Valve trim assembly and flow control valve including the valve trim assembly

A flow control valve, comprising:

• a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and defining a fluid flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet;
• a valve seat disposed within the valve body;
• a valve plug disposed in the valve body, the valve plug defining a longitudinal axis and arranged to shift along the longitudinal axis between a fully open position and a closed position;
• a bonnet assembly coupled to the valve body;
• a valve stem extending through the bonnet assembly, the valve stem having a lower end secured to the valve plug and an upper end, opposite the lower end, disposed outside of the bonnet assembly and the valve body;
• an exterior surface of the valve plug having a plurality of notch sets, each notch set spaced apart from an adjacent notch set along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of notch sets comprising at least a first notch set, a second notch set, and a third notch set, the second notch set being rotated about the longitudinal axis of the plug relative to the first notch set, each of the first, second, and third notch sets including first and second notches disposed parallel to one another;
• and
• a cage disposed within the valve body, the cage surrounding the valve plug and having a first end seated against the valve seat to retain the valve seat in the valve body and a second end, opposite the first end, seated against the bonnet assembly, an interior of the cage including a plurality of annular recesses, the annular recesses spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and including a first annular recess defining a first volume, a second annular recess downstream of the first annular recess and defining a second volume that is greater than the first volume, and a third annular recess downstream of the second annular recess and defining a third volume that is greater than the second volume, the cage including a plurality of apertures forming a portion of the fluid flow path, and the cage including a first inwardly extending annular protrusion located between the first annular recess and the second annular recess, and a second inwardly extending annular protrusion located between the second annular recess and the third annular recess, the second inwardly extending annular protrusion having a radius substantially equal to a radius of the first inwardly extending annular protrusion;
• wherein a radius of an outer surface of the third annular recess is larger than a radius of an outer surface of the second annular recess, and the radius of the outer surface of the second annular recess is larger than a radius of an outer surface of the first annular recess;
• wherein the exterior surface of the valve plug includes a first protrusion between the first and second notch sets, and a second protrusion between the second and third notch sets;
• wherein when the valve plug is in the closed position, the first protrusion of the exterior surface of the valve plug engages the first inwardly extending annular protrusion, and the second protrusion of the exterior surface of the valve plug engages the second inwardly extending annular protrusion;
• wherein when the valve plug is in the fully open position, the first protrusion of the exterior surface of the valve plug is disengaged from the first inwardly extending annular protrusion, and the second protrusion of the exterior surface of the valve plug is disengaged from the second inwardly extending annular protrusion;
• and
• wherein the notch sets and the recesses are arranged to form a plurality of turns in the fluid flow path when the valve plug is shifted toward the open position.