ZF Conical Valve (Energy-Dissipating Valve)

Product Overview

· The conical valve is a new type of valve product suitable for high-head, high-flow operating conditions, requiring vibration-free and cavitation-free operation with continuous flow control. It derives its name from its inverted conical plunger valve core and is commonly referred to as the conical valve. Due to its excellent energy-dissipation performance, it is also known as the energy-dissipation valve.
· In addition to having a conical valve core at the end of the flow passage, the conical valve features all moving parts located entirely outside the valve’s flow channel. As a result, the internal flow path within the valve body is typically smooth, enabling high flow rates with minimal pressure drop and loss. Moreover, this design ensures that cavitation and vibration do not occur across the entire operating range, and it maintains excellent flow control even at low flow rates.

·The conical valve developed by our company features a fixed inverted conical structure with an advanced hydraulic design and is supported by four guide vanes designed to reduce vibration. The flow rate is controlled by the forward and backward movement of an external movable sleeve. The valve body is equipped with both metal-to-metal valve seats and complementary soft-seal valve seats, forming a composite valve seat assembly that ensures excellent sealing performance. When discharging into the atmosphere, the water flow spreads out at a wide conical angle and breaks down into a thin spray pattern, dissipating its energy into the air. Depending on actual requirements, it is possible to specify control over the water flow area by installing a differently shaped deflector at the outlet. This not only thoroughly mixes air with water but also concentrates the flow. Test results for the conical valve show no significant vibration. When the fixed cone is fully open—whether or not a deflector is installed—the discharge coefficient remains consistently around 0.9.

· The ZF conical valve is primarily used in hydropower stations, reservoirs, and urban water supply and drainage systems.

Structural Type

● The conical valve is opened or closed by an actuator that drives the outer sleeve. Outer-sleeve conical valves are further divided into two types: inclined and horizontal.

· The conical valve consists of components such as a valve body, sleeve, actuator, and connecting pipe.

· Actuators come in various types, including screw-type, hydraulic, and electric pushrod types.

● Method for indicating conical valve models:

(This annotation method adopts the “Parameters, Types, and Technical Conditions for Conical Valves in the Water Conservancy Industry of the People’s Republic of China” SL498-2010, dated November 20, 2010.)

Annotation example:

· ZFLQ1.0-60: The valve body has an inner diameter of 1.0 m and a design head of 60 m; it is an inclined conical valve operated by a screw mechanism.

·ZFYS2.2-40: The valve body has an inner diameter of 2.2 m and a design head of 40 m; it is a horizontal conical valve operated by hydraulic actuation.

Structural Principle

1. The structure and working principle of the fixed conical valve are illustrated in the simplified diagram below:

2. Performance characteristics of the fixed conical valve:

There is a linear proportional relationship throughout the entire range between valve opening and discharge flow, enabling precise flow regulation and control.

Product Performance Features

· Valve body materials: carbon steel, stainless steel

· Strength test: PN × 1.5

·Connection types: flange, welding

·Nominal pressure PN: 0.6–4.0 MPa

·Sealing test: PN × 1.1

·Applicable media: water, wastewater

·Nominal diameter DN: 200–3000 mm

● Operating temperature T: 0～70℃

Main performance

Hydraulic Conical Valve Energy Dissipation Structure Design Drawing
 

Tilted Conical Valve Layout Diagram

Horizontal Conical Valve Layout Diagram

Conical Valve Category

The conical valve can be roughly divided into several components, including the buried pipe (transition pipe), the conical valve body, the sleeve, the actuator, the pull rod, and the transmission mechanism. The valve body is fixed, while the actuator, via the transmission mechanism, opens and closes the outer sleeve, thereby achieving the opening and closing of the valve body.

The conical valve has the following advantages:

·It features excellent hydraulic conditions and boasts a flow coefficient u of 0.75–0.83 or higher, which is greater than that of other valves.

·Simple structure and lightweight; all transmission components are located outside the valve body, making them clearly visible and easy to maintain and inspect.

·It features small opening and closing forces and lightweight operation, making it suitable for small- and medium-sized hydraulic engineering sites without power supply. It can be equipped with electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuation mechanisms, enabling easy remote control or fully automated, unattended operation.

·When discharging, the water jet emerges in a trumpet-shaped pattern, dispersing and entraining air in mid-air, which provides excellent energy dissipation. Consequently, a simple energy-dissipating basin may not even be necessary, or if the discharge is designed as submerged outflow, the underwater energy dissipation can be remarkably straightforward.

·The fluid is evenly divided by the four internal guide vanes, eliminating vortices and vibrations.

·The opening, closing, or flow control of its valve is achieved by the movement of the external sleeve up and down, which in turn actuates the conical valve core. The sleeve and valve body are guided and sealed by means of a guide ring and an O-ring, ensuring that the valve’s flow coefficient maintains a certain proportional relationship with the valve’s opening degree.

·For fluid media under different conditions and pressures, both metal hard seals and plastic soft seals can be configured. The composite sealing structure, featuring a wear-resistant valve seat made of high-strength alloy stainless steel, combines the characteristics of both metal-to-metal hard seals and soft seals.

·It can limit the divergence angle, enabling the fluid to be broken down into a thin spray state or a ring-shaped convection pattern, thereby achieving the purpose of counteracting impact. At the same time, it can adapt to the needs of different on-site conditions.

· Depending on the angle between the valve’s horizontal line and its central axis, horizontal installation at 180° is common; other commonly used angles include 45°, 60°, and 90°.

Table of Main External Dimensions and Connection Sizes for ZFL Conical Valve (Enterprise Standard) Unit: mm

Main reference dimensions Unit: mm