Use of branched flow paths in valve trim to reduce valve noise

Abstract

Valve trims configured to reduce noise in control valves. These configurations may include a cage having a flow passage with an internal opening and an external opening. The cage may further have a bore for receiving a closure member or "plug." The plug can move longitudinally to change flow parameters through the control valve. In one embodiment, the outlets of flow passages with adjacent inlets are offset or spaced apart from one another. In one embodiment, the external openings are vertically offset. However, other designs may employ combinations of radial, helical, or angular offsets. This feature can prevent intermixing of flows from multiple jets in the same inlet plane. This feature, in turn, can reduce jet-to-jet interaction, which may reduce noise.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Flow control devices play a major role in many industrial facilities. For example, power plants and industrial processing facilities use different types of flow control devices to manage the flow of materials, typically fluids, throughout vast networks of pipes, tanks, generators, and other equipment. It is common in these facilities for flow control devices, such as control valves, to generate significant noise during operation due to pressure changes that occur as flow passes across the device. This aerodynamic noise can well exceed 100 dBA, or at least exceed established limits necessary to provide a safe working environment for technicians and other workers at the facility. Summary of the Invention

[0002] The subject matter of this disclosure relates to improvements in valve manufacturing or construction that can attenuate this noise to safe and acceptable levels. Of particular interest are embodiments that space the outlets of multiple flow passages with multiple inlets in adjacent inlet planes. This feature can reduce the effects of jet-to-jet interactions at the outlets without increasing the size of the underlying component structure. As an added benefit, the multiple flow passages create a gradual pressure drop within the valve device. This feature can maintain fluid velocities at reasonable levels while keeping noise levels well within specifications or standards. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0003] This specification makes reference to the following drawings: [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a valve trim; [Figure 2] 2 shows an elevational view of a cross section of the example valve trim of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 shows an elevational view of a cross section of the example valve trim of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 shows an elevational view of a cross section of the example valve trim of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates an elevation view of an exemplary configuration of a flow control device.

[0004] These drawings and any descriptions herein represent examples that may disclose or describe the invention. These examples, including the best mode, enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system and performing any incorporated methods. The drawings are not to scale unless otherwise noted in the discussion. Elements in the examples may appear in more than one of the figures or in combinations of the figures. The figures may use like reference numerals to indicate identical or corresponding elements. Methods are merely illustrative and may be modified, for example, by reordering, adding, removing, and / or changing individual steps or stages. Although such stages, as well as any parts, components, elements, or functions, may be identified in the singular using the word "a" or "an," this should not, however, exclude a plural form of such designation unless the specification expressly states or describes such exclusion. Similarly, any reference to "one embodiment" or "an implementation" should not exclude the existence of additional embodiments or implementations that also incorporate the recited features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The features of each example shown in the above figures will now be described. These examples are intended to mitigate noise in industrial or commercial valves. This noise is a cause for concern because, if left unmitigated, it can create an unsafe or even dangerous work area for operators or technicians. The designs proposed herein may implement tortuous paths to quiet valves in the field. These paths maximize the percentage of total pressure drop that shear action and boundary layer turbulence induce on the flowing fluid. Other embodiments are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0006] 1 shows an example of a valve trim 100. This embodiment is typically found in a distribution network 102 designed to convey material 104 throughout a network of conduits 106. The valve trim 100 may be part of a flow control device 108 having a valve body 110 connected in series with the conduits 106. The device may further include an actuator 112. A valve stem 114 may extend from the actuator 112 to position a closure member 116 adjacent to a seat 118. In one embodiment, the valve trim 100 may include a cage 120 that receives the closure member 116 therein.

[0007] Generally, the valve trim 100 can be configured to attenuate noise. These configurations can incorporate components that can address noise sources within the device. These components can have structures that redirect flow, for example, as flow often moves radially from inside to outside through the component. As discussed above, this structure has advantages. This feature can improve or increase pressure drop by providing greater flow channel density within the existing dimensions of the component.

[0008] Distribution systems 102 may be configured to deliver or move resources. These configurations may embody vast infrastructures. Materials 104 may include gases, liquids, solids, or even mixtures. Conduits 106 may include pipes or pipelines that often connect to pumps, boilers, etc. Pipes may further connect to tanks or reservoirs. In many facilities, this equipment forms a complex network.

[0009] Flow control devices 108 can be configured to regulate the flow of material 104 through conduits 106 in this complex network. These configurations can include control valves and similar devices. The valve body 110 in such devices is often made of cast or machined metal. This structure can form flanges at openings I and O. Adjacent pipes 106 can connect to these flanges. The actuator 112 can use compressed or pressurized air and, in conjunction with a piston, spring (or springs), or flexible diaphragm, can generate the load. The valve stem 114 can form an elongated cylinder or rod that directs this load to a closure member 116, which is often a cylindrical block or plug. The load can govern the position of this plug within the valve trim 100 to regulate the flow of material 104 through an opening in the seat 118. The position of the plug can expose a specific portion of the valve trim 100 to flow, for example, to allow flow to outlet O. However, due to its size or other considerations, the plug may not expose any other portion of the valve trim 100 to the flow.

[0010] The cage 120 can be configured to reside in close proximity to the seat 118. These configurations can be "porous" or include designs that allow material to flow from the inside to the outside of the device. This feature can facilitate pressure drop due to pathways that direct fluid in various directions within the cage 120 material. These pathways can also mitigate or attenuate noise. As mentioned above, the pathways can have openings that are vertically offset from one another when the cage 120 is in place within the valve body 110. This configuration can utilize the "full" surface area of ​​the cage 120, as the openings can be in areas where the plug is not normally exposed to flow.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional elevation view of an exemplary structure of the cage 120. This structure may embody a cylinder 122 with a body having a bore 124 with a central axis C. The body may further have an outer surface 126. A flow structure 128 may be incorporated into the body. The configuration of the flow structure 128 may direct the flow F of material 104 through one or more serpentine or winding paths. These paths may include flow channels 130 that extend through the body and terminate at openings 132 found, for example, in the bore 124 and the outer surface 126, respectively. The flow channels 130 may have a circular cross-section. However, other cross-sections, such as square or rectangular, may also be preferred. The surface may be textured, for example, with bumps or stippling. The texture may be configured to apply friction or drag to the flow F. The flow channels 130 may have a geometry along their length that dissipates pressure in the flow F. This design may extend or maximize the movement of material 104 through the body. This feature may, for example, induce a pressure drop to reduce noise as flow F exits cylinder 122 at opening 132 in outer surface 126.

[0012] One design may space the outlets of multiple flow channels 130 with adjacent inlets. This example includes a group of individual flow channels 130 generally identified by the letters A, B, C, and D, each terminating in an internal (or "inlet") opening A1, B1, C1, and D1 and an external (or "outlet") opening A2, B2, C2, and D2, respectively. The internal openings A1, B1, C1, and D1 are disposed in planes vertically adjacent to one another. In one embodiment, the flow channels 130 connecting the openings 132 may adopt a "serpentine" shape that snakes through the body of the cylinder 122. This serpentine shape may create axial flow (i.e., along axis C) as well as angular, radial, or spiral flow within the body of the cylinder 122. This serpentine shape may further offset the outlet openings 132 of each flow channel A and B, B and C, and C and D relative to one another. The offset or spacing S can prevent intermixing of fluids F exiting the device. For example, in addition to the vertical offset described herein, the radial offset 140 can define the degree or amount of offset or "radial asymmetry" employed by the design between the inner openings A1, B1, C1 and the outer openings A2, B2, C2 about the central axis C.

[0013] The complexity of the serpentine design and offset spacing S may cause asymmetries in the design. Because any complex curves, bends, or other features in the serpentine shape are not amenable to conventional machining techniques, these asymmetries may be suitable for use with additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. These techniques may be particularly useful for fabricating or embedding the serpentine path 130 or other complex shapes into the body of the cylinder 122 so that the body of the cylinder 122 becomes a single or monolithic structure or device. In other embodiments, individual “plates” may be stacked on top of each other. This collective stack may form the body of the cylinder 122. However, the present disclosure recognizes that the use of additive techniques may provide a better solution because they may avoid the need for stacking “plates” and therefore may be less costly, complex, or offer other benefits than plate-stacked designs.

[0014] 3 and 4 show elevational views of a cross section of an exemplary structure of cage 120. Additional flow paths 138 may also be disposed in cylinder 122. In FIG. 3, flow paths 138 may embody through-holes 140 that direct flow essentially radially from the interior of the device. The through-holes may perforate lower section 134 in any number or configuration as desired. As best shown in FIG. 4, pathways 138 may embody large diameter through-holes 142.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows a side elevational view illustrating an exemplary structure of the trim 100. The cylinder 122 may reside within a casing 144 made of metal (or a material having suitable properties). The casing 144 may have a flow passage 146 terminating in a flanged opening 148. The flow passage 146 may receive material 104 from an adjacent conduit 106 attached to the casing at the flanged opening 148. The closure member 116 may embody a movable plug 150 residing within the bore 124 of the cylinder 122. The valve body 110 may include a bonnet 152 secured onto the casing 144. Fasteners F, such as nuts and bolts, may serve for this purpose. The valve stem 114 may extend through the bonnet 152. In one implementation, a packing 154 may fit onto the valve stem 114. Packing 154 is useful for allowing movement of valve stem 114 but preventing flow control device 108 from venting fugitive emissions.

[0016] In view of the above, improvements can generally optimize the use of surface area for noise reduction in valves or flow control devices. This design can maximize flow through the cage walls due to the additional flow channels available to direct flow from the inside to the outside of the cage. Additive manufacturing can offer some flexibility to achieve layout complexity.

[0017] The following examples include particular elements or clauses to describe embodiments contemplated within the scope of this specification. These elements may be combined with other elements and clauses to similarly describe embodiments. This specification may include and contemplate other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. These other examples fall within the scope of the claims, for example, if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that differ insignificantly from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A valve, A closure member; a cage surrounding at least a portion of said closure member, said cage comprising a bore having an axis and incorporating a flow passage terminating in an opening including an inlet found on an interior surface of said bore and an outlet found on an exterior surface of said cage; A valve in which the outlets of a plurality of flow paths having adjacent inlets are spaced apart to prevent mixing of fluids discharged from the outlets.

2. 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the outlets of the flow paths having adjacent inlets are vertically spaced apart from one another.

3. 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the outlets of the flow passages having adjacent inlets are radially spaced apart from one another.

4. 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the outlets of the flow paths having adjacent inlets are angularly spaced apart from one another.

5. 10. The valve of claim 1, wherein on each flow path, the outlet is angularly offset from the inlet.

6. 10. The valve of claim 1, wherein on each flow path, the outlet is radially offset from the inlet.

7. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the flow passages are configured to direct flow through the cage axially and radially relative to the axis of the bore.

8. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the flow passage is configured to direct flow through the cage in a helical direction relative to the axis of the bore.

9. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the flow path has a serpentine shape.

10. 10. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a through hole in the cage having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the bore.

11. 2. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a through hole in the cage having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the bore, the through hole having a diameter greater than the diameter of the opening on the interior of the bore.

12. 10. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of through holes in the cage, each having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the bore.

13. A valve, a cage having a bore; a closure member movable within said bore; a seat fixed relative to the cage; the cage comprises a body configured with a pair of outlets connecting to a pair of adjacent inlets inside the bore; and The pair of outlets are positioned to prevent intermixing of fluids exiting the outlets and originating from within the bore.

14. 14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the pair of outlets lie in different planes perpendicular to the bore.

15. 14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the pair of outlets lie in different planes that are perpendicular to the bore and radially offset from one another.

16. 14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the pair of outlets lie in different planes that are perpendicular to the bore and angularly offset from one another.

17. 14. The valve of claim 13, further comprising a pair of spiral passages connecting said pair of outlets to said pair of inlets.

18. A valve, a valve trim having a first outlet and a second outlet configured to prevent intermixing of the individual streams of fluid; a closure member present within the valve trim; The first and second outlets are connected to first and second inlets, respectively, adjacent to the closure member and adjacent to each other.

19. 20. The valve of claim 18, wherein a third outlet is disposed between the first outlet and the second outlet.

20. 20. The valve of claim 18, wherein a third outlet connects to a third inlet adjacent to the second inlet, the third outlet being disposed between the first outlet and the second outlet.

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