Control valve with high performance valve cage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A control valve, comprising:
- a body having an inlet and an outlet;
a valve seat positioned in a passageway of the body between the inlet and the outlet;
a valve plug positioned within the body and movable between an opened position and a closed position to modulate a fluid flow at the outlet; and
a cage disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug, the cage comprising;
a circumferential wall having an outer surface and an inner surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the cage, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;
whereinthe outer surface defines an outer flow length, the outer flow length defined by a longitudinal distance between a centerline of a first outlet formed in the outer surface, closest to the first end of the cage, and a centerline of a second outlet formed in the outer surface, closest to the second end of the cage; and
the inner surface defines an inner flow length that is less than the outer flow length, the inner flow length defined by a longitudinal distance between a centerline of a first inlet formed in the inner surface, closest to the first end of the cage, and a second inlet formed in the inner surface, closest to the second end of the cage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control valve includes a body having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat positioned in a passageway between the inlet and the outlet. A valve plug is positioned within the body and is movable between an opened position and a closed position to modulate a fluid flow at the outlet. A cage is disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug and has a circumferential wall having an outer surface and an inner surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the cage. The outer surface of the cage defines an outer flow length and the inner surface defines an inner flow length that is less than the outer flow length.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A control valve, comprising:
-
a body having an inlet and an outlet; a valve seat positioned in a passageway of the body between the inlet and the outlet; a valve plug positioned within the body and movable between an opened position and a closed position to modulate a fluid flow at the outlet; and a cage disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug, the cage comprising; a circumferential wall having an outer surface and an inner surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the cage, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;
whereinthe outer surface defines an outer flow length, the outer flow length defined by a longitudinal distance between a centerline of a first outlet formed in the outer surface, closest to the first end of the cage, and a centerline of a second outlet formed in the outer surface, closest to the second end of the cage; and the inner surface defines an inner flow length that is less than the outer flow length, the inner flow length defined by a longitudinal distance between a centerline of a first inlet formed in the inner surface, closest to the first end of the cage, and a second inlet formed in the inner surface, closest to the second end of the cage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A control valve cage, comprising:
-
a circumferential wall having an outer surface and an inner surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the control valve cage; a plurality of inlets formed in the inner surface, each of the inlets defining a centerline; a plurality of outlets formed in the outer surface, each of the outlets defining a centerline; and a plurality of flow passages formed through the wall and providing fluid communication between the inlets and the outlets, each flow passage comprising an inlet section, an outlet section, and an intermediate section extending between the inlet section and the outlet section and having a generally spiral shape about the longitudinal axis;
whereinthe cage is an integral, solid cylinder; and at least a portion of the intermediate sections extend at an acute angle from radial planes extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and through a corresponding inlet section. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification