Noise abatement module using Herschel-Quincke tubes

A noise-attenuating module of a valve trim, said noise attenuating module comprising:

• a first divider plate;
• a second divider plate;
• a first flow segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the first divider plate, said first flow segment plate having at least one opening from the first planar surface to a second planar surface of the first flow segment plate;
• a second flow segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the second planar surface of the first flow segment plate, said second flow segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the second plate to a second planar surface of the second plate, said opening being smaller in area than the opening in the first flow segment plate and said opening in the second flow segment plate positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the first flow segment plate, said second flow segment plate having a second opening from the first planar surface of the second plate to a second planar surface of the plate, said second opening being smaller in area than the opening in the first flow segment plate and positioned apart from and downstream from the first opening of the second flow segment plate and in fluid communication with the opening in the first flow segment plate;
• a third flow segment disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to a second planar surface of the second flow segment plate and having a second planar surface adjacent to the second divider plate, said third flow segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the third plate to a second planar surface of the third plate, said opening being larger in area than either of the first or second openings in the second flow segment plate, and said opening in the third flow segment plate positioned in fluid communication with both of the openings in the second flow segment plate;
• at least one Herschel-Quincke tube formed by the interconnected openings in said flow segment plates, wherein at least a portion of fluid flowing in the fluid path flows into the opening in the first flow segment plate, then into the first opening in the second flow segment plate, then into the opening in the third flow segment plate, then through the second opening in the second flow segment plate, then into the first opening in the first flow segment plate downstream of the first opening in the second flow segment plate.

A pressure reducing device comprising:

• a plurality of noise-attenuating modules stacked adjacent to and in contact with one another,
• said stack of noise-attenuating modules being constructed and arranged to fit in a flow path within a pressure reducing device body, each of said noise attenuating modules having:
• a first divider plate;
• a second divider plate;
• and a plurality of flow segment plates disposed adjacent to and in contact with one another;
• at least one Herschel-Quincke tube formed by interconnected openings in the flow segment plates,
• wherein at least a portion of fluid flowing in the fluid path flows into a first end of the Herschel-Quincke tube then divides into two flowstreams in the tube and then exits the Herschel-Quincke tube through an opening in a second end of the module, thereby reducing flow noise by diverting part of an acoustic wave created by the flowing fluid into the Herschel-Quincke tube, such that the acoustic wave of the Herschel-Quincke tube exits the tube out of phase with the main flow path acoustic wave, thus attenuating the main flow path noise.

A pressure reducing device comprising:

• a plurality of noise-attenuating modules stacked adjacent to and in contact with one another,
• said stack of noise-attenuating modules being constructed and arranged to fit in a flow path within a pressure reducing device body, each of said noise attenuating modules having:
• a first divider plate;
• a second divider plate;
• a first flow segment plate, said first flow segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the first divider plate, said first flow segment plate having at least one opening from the first planar surface to a second planar surface of the first flow segment plate;
• a second flow segment plate, said second flow segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the second planar surface of the first flow segment plate, said second flow segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the second plate to a second planar surface of the second plate, said opening being smaller in area than the opening in the first flow segment plate and said opening in the second flow segment plate positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the first flow segment plate, said second flow segment having a second opening from the first planar surface of the second flow segment plate to a second planar surface of the plate, said second opening being smaller in area than the opening in the first flow segment plate and positioned apart from and downstream from the first opening of the second flow segment plate and in fluid communication with the opening in the first flow segment plate;
• a third flow segment plate, said third flow segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to a second planar surface of the second flow segment plate and having a second planar surface adjacent to the second divider plate, said third flow segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the third plate to a second planar surface of the third plate, said opening being larger in area than either of the first or second openings in the second flow segment plate and said opening in the third flow segment plate positioned in fluid communication with both of the openings in the second flow segment plate;
• at least one Herschel-Quincke tube flow path formed by the interconnected openings in said flow segment plates, wherein at least a portion of fluid flowing in the fluid path flows into the opening in the first flow segment plate, then into the first opening in the second flow segment plate, then into the opening in the third flow segment plate, then through the second opening in the second flow segment plate, then into the first opening in the first flow segment plate downstream of the first opening in the second flow segment plate.

A noise-attenuating cartridge to be placed transverse to the path of flowing fluid, said cartridge having:

• a first cartridge segment plate, said first cartridge segment plate disposed with a first planar surface in an upstream side of the path of the flowing fluid, said first cartridge segment plate having at least one opening from the first planar surface to a second planar surface of the first cartridge segment plate;
• a second cartridge segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the second planar surface of the first cartridge segment plate, said second cartridge segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the second plate to a second planar surface of the second plate, said opening being larger in area than the opening in the first cartridge segment plate and said opening in the second cartridge segment plate positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the first cartridge segment plate;
• a third cartridge segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to a second planar surface of the second flow cartridge plate, said third cartridge segment plate having a first and a second opening from the first planar surface of the third plate to a second planar surface of the third plate, said openings spaced apart from each other and positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the second cartridge segment plate;
• a fourth cartridge segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to a second planar surface of the third cartridge segment plate, said fourth cartridge segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the fourth plate to a second planar surface of the fourth plate, said opening being larger in area than either of the first or second openings in the third cartridge segment plate, and said opening in the fourth cartridge segment plate positioned in fluid communication with both of the openings in the third cartridge segment plate;
• a fifth cartridge segment plate disposed with a first planar surface adjacent to the second planar surface of the fourth cartridge segment plate, said fifth cartridge segment plate having a first opening from the first planar surface of the fifth plate to a second planar surface of the fifth plate, said opening being smaller in area than the opening in the fourth cartridge segment plate and said opening in the fifth cartridge segment plate positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the first cartridge segment plate;
• at least one Herschel-Quincke tube flow path formed by the interconnected openings in said cartridge segment plates, wherein at least a portion of fluid flowing in the fluid path flows into the opening in the first cartridge segment plate, then into the opening in the second cartridge segment plate, then divides into the openings in the third cartridge segment plate, then the divided flow combines in the opening in the fourth cartridge segment plate and then flows into the opening in the fifth segment plate and exits the noise-attenuating cartridge.