Apparatus and method for replacing existing actuator zone valves in an HVAC system with a ball valve

1. A valve apparatus comprising, a ball valve having a valve housing, a valve member, and a skewed seat bearing, the housing defining a flowpath, the valve member being mounted in the flowpath for selective rotation about an axis of rotation and having a cylindrical through bore of substantially constant diameter therein having a first end and a second end thereof, the bore defining a fully open position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated to substantially align the bore with the flowpath, the skewed seat bearing being disposed between the first end of the bore of the valve member and the valve housing and extending partially across the flowpath for blocking fluid flow through the bore and defining a closed position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated away from the fully open position through an angle of rotation of substantially less than 90 degrees, the second end of the bore being open to the flowpath when in the closed position, the skewed seat bearing having a spherical surface configured to provide a flow characteristic approximating that of a paddle valve wherein full on-off flow capability is provided over the angle of rotation.

2. The valve apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angle of rotation is substantially equal to or less than 45 degrees.

3. The valve apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator operatively connected to the valve member for selectively rotating the valve member about the axis of rotation.

4. The valve apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the skewed seat bearing is comprised of a polymer material.

5. The valve apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the skewed seat bearing includes a stiffener of a different material.

6. The valve apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the stiffener is formed from a metal material.

7. The valve apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the skewed seat bearing includes a body thereof that is molded around the stiffener.

8. The valve apparatus of claim 7 wherein the skewed seat bearing is formed in a mold having alignment features for contacting the stiffener during molding, and the body of the skewed seat bearing includes openings therein, after molding, through which a portion of the stiffener is exposed after removal of the skewed seat bearing from the mold.

9. The valve apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ball valve includes a valve stem operatively connected to the valve member, for rotating the valve member about the axis of rotation, and the valve stem includes a distal end thereof having an alignment feature that is rotated from being parallel to a centerline of the bore about the axis of rotation by a first angle.

10. The valve apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the valve member includes a slot therein extending perpendicular to the centerline of the bore, for receipt of a first end of the valve stem, the first end of the valve stem includes one or more flats for engaging the slot, and the distal end of the valve stem includes one or more flats rotated from the flat(s) at the first end of the valve stem by an angle equal to ninety degrees minus the first angle.

11. A method for replacing an existing actuator driven paddle zone valve, the method comprising, replacing the existing paddle zone valve with a ball valve apparatus including, a ball valve having a valve housing, a valve member, and a skewed seat bearing, the housing defining a flowpath, the valve member being mounted in the flowpath for selective rotation about an axis of rotation and having a cylindrical through bore of substantially constant diameter therein having a first end and a second end thereof, the bore defining a fully open position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated to substantially align the bore with the flowpath, the skewed seat bearing being disposed between the first end of the bore of the valve member and the valve housing, and extending partially across the flowpath, for blocking fluid flow through the bore and defining a fully closed position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated away from the fully open position through an angle of rotation of substantially less than 90 degrees, the second end of the bore being open to the flowpath when in the closed position, the skewed seat bearing having a spherical surface configured to provide a flow characteristic approximating that of the existing paddle zone valve wherein the ball valve transitions between the fully open position and the fully closed position over the angle of rotation.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, removing the actuator from the existing paddle zone valve, and operatively attaching the removed actuator to the ball valve.

13. A valve apparatus comprising:

a ball valve having a valve housing, a valve member, and a skewed seat bearing, with the housing defining a flowpath;

the valve member being mounted in the flowpath for selective rotation about an axis of rotation and having a cylindrical through bore having a substantially constant diameter therein having a first end and a second end thereof, the bore defining a fully open position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated to substantially align the bore with the flowpath;

the skewed seat bearing being disposed between the first end of the bore of the valve member and the valve housing and extending partially across the flowpath, for blocking fluid flow through the bore and defining a closed position of the ball valve when the valve member is rotated away from the fully open position through an angle of rotation of substantially less than 90 degrees, the second end of the bore being in communication with the flowpath when in the closed position, the skewed seat bearing having a spherical surface configured to provide a flow characteristic approximating that of a paddle zone valve wherein the fluid flow transitions from zero to one hundred percent flow over the angle of rotation.

14. The valve apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the angle of rotation is substantially equal to or less than 45 degrees.

15. The valve apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising an actuator operatively connected to the valve member for selectively rotating the valve member about the axis of rotation.

16. The valve apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the skewed seat bearing is comprised of a polymer material.

17. The valve apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the skewed seat bearing includes a stiffener of a different material.

18. The valve apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the stiffener is formed from a metal material.

19. The valve apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the skewed seat bearing includes a body thereof that is molded around the stiffener.

20. The valve apparatus of claim 19 wherein the skewed seat bearing is formed in a mold having alignment features for contacting the stiffener during molding, and the body of the skewed seat bearing includes openings therein, after molding, through which a portion of the stiffener is exposed after removal of the skewed seat bearing from the mold.

21. The valve apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the ball valve includes a valve stem operatively connected to the valve member, for rotating the valve member about the axis of rotation, and the valve stem includes a distal end thereof having an alignment feature that is rotated from being parallel to a centerline of the bore about the axis of rotation by a first angle.

22. The valve apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the valve member includes a slot therein extending perpendicular to the centerline of the bore, for receipt of a first end of the valve stem, the first end of the valve stem includes one or more flats for engaging the slot, and the distal end of the valve stem includes one or more flats rotated from the flat(s) at the first end of the valve stem by an angle equal to ninety degrees minus the first angle.