Flow control valve including a plurality of tubes having a geometrically variable cross-section

A flow control valve which is connected to a duct, said valve comprising:

• a plurality of fluid transport pipes with a geometrically variable cross-section, disposed in parallel relative to one another;
• wherein the number of fluid transport pipes is 1000-10,000;
• a duct connector, situated at one end of the fluid transport pipes;
• and
• a shutter able to selectively shut all or part of the fluid transport pipes, said shutter comprising a diaphragm that shuts the plurality of fluid transport pipes from an outer edge towards an inner portion;
• wherein all the fluid transport pipes of the flow control valve are all parallel to one another;
• wherein the fluid transport pipes with a geometrically variable cross-section comprise cross-sections with small diameters and cross-sections with large diameters, the cross-sections with small diameters alternating with the cross-sections with large diameters;
• wherein the number of cross-sections with small diameters and with large diameters is 500 to 1000, this number being determined based on a desired reduced flow rate at a plateau reached by a curve representing the polymer degradation as a function of the number of cross-sections with small diameters and with large diameters;
• wherein the small diameters are equal or greater than 0.5 mm;
• and
• wherein the fluid transport pipe has a polymer degradation percentage of lower than 10%.

A flow control valve which is connected to a duct, said valve comprising:

• a plurality of fluid transport pipes, each fluid transport pipe having a geometrically variable cross-section, wherein all the plurality of fluid transport pipes of the flow control valve are disposed in parallel relative to one another;
• wherein the number of fluid transport pipes is 1000-10,000;
• a duct connector, situated at one end of the fluid transport pipes;
• and
• a shutter able to selectively shut all or part of the fluid transport pipes;
• wherein the fluid transport pipes with a geometrically variable cross-section comprise cross-sections with small diameters and cross-sections with large diameters, the cross-sections with small diameters alternating with the cross-sections with large diameters;
• wherein the number of cross-sections with small diameters and with large diameters is 500 to 1000, this number being determined based on a desired reduced flow rate at a plateau reached by a curve representing the polymer degradation as a function of the number of cross-sections with small diameters and with large diameters;
• wherein the small diameters are equal or greater than 0.5 mm,
• wherein for each of the fluid transport pipes, the cross-sections with small diameters and cross-sections with large diameters are coaxial to one another;
• and
• wherein the fluid transport pipe has a polymer degradation percentage of lower than 10%.

A method for transporting a polymer solution comprising:

• injecting the polymer solution into a polymer solution transport duct including a first duct section, a second duct section and a flow control valve connecting the first duct section to the second duct section,
• wherein the first duct section and the second duct section together form a flow axis from the first duct section to the second duct section,
• wherein the flow control valve comprises:
• a plurality of fluid transport pipes with a geometrically variable cross-section, wherein the plurality of fluid transport pipes comprised in the fluid transport duct between the first and second duct sections are disposed in parallel relative to one another and to the flow axis, wherein the number of tubes is 1000-10,000;
• a duct connector, situated at one end of the fluid transport pipes;
• and
• a shutter able to selectively shut all or part of the fluid transport pipes;
• wherein the fluid transport pipes with a geometrically variable cross-section comprise cross-sections with small diameters and cross-sections with large diameters, the cross-sections, with small diameters alternating with the cross-section with large diameters;
• wherein the number of cross-sections with small diameters and with large diameters is 500 to 1000;
• wherein the small diameters are equal or greater than 0.5 mm;
• the method further comprising controlling the shutter so that the polymer solution flow rate through the flow control valve is lower than 250 m3/h, thereby securing a polymer degradation percentage of lower than 10%.