Definition and core characteristics of soft-sealed gate valves
Soft-sealed gate valves are gate valves that use non-metallic elastic materials (such as rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.) as sealing pairs. They achieve medium cutoff through elastic deformation. The main features are as follows:
1. Structural design
Sealing components
The outer layer of the gate is covered with highly elastic materials such as rubber, combined with a spring support structure (such as the multi-spring distribution design described in the patent) to ensure that the sealing surface fits tightly with the inner wall of the flow channel.
Some models use a concealed stem valve stem, and the gate lift is driven by the rotation of the valve stem. The structure is compact and the seal is more stable.
Valve body structure
The flow channel is mostly full-diameter design to reduce the flow resistance of the medium and avoid the accumulation of impurities;
The material is mainly ductile iron, and the surface is coated with epoxy resin to enhance corrosion resistance.
2. Performance parameters
Nominal diameter: DN50～DN1200, covering the needs of small and medium-sized pipelines;
Applicable temperature: ≤200℃ (specifically limited by sealing materials, such as nitrile rubber is applicable to -20℃～120℃);
Pressure level: PN10～PN16 (corresponding to 1.0-1.6MPa), meeting the requirements of low-pressure working conditions.
3. Application Scenarios
| Field | Typical application | Advantages |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal water supply | Water pipe interception, fire protection system control | Zero leakage seal, in line with drinking water safety standards |
| Wastewater treatment | Sludge discharge control, sedimentation tank isolation | Corrosion-resistant and anti-clogging design |
| Food and Medicine | Transporting clean media such as fruit pulp and liquid medicine | Non-metallic seals to avoid media contamination |
4. Technical advantages and limitations
Advantages:
Excellent sealing performance (can reach zero leakage), small operating torque;
Low maintenance cost, support for replacement of seals without stopping water.
Limitations:
Poor temperature and wear resistance, high temperature can easily cause rubber aging and failure;
Not suitable for media containing hard particles or high pressure impact
