Nozzle design for high temperature attemperators

A nozzle assembly for a desuperheating device configured for spraying cooling water, the nozzle assembly comprising:

• a nozzle housing defining a seating surface and having a flow passage extending therethrough;
• a valve element movably attached to the nozzle housing and selectively movable between closed and open positions relative thereto, a portion of the valve element being seated against the seating surface in a manner blocking fluid flow through the fluid passage and out of the nozzle assembly when the valve element is in the closed position, with portions of the nozzle housing and the valve element collectively defining an outflow opening which facilities fluid flow through the flow passage and out the nozzle assembly when the valve element is in the open position;
• and
• a biasing spring disposed within the nozzle housing and cooperatively engaged to the valve element, the biasing spring being operative to normally bias the valve element to the closed position;
• wherein the nozzle housing is sized and configured such that the biasing spring disposed therein is effectively shielded from direct impingement of cooling water flowing through the flow passage.