AERODYNAMIC NOISE REDUCTION CAGE

• US 20160341335A1
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: O'Shea, Patrick L., Adams, Daniel M., Fagerlund, Allen C., Gossett, James L., Eilers, Daniel J., Wears, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,759,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/246 Combination of a sliding valve and a lift valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/08 for decreasing pressure or noise level and having a throttling member separate from the closure member , e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths

Abstract

A control valve has a body having an inlet and outlet, a valve seat between the inlet and outlet, a valve plug, and a cage adjacent the valve seat to provide guidance for the valve plug. The valve plug is movable between a closed position, where the valve plug sealingly engages the valve seat, and an open position, where the valve plug is spaced away from the valve seat. The cage has a circumferential wall having inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of passages formed through the wall. Each passage can have a first portion extending from the inner surface and a second portion extending from the outer surface, where the second portion has a diameter smaller than that of the first portion, can follow a non-linear path from the inner to outer surface, and/or can have a cross-sectional area that varies from the inner to outer surface.

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 a closed position, in which the valve plug sealingly engages the valve seat, and an open position, in which the valve plug is spaced away from the valve seat; and

a cage disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug to provide guidance for the valve plug, the cage comprising;

a circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages comprises a first portion and a second portion;

the first portion of the passage extends from the inner surface of the wall and has a first diameter; and

the second portion of the passage extends from the outer surface of the wall and has a second diameter, smaller than the first diameter.

2. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the circumferential wall of the cage is solid.

3. The control valve of claim 1, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

4. The control valve of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

5. The control valve of claim 1, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.

6. 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 a closed position, in which the valve plug sealingly engages the valve seat, and an open position, in which the valve plug is spaced away from the valve seat; and

a cage disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug to provide guidance for the valve plug, the cage comprising;

a solid, unitary circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages follows a non-linear path from the inner surface to the outer surface.

7. The control valve of claim 6, wherein the non-linear path is one of an arcuate path, a helical path, and a stair-stepped shaped path.

8. The control valve of claim 6, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

9. The control valve of claim 8, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

10. The control valve of claim 6, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.

11. The control valve of claim 6, wherein each of the passages comprises a cross-sectional area that varies from the inner surface to the outer surface.

12. 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 a closed position, in which the valve plug sealingly engages the valve seat, and an open position, in which the valve plug is spaced away from the valve seat; and

a cage disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat and proximate the valve plug to provide guidance for the valve plug, the cage comprising;

a solid, unitary circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages comprises a cross-sectional area that varies in size from the inner surface to the outer surface.

13. The control valve of claim 12, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

14. The control valve of claim 13, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

15. The control valve of claim 12, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.

16. A cage for a control valve, the cage comprising:

a circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed radially through the wall from the inner surface to the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages comprises a first portion and a second portion;

the first portion of the passage extends from the inner surface of the wall and has a first diameter; and

the second portion of the passage extends from the outer surface of the wall and has a second diameter, smaller than the first diameter.

17. The cage of claim 16, wherein the circumferential wall is solid.

18. The cage of claim 16, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

19. The cage of claim 18, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

20. The cage of claim 16, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.

21. A cage for a control valve, the cage comprising:

a solid, unitary circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages follows a non-linear path from the inner surface to the outer surface.

22. The cage of claim 21, wherein the non-linear path is one of an arcuate path, a helical path, and a stair-stepped shaped path.

23. The cage of claim 21, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

24. The cage of claim 23, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

25. The cage of claim 21, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.

26. The cage of claim 21, wherein each of the passages comprises a cross-sectional area that varies from the inner surface to the outer surface.

27. A cage for a control valve, the cage comprising:

a solid, unitary circumferential wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a plurality of passages formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein

each of the passages comprises a cross-sectional area that varies in size from the inner surface to the outer surface.

28. The cage of claim 27, wherein each of the passages comprises a non-circular cross-sectional area.

29. The cage of claim 28, wherein the cross-sectional area is one of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an oval, a stars, a polygon, and an irregular shape.

30. The cage of claim 27, further comprising a sealed cavity formed in the wall of the cage.