FORM 2
The Patents Act, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION STEAM VALVE
2. APPLICANT (S)

(a) NAME : MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
(b) NATIONALITY : A company incorporated in Japan
(c) ADDRESS : 16-5, Konan 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1088215
Japan
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a steam valve for regulating the flow of steam supplied to a steam turbine for power generating facilities such as thermal power plants and nuclear power plants.
Background Art
A steam turbine for thermal power plants, nuclear power plants or the like is provided with a plurality of steam valves for regulating the flow of steam according to load changes, or cutting off the supply of steam in response to emergency. Normally, a steam valve changes a flow passage area between a valve seat and a valve body by moving a valve rod by means of an actuator, thereby regulating the flow of steam.
Such steam valve deals with high-pressure steam flowing therein. This causes steam to drift or swirl and such steam turbulence results in noise, vibration, erosion and accidents such as cracks in a valve body and a connecting part of a valve rod supporting the valve body. Particularly, a steam control valve arranged on an upstream side of a high-pressure chamber of the steam turbine and an intercept valve arranged on an upstream side of a medium-

pressure chamber deal with a large amount of high-pressure steam flow.
When steam flowing through a steam path defined by the valve seat and the valve body enters a transonic state, unsteady shock waves accompanied by large pressure fluctuations causing vibration to the valve body and the like were generated in steam flowing through the steam path. Therefore, there have been attempts to modify a shape of the valve body and the valve seat so as to reduce the vibration to the valve body and the like of the steam valve.
For instance, in Patent Literatures 1 and 2, disclosed is a steam valve having a curvature radius of the valve body is set to 0.52 to 0.6 of a valve seat diameter, and a curvature radius of the valve seat is set to 0.6 or greater of the valve seat diameter.
FIG.4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the steam valve described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2. As shown in FIG.4, the curvature radius of the valve body 2, r is set to 0.52 to 0.6 of the seat diameter, D0 and the curvature radius of the valve seat 4, R is set greater than 0.6 of the seat diameter, D0 - Therefore, a steam line 100 of the steam, when the steam valve is opened slightly, is formed comparatively along a moving direction of the

valve body, i.e. the flow line 100 being vertical. This generates an annular flow adhering to a side of the valve seat 4, making a steam flow steady and reducing the vibrations in parts of the steam valve.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature)
[PTL 1]
Japanese Patent Publication No. SHO 58-44909 B2
[PTL 2]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 4185029 B
Summary of Invention Technical Problem
However, in the steam valve described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2, a tangential direction of the valve seat 4 is comparatively standing (comparatively adhering to the moving direction Y of the valve body 2) at a seating position 3 where the valve seat 4 and the valve body come in contact with each other. Thus, the flow passage area between the valve seat 4 and the valve body 2 is small and pressure loss is large. To ensure enough supply of steam, it is necessary to increase a lift amount of the valve body 2 or to make the steam valve itself bigger. It is reguired to prevent damages to the steam

turbine by cutting off the steam supply to the steam turbine immediately in emergency situations. However, by increasing the lift amount of the valve body 2, it takes longer to change from a full-open position to a full-closed position. Thus, it is difficult to cut off the steam supply rapidly. Meanwhile, by making the steam valve itself bigger, this leads to restrictions on installation of the steam valve and to significant cost rise.
In view of the issues above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a steam valve, which can reduce vibrations of each part of the steam valve, can suppress pressure loss and can cut off the steam rapidly.
In one aspect of the present invention, a steam valve may include, but is not limited to:
a valve seat; and
a valve body which moves relative to the valve seat so as to change an area of a flow path between the valve seat and the valve body and regulate a flow of a steam passing through the flow path,
wherein the valve body may include, but is not 1imited to:
a valve head portion which comes in contact with the valve seat and satisfies a relationship of r>0.6D0, where r is a curvature radius of the

valve head portion and D0 is a seat diameter of the valve seat; and
a tapered portion which is arranged on an upstream side of the valve head portion and whose surface is tilted toward a direction of relative movement of the valve body to the valve seat more than that of the valve head portion.
Hereinafter, the state where a line of steam flow, a tangential line of the valve seat, a surface of the tapered portion or the like is comparatively along the direction of the relative movement of the valve body to the valve seat, is described as "standing", whereas the state where the line of steam flow, the tangential line of the valve seat, the surface of the tapered portion or the like is comparatively along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the relative movement of the valve body to the valve seat, is described as "lying". The tangential line (direction) of the valve seat at the seating position is determined by a ratio of the curvature radius r of the valve head portion of the valve body to the seat diameter Do of the valve seat according to geometric relationship.
In the steam valve in relation to the present invention, the valve head portion of the valve body satisfies a relationship of r>0.6D0

where r is the curvature radius of the valve head portion and D0 is the seat diameter of the valve seat. Thus, the tangential line of the valve seat at the seating position is lying more than that of the conventional case, resulting in a larger area of the flow path between the valve seat and the valve body for the same lift amount and small pressure loss. This achieves that the lift amount of the valve body to ensure a supply amount of steam is small and supply of steam to the steam turbine or the like can be cut off immediately.
In the steam valve, the tapered portion is arranged on an upstream side of the valve head portion. The surface of the tapered portion is tilted toward a direction of relative movement of the valve body more than that of the valve head portion. By providing the tapered portion, steam is guided into the direction of the relative movement before passing through the flow path between the valve seat and the valve body. Thus, although the curvature radius r of the valve head portion and the seat diameter D0 have the relationship of r>0.6D0 and the tangential line of the valve seat at the seating position is comparatively lying, it is possible to achieve, by the tapered portion, a state where the steam line between the valve body and

the valve seat is standing. Therefore, the steam flow forms an annular flow adhering to the valve seat side, thereby reducing vibration to each part of the steam valve.
Specifically, in the steam valve of the present invention, a ratio of the curvature radius r of the valve head portion to the seat diameter D0 is set greater than that of the conventional case and the tangential line of the valve seat is lying more than that of the conventional case so as to reduce pressure loss, and the tapered portion is provided on the upstream side of the valve head portion so as to sufficiently reduce the virtual curvature radius including the valve head portion and the tapered portion with respect to the seat diameter and the curvature radius of the valve seat. Therefore, it is possible to reduce vibration in each part of the steam valve by achieving the state where the line of steam flow between the valve seat and the valve body is standing and adhering the steam flow to the valve seat side.
In the above steam valve, it is preferable that the valve head portion satisfies a relationship of 0.61D00.6Do, where r is the curvature radius of the valve head portion and Do is a seat diameter of the valve seat. Thus, it is not necessary to consider the case where the tangential line of the valve seat is excessively standing at the seating position.
In the above steam valve, it is preferable that the valve head portion of the valve body has a circular recess formed at a tip of the valve body on a downstream side of a seating position where the valve head portion comes in contact with the valve seat, and that the circular recess satisfies a relationship of 0.90D00.6D0 where r is the curvature radius of the valve head portion and D0 is the seat diameter of the valve seat. Thus, the area of the flow path between the valve seat and the valve body is large and the pressure loss is small. This reduces the lift amount of the valve body to ensure a supply amount of steam. As a result, it is possible to immediately cut off supply of steam to the steam turbine or the like.
Further, according to the present invention, the tapered portion is arranged on the upstream side of the valve head portion. The surface of the tapered portion is tilted toward the direction of the relative movement of the valve body more than that of the valve head portion. By providing the tapered portion, steam is

guided into the direction of the relative movement before passing through the flow path between the valve seat and the valve body. Thus, it is possible to achieve, by the tapered portion, a state where the steam line between the valve body and the valve seat is standing. Therefore, the steam flow forms an annular flow adhering to the valve seat side, thereby reducing vibration to each part of the steam valve.
Brief Description of Drawings
[FIG.l] FIG.l is a cross-sectional view of an
exemplary structure of a steam valve in relation
to a preferred embodiment.
[FIG.2] FIG.2 is an enlarged cross-sectional
view illustrating shapes of a valve body and a
valve seat around a seating portion.
[FIG.3] FIG.3 is a cross-sectional view showing
a virtual curvature radius of a tapered portion
and a valve head portion.
[FIG.4] FIG.4 is a cross-sectional view showing
schematically a conventional steam valve,
Description of Embodiments
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is

intended, however, that unless particularly specified, dimensions, materials, shape, its relative positions and the like shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limitative of the scope of the present invention.
A general structure of a steam valve in relation to the present invention is explained hereafter. FIG.l is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary structure of a steam valve in relation to a preferred embodiment.
FIG.l shows a steam valve 1. The steam valve 1 is mainly constituted of a valve body 2, a valve seat 4, a valve shaft 6 and an actuator 8 .
The valve body 2 is secured to the valve shaft 6 by means of a pin 5. The valve body 2 moves in a vertical direction with the valve shaft 6 by moving a lever 10 in a direction of an arrow around a supporting point 12 by means of the actuator 8. Thus, a position of the valve body 2 with respect to the valve seat 4 can be adequately adjusted depending on an amount of steam to be supplied, between a full-closed position where the valve body 2 is in contact with the valve seat 4 at a seating position 3 and a full-open position where the valve body 2 is off from the valve seat 4 by a maximum lift amount.

The steam introduced to the steam valve 1 flows from a valve chamber 16 surrounded by a casing 14 of the steam valve 1 through an annular passage formed between the valve body 2 and the valve seat 4 and flows out in a direction of an arrow A to be supplied to a steam turbine or the like (not shown) that is arranged on a downstream side of the steam valve 1 .
Next, configurations of the valve body 2 and the valve seat 4 of the steam valve in relation to the preferred embodiment is described. FIG.2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating shapes of the valve body 2 and the valve seat 4 around a seating portion. FIG.2 shows the valve body 2 having a valve head portion 2A and a tapered portion 2B. The valve head portion 2A has a curvature radius r and comes in contact with the valve seat 4 at the seating position 3. The tapered portion 2B is arranged on an upstream side of the valve head portion 2A.
The valve head portion 2A satisfies a relationship of r>0.6Do, where r is the curvature radius of the valve head portion 2A and D0 is a seat diameter (diameter of the seating position 3) of the valve seat 4. Thus, a tangential line 20 of the valve seat 4 at the seating position 3 is lying flatter than that of

the conventional case. This creates a larger area of a flow path between the valve body and the valve seat 4 and pressure loss is comparatively small. This achieves that the lift amount of the valve body to ensure a supply amount of steam is small and supply of steam to the steam turbine or the like (not shown) can be cut off immediately.
Further, when the curvature radius r of the valve head portion 2A is set to r>0.6D0, the curvature radius R of the valve seat 4 may be set to 0.20D00.6Do and the tangential line 20 of the valve seat 3 at the seating position 3 is comparatively lying. Therefore, the steam flow forms an annular flow adhering to the valve seat side, thereby reducing vibration in each part of the steam valve 1.
Further, it is preferable in the steam valve 1 shown in FIG.2 that the valve head portion 2A satisfies a relationship of 0.61D00.6D0, where r is the curvature radius of

the valve head portion 2A and D0 is a seat diameter of the valve seat 4. Thus, it is not necessary to consider the case where the tangential line 20 of the value seat 4 is excessively standing at the seating position 3.
The valve head portion 2A of the valve body 1 has a circular recess 26 formed at a tip of the valve body 1 on a downstream side of the seating position 3 where the valve head portion 2A comes in contact with the valve seat A. The circular recess 26 preferably satisfies a relationship of 0.90D00.6Do, where r is the curvature radius of the

valve head portion 2A and D0 is a seat diameter of the valve seat 4. The valve body 2 has the tapered portion 2B arranged on an upstream side of the valve head portion 2A. The surface of the tapered portion 2B is tilted toward a direction of relative movement of the valve body 2 more than that of the valve head portion 2A.
Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, a ratio of the curvature radius r of the valve head portion 2A to the seat diameter D0 is set greater than that of the conventional case and the tangential line 20 of the valve seat 4 is lying flatter than that of the conventional case so as to reduce pressure loss, and the tapered portion 2B is provided on the upstream side of the valve head portion 2A so as to sufficiently reduce the virtual curvature radius including the valve head portion 2A and the tapered portion 2B with respect to the seat diameter D0 and the curvature radius R of the valve seat 4. Therefore, it is possible to reduce vibration in each part of the steam valve 1 by achieving the state where the line of steam flow between the valve seat 4 and the valve body 2 is standing and adhering the steam flow to the valve seat side .
As shown in FIG.3, the virtual curvature radius including the valve head portion 2A and

the tapered portion 2B is a curvature radius Rv of a virtual circle passing through points P1 to P3. P1 is a point on the valve head portion 2A which corresponds to the seating position 3. P2 is a point on the most upstream side of the tapered portion 2B. P3 is a point at an end on the downstream side of a curved surface of the valve head portion 2A. The curvature radius Rv is practically determined by setting parameters such as r, D0, θ0 and θ / (90-5) . However, the curvature radius Rv preferably satisfies va relationship of 0 . 10D00.6D0 where r is the curvature radius D0 is the seat diameter and the surface of the tapered portion 2B that is tilted toward the direction of the relative movement more than that of the valve head portion 2A is arranged on the upstream side of the valve head portion 2A. For instance, the steam valve 1 may be configured such that a tip of the valve shaft 6 functions as a sub valve that is housed in the valve body 2 (main valve) and after the sub valve opens first, the valve body 2 as the main valve opens.

WE CLAIM
l.A steam valve comprising: a valve seat; and
a valve body which moves relative to the valve seat so as to change an area of a flow path between the valve seat and the valve body and regulate a flow of a steam passing through the flow path, wherein the valve body- comprises:
a valve head portion which comes in contact with the valve seat and satisfies a relationship of r>0.6D0, where r is a curvature radius of the valve head portion and D0 is a seat diameter of the valve seat; and
a tapered portion which is arranged on an upstream side of the valve head portion and whose surface is tilted toward a direction of relative movement of the valve body to the valve seat more than that of the valve head portion.
2.The steam valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve head portion satisfies a relationship of 0 . 61D0