint.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention shall be described below with reference to the enclosed drawings.

Figure 1 shows a front view of a valve according to the invention in the open position and a number of fitting details in an exploded position. PCT/SE2012/000029 WO 2012/128688 3

Figure 2 shows a front view of the valve according to figure 1 in the closed position. Figure 3 shows a side view of a valve that is provided with stabilisers.

Figure 4 shows a side view of a valve in the open position that is arranged around a flexible hose, wherein the valve is anchored in a tunnel roof or the like with the aid of stabilisers.

Figure 5 shows a side view of a valve in the choked position that is otherwise arranged in a similar manner to that shown in figure 4.

Detailed description of the embodiment shown

The invention consists of a circular geometry of steel, plastic or another suitable material. The circle is divided via two joints diametrically opposite one another and thus forms two circle halves. The smaller circle half has an outer radius that is slightly smaller than the inner radius of the larger circle half, which means that the smaller circle half can be folded into the larger semicircle and thereby form a semicircle of the two circle halves. In the open position, the two semicircles form a circle, in the fold-together position a semicircle.

The valve 10 according to figure 1 consists of a semicircular steel pipe 1 with an inner radius R1 and furthermore a semicircular pipe 2 with an outer radius R2 that is slightly smaller than the inner radius R1 of the steel pipe 1. The two semicircular pipes 1, 2 are connected by joints 3 that have the function of being able to form either a circle of the shutoff valve 10 (in the open position) (Figure 1) or form a semicircle (in the closed position) (Figure 2), where one semicircle 2 forms an inner semicircle with the outer semicircle 1. To open and close the valve 10 respectively, this can take place through a crank arrangement 7 that is connected to a shaft 4 for manual closing and opening respectively of the valves. Alternatively, an electric motor 6 can be connected via a motor attachment 8 and a worm gear 9 for opening and closing of the valves 10. The electric motor 6 can be remotely controlled and the ventilation in a tunnel system can thereby be controlled from a control room, for example. In larger mines, where the tunnel system amounts to several kilometres, ventilation of the tunnels is a necessity for operation to be able to continue. A prerequisite for effective ventilation is that it can be controlled and adjusted as required. PCT/SE2012/000029 WO 2012/128688 4

Figure 3 shows the valve 10 in the closed position with so-called stabilisers 15 and 16 and a shaft 4, which opens or closes the valve on rotation.

The task of the stabilisers 15 and 16 is to stabilise the valve 10 on opening or closing. One end of the stabilisers 15,16 is attached to the tunnel roof 100 and the other end to the valve’s semicircle 1, thereby stabilising the valve 10 on opening or closing, regardless of whether opening or closing takes place manually or mechanically using an electric motor or another mechanical drive arrangement.

Figure 4 shows the valve 10 in the open position mounted on a flexible tube 50 placed in a tunnel roof (gallery roof). The figure also shows the position and attachment of the stabilisers 15 and 16 relative to the tunnel roof 100 and the valve 10.

Like figure 4, figure 5 shows the valve 10 fitted in a tunnel roof 100 on a flexible tube 50, wherein the valve 10 is in the choked position. Figure 5 also shows how the flexible tube 50 is clamped together between the two semicircles 1 and 2 and the air flow is thereby shut off in the flexible tube. The valve can be adjusted steplessly from fully open as shown in figure 4 to fully closed as shown in figure 5.

Claims

Claims

1. A valve, specially intended for adjustment of flows in flexible tubes or pipes (50), characterised in that the valve (10) comprises two semicircular elements (1, 2) of different sizes, which are connected to one another articulat-edly via joints (3), and that the degree of opening of the valve (10) is adjusted by the mutual turning position of the semicircular elements (1, 2).
2. The valve according to claim 1, characterised in that the semicircular elements (1, 2) in a folded-together position form a semicircle.
3. The valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the semicircular elements (1, 2) in a folded-out position form a circle.
4. The valve according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that the degree of opening of the valve (10) is steplessly adjustable by adjustment of the mutual turning position of the semicircular elements (1,2).
5. The valve according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that the degree of opening of the valve (10) is adjusted manually.
6. The valve according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that the degree of opening of the valve (10) is motor-adjusted.
7. The valve according to any one of claims 1-6, characterised in that stabilisers (15, 16) are arranged between the joints (3) of the valve and the surroundings (100) of the valve.