A wedge gate valve is installed in pipelines as equipment providing for the shutdown of the medium flow, perpendicular to which there is a movement of constipation. The passage to the device is closed due to translational movements of the shutter in the perpendicular direction from the moving medium.
The wedge gate valve got its name because of the form of constipation in its design, in which the location of the seals is made at an angle to each other. The closing mechanism is performed by turning the helm to the right. The body of the device is made direct, which prevents the possible accumulation of various precipitations on its walls.
According to the type of shutter shape, gate valves are wedge:
• with an integral rigid wedge;
• with elastic (with lateral guiding surfaces);
• with a wedge made up of two discs.
The use of a hard wedge in locking devices with small diameters makes the design more reliable and tight. However, with significant fluctuations in the operating temperature of the transported medium in the equipment, jamming of the device in the housing may occur.
Wedge gate valves are mainly used on horizontal pipelines. The flywheel of the device should be located on top. The spindle should only be upright.
According to the type of connection of wedge gate valves to the pipeline, they have varieties:
• for welding;
• coupling;
• wedge gate valve flange.
Equipment of this type is manufactured in various ways: by casting, forging or by welding. Stamped gate valves have a body of parts connected by a welding method. Moreover, they have significantly smaller dimensions and mass. Devices of this type are used for both gaseous and liquid media with temperatures up to + 300 ° . The tightness class of wedge-welded gate valves is determined in accordance with GOST 9544-2005 and has the designation: B, C, D.
Wedge-type locking devices are used to transport natural and
liquefied gas, steam, oil products, chemically active and aggressive liquids.
The gate valve is manufactured in the following modifications:
• with the electric drive of the SA series;
• with a reducer of a series K;
• with telescopic rod extension.
Each of all types of this equipment has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the scope. Advantages of wedge gate valves consist, first of all, in the simplicity of design, durability, reliability, maintainability, resistance to environmental influences, etc. The small hydraulic resistance of these locking devices made them indispensable for pipelines with a medium that moves at high speed. All these qualities make this valve very popular in industrial enterprises and in public utilities. The case of wedge gate valves is made full bore, that is, no narrowing of the diameter of the bore is observed. However, in some cases, narrowed devices are used, which allows to achieve a significant reduction in the effort and torque of the control systems, as well as to reduce the weight and overall dimensions of the equipment.