Design And Material Innovation of High-pressure Ball Valves

The structures of traditional high-pressure ball valves are prone to issues such as stress concentration and sealing failure when facing ultra-high-pressure environments. To address these challenges, modern high-pressure ball valves adopt a more scientific structural optimization design. For example, in the valve body structure, forged integral valve bodies are used to replace traditional cast split valve bodies. The forging process results in a higher density and more uniform internal structure of the valve body material, effectively enhancing the strength and pressure resistance of the valve body. Meanwhile, the integral structure reduces connection points, avoiding leakage risks caused by welding or flange connections. In terms of the sphere design, a streamlined sphere structure is employed, reducing the resistance when fluid passes through and minimizing the scouring of the sphere by the fluid. This not only extends the service life of the valve but also reduces the energy consumption of the system. Additionally, some high-pressure ball valves incorporate a multi-support point sphere design. By adding support structures for the sphere, the force of the medium pressure on the sphere is dispersed, further enhancing the stability of the sphere under high pressure.

Sealing performance is one of the key indicators of high-pressure ball valves. Traditional sealing methods are prone to problems such as wear and leakage of the sealing surface under high-pressure environments. Nowadays, significant breakthroughs have been made in the sealing technology of high-pressure ball valves. A new double-sealing structure is widely used. This structure has sealing seats on both sides of the sphere, forming a two-way seal. When the valve is closed, the seats on both sides press against the sphere simultaneously. Even if one sealing surface is slightly worn, the other side can still ensure good sealing performance, greatly improving the sealing reliability of the valve. Moreover, some high-pressure ball valves adopt a self-tightening sealing design, using the medium pressure to push the seat to fit closely with the sphere. The higher the pressure, the better the sealing effect.

Metal materials are the primary manufacturing materials for high-pressure ball valves, and their properties directly impact the valve's strength and pressure resistance. Traditional carbon steel and low-alloy steel are prone to issues such as corrosion and fatigue fractures in high-pressure, high-temperature, and highly corrosive environments. To address these problems, new high-performance metal materials are widely used in the manufacturing of high-pressure ball valves. For example, super stainless steel materials perform outstandingly in high-pressure conditions with corrosive media due to their excellent corrosion resistance. These materials are added with alloying elements such as molybdenum and nitrogen, which enhance the material's resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion. Nickel-based alloy materials have also become an important choice for high-pressure ball valves. Nickel-based alloys possess good high-temperature strength, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance, enabling them to operate stably for extended periods in complex environments with high temperature, high pressure, and strong corrosion. In extreme working conditions such as deep-sea oil and gas extraction, high-pressure ball valves made of nickel-based alloys can withstand immense water pressure and seawater corrosion, ensuring the reliable operation of the valves. Meanwhile, the smelting processes of metal materials are constantly being improved. Advanced processes such as vacuum smelting and electroslag remelting are employed to enhance the purity and quality of metal materials, reduce internal impurities and defects, and further improve the performance of high-pressure ball valves.

The applications of non-metal materials in high-pressure ball valves are also becoming increasingly widespread, mainly used in components such as seals and valve seats. Traditional rubber sealing materials are prone to aging and deformation in high-pressure and high-temperature environments, leading to sealing failure. New non-metal sealing materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and its modified materials have excellent corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, and self-lubrication. PTFE materials can maintain stable performance within a temperature range of -200°C to 260°C and have good corrosion resistance to most chemical media. By filling and modifying PTFE materials, such as adding reinforcing materials like glass fibers and carbon fibers, their strength and wear resistance can be improved, making them more suitable for sealing requirements in high-pressure conditions. Some new composite materials, such as carbon fiber-reinforced composites, are also applied in the manufacturing of high-pressure ball valves. This material has advantages such as high strength, low density, and corrosion resistance and can be used to manufacture lightweight valve components, improving the operational performance and service life of the valves. In the design of seals, a combination of composite materials and metal materials is also adopted to fully leverage the advantages of both and improve sealing performance and reliability.