Multi-tube flow restrictor

Abstract

A fluid flow restrictor for spanning a passage of a body to minimize noise and cavitation in a high pressure fluid flowing through the passage and undergoing a substantial pressure drop in passing through the restrictor. The device comprises at least one tier of fixed perforated tubelets defining a myriad of tortuous flow paths with restricted orifices and expansion areas to dissipate energy in the fluid. The fluid flow through or between individual tubelets may be further subdivided into restriction orifices and expansion areas by additional fixedly held solid elements, e.g., BB shot tightly packed within the tubelets. The preferred inventive embodiment described is a sound suppressing, high pressure reducing poppet valve having several tiers, isolated from one another, of annular clamped arrays of parallel perforated tubelets.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.