NASA seeks to transfer the NASA-developed hybrid butterfly valve This system, developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), is a butterfly valve having a rotatable and slidable closure disk allowing the full-flow advantages of conventional butterfly valves and the throttling and sealing capabilities of globe and needle valves.

Potential Commercial Uses

The hybrid butterfly valve has commercial applications in chemical processing, natural gas processing and distribution, and petroleum processing and distribution.

Benefits

The hybrid butterfly valve has the full flow capabilities of conventional butterfly valves, less pressure drop at full flow position, and better sealing and operational capabilities than traditional butterfly valves. Other advantages include simplicity of operation, compact design and relatively low cost. The hybrid butterfly valve overcomes the limitations of traditional butterfly valves.

The Technology

The hybrid butterfly valve has a stationary seat and a valve closure disk which may rotate with a shaft having an axis transverse to the flow path through the valve body. The closure disk is supported by brackets which are designed to move linearly relative to the shaft. Cams fastened to the shaft initiate a 90° rotation of the disk from the fully opened position to the position where the valve closure disk is aligned with the valve seat.

Options for Commercialization

This technology is part of the NASA Technology Transfer Program. The program seeks to stimulate development of commercial applications from NASA-developed technology. The basic hybrid butterfly valve has been designed, built, tested, and implemented at MSFC. This technology is available for commercial applications.

Patent Number

4,921,212

Contact for Licensing Information

Technology Transfer Office
Patent Licensing Information
Mail Code CD30
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

Key Words

Butterfly Valves
Chemical Processing
Petroleum Processing and Distribution