The National Intellectual Property Administration for the People’s Republic of China (CNIPA) has awarded Chinese Patent number ZL201510441654.2 to Clarke Valve. Titled “SHUTTER VALVE WITH PIVOT ARMS,” this patent protects the unique design of the Dilating Disk™, which is the first major innovation in control valve geometry in more than 50 years.
“We are proud to have earned this patent and look forward to increasing our market presence in China,” said Kyle Daniels, President and CEO of Clarke Valve. “Earlier this year, we also secured Japanese patent number JP 2019002573. This IP protection for the unique design of the Dilating Disk™ in China and Japan will be critical, as we engage further with the world’s second and third largest economies.”
The innovative design of the Dilating Disk™ provides equivalent flow rate at a fraction of the size, weight, and cost of the globe valves commonly used for process control applications. The valve uses three interlocking petals, mounted to a ring gear by pivot arms, to deliver precision throttling with minimal cavitation and zero pressure drop.
The Dilating Disk™ is also able to reduce fugitive methane emissions by more than 95%, when compared to “low emissions” globe valves, achieving best-in-class status as one of the few control valves to earn API 641 and ISO 15848-1 certifications.
China’s rapidly growing economy, robust manufacturing sector, and increasing energy needs make it a key market for the Dilating Disk™. With significant domestic production and consumption of oil and natural gas, China is poised to realize both economic and environmental benefits from the adoption of the Dilating Disk™. Curtailing the emission of methane and other gases will contribute to improved air quality, while reducing the financial impact of lost product due to leakage upstream, midstream, and downstream.
