Ball control valves having three-dimensional tortuous path flowpaths

A valve body for use in a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the valve body comprising:

• an outer surface that is of a spherical configuration, the outer surface including a closed region, a pair of restricted regions and a pair of free flow regions, the closed region including a continuous surface without any openings formed therein, each restricted region including a plurality of passageway openings each being in communication with an internal passageway extending diametrically from one side of the outer surface to an opposing side of the spherical outer surface, and each free flow region being in communication with a common free flow opening, at least one of the internal passageways having at least one segment that is of a tortuous configuration;
• the valve body being moveable relative to the valve housing between a closed position, a restricted flow position, and a free flow position;
• in the closed position, the closed region is in alignment with at least the fluid inlet, and the pair of restricted regions and the pair of free flow regions are out of alignment with the fluid inlet to prevent fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
• in the restricted flow position, at least a portion of each of the plurality of restricted regions is moved into fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to facilitate fluid communication therebetween;
• and
• in the free flow position, the pair of free flow regions are moved into fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to facilitate fluid communication therebetween.

A valve body for use in a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the valve body comprising:

• an outer shell being partially spherical;
• an inner restrictive core having an outer surface;
• a flow-through channel at least partially defined by the inner restrictive core;
• a plurality of flow control passageways, each flow control passageway having an outer surface opening at the outer surface of the inner restrictive core;
• the outer shell moveable relative to the valve housing between a closed position and an open position to sequentially expose a portion of the outer surface of the inner restrictive core;
• the inner restrictive core movable relative to the valve housing between a restricted position and an unrestricted position;
• in the restricted position, a portion of the plurality of flow control passageways on said portion of the outer surface of the inner restrictive core are moved into fluid communication with the fluid inlet and fluid outlet to facilitate fluid communication therebetween;
• in the unrestricted position, the flow-through channel is moved into fluid communication with the fluid inlet and fluid outlet to facilitate fluid communication therebetween;
• wherein the outer shell and the inner restrictive core are each independently movable within the valve housing.