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US 11,566,714 B2Granted
Fluid flow control devices and related systems and methods
AssigneeFlowserve Management Company
InventorsBruce J. Butler, Bradford B. Haines, Paul J. Parish
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fluid flow control devices and related systems and methods may include a body or housing and a plug at least partially positioned in the body or housing to define a flow path. In a position of the plug, the plug and the body or housing may collectively define a fluid flow path.
Claims20
A fluid flow control device, comprising:
- a body defining at least one fluid inlet, at least one fluid outlet, and a portion of a fluid flow channel connecting the at least one fluid inlet and the at least one fluid outlet;
- and
- a plug positioned at least partially within the body and defining two or more apertures through the plug, the two or more apertures of the plug defining another portion of the fluid flow channel, wherein:
- the body defines connecting passageways that connect the two or more apertures of the plug with an adjacent aperture of the two or more apertures and with one or more of the at least one fluid inlet or the at least one fluid outlet;
- the connecting passageways defined by the body gradually increases in internal size as the fluid flow channel extends from the at least one fluid inlet and to the at least one fluid outlet;
- in a first position of the plug, the two or more apertures are configured to be aligned with the fluid flow channel to define an at least partially tortuous path between the at least one fluid inlet and the at least one fluid outlet;
- and
- in a second position of the plug, the two or more apertures are configured to at least partially block the fluid flow channel to at least partially inhibit fluid flow along the fluid flow channel.
5 more elements
A fluid flow control system, comprising:
- a fluid inlet;
- a fluid outlet;
- and
- a valve having a fluid flow control device positioned between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid flow control device defining a fluid pathway between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid flow control device comprising:
- a housing having at least one connecting passageway defined in the housing;
- and
- a plug positioned at least partially within the housing, the plug comprising two or more openings extending through an entirety of the plug in a lateral direction, the two or more openings each being separately positioned and spaced along an axis of rotation of the plug, wherein the plug is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation between a first position and a second position, wherein:
- in the first position of the plug, the two or more openings in the plug and the at least one connecting passageway in the housing are configured to define the fluid pathway having three or more stages between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
- and
- in the second position of the plug, the plug is configured to at least partially inhibit fluid flow along the fluid pathway between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.