This valve is made-up of only five parts with a unique solid, conically shaped piston floating in a medium to control the flow stream. The piston is designed to be axially and radially balanced within the flow stream and seats consistently with the same force designed into the valve, every time it opens and closes. This is accomplished through the use of a balancing chamber and careful design of the internal surface areas so that they completely cancel each other out. The advantages to this concept are (1) elimination of a conventional actuator; (2) elimination of valve actuator adjustments; (3) consistent seating force no matter the pressure drop across the valve; (4) elimination of the valve stem and stem seals; and (5) elimination of most flow induced thrust forces.
Above: Closeup view of the valve
Below: NASA Technology Transfer technology highlight video
