Superhard Needle Tip and Seat for Wear-Resistant Choke Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Choke valves in fluid-handling systems, such as mineral extraction systems, face degradation and wear due to high pressure drops, abrasive media, and cavitation, leading to short operational lifetimes, especially when using traditional tungsten carbide materials.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a superhard material, like diamond-based or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, in the tip portion of the needle and seating surface of the choke trim to enhance durability, with a combination of superhard and non-superhard materials in specific portions to accommodate manufacturing constraints and cost considerations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional tungsten carbide materials are used in the needle and seat, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but wear resistance and operational life deteriorate due to high pressure drops, abrasive media, and cavitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining superhard material (such as diamond or cubic boron nitride) with tungsten carbide or stainless steel in the needle and seat components. This composite structure provides both the wear resistance needed to withstand high pressure drops and abrasive media, and the manufacturability of traditional materials. The superhard material is applied as a coating or composite layer on the needle tip and seat surface, while the base material remains tungsten carbide or stainless steel for structural integrity and ease of manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying superhard material specifically to the critical wear zones - the needle tip and seat surface - rather than the entire component. This localized application of superhard material provides enhanced wear resistance exactly where it is needed to withstand abrasive media and high pressure drops, while the rest of the component maintains the properties of the base material for manufacturability and cost-effectiveness.
2Reliability
If superhard material is used in the tip portion of the needle and seating surface, then wear resistance and operational life are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying superhard material specifically to the critical wear zones - the needle tip and seat surface - rather than the entire component. This localized application of superhard material provides enhanced wear resistance exactly where it is needed to withstand abrasive media and high pressure drops, while the rest of the component maintains the properties of the base material for manufacturability and cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite materials by combining superhard material (such as diamond or cubic boron nitride) with tungsten carbide or stainless steel in the needle and seat components. This composite structure provides both the wear resistance needed to withstand high pressure drops and abrasive media, and the manufacturability of traditional materials. The superhard material is applied as a coating or composite layer on the needle tip and seat surface, while the base material remains tungsten carbide or stainless steel for structural integrity and ease of manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a choke valve that includes a choke body, a choke trim disposed in the choke body, where the choke trim is configured to adjust a cross-sectional area of a flow path in the choke body to adjust a fluid flow through the choke valve, a needle of the choke trim disposed in the flow path of the fluid flow, where the needle includes a first portion having a superhard material, a seat of the choke trim, where the needle is configured to move along an axis extending through an opening of the seat to adjust the fluid flow through the choke valve.