Choke for controlling flow of pressurized fluid

Claim 2

A choke for controlling the flow of a pressurized gas in a conduit from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the pressurized gas includes a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, said choke comprising: a choke body having inlet means for receiving the pressurized gas and outlet means of larger cross section than said inlet means for permitting expansion of said gas and for discharging said gas at a lower downstream pressure; said inlet means including at least two orifices, each orifice being arranged for passage of a portion of said gas therethrough to a lower pressure zone within said larger outlet means, said orifices being positioned in said body such that the discharge ends thereof are angularly aligned relative to each other to thereby cause the streams discharging from said orifices to impinge against each other in said lower pressure zone generally proximate the points of discharge from said orifices whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke.

Claim 3

The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said discharge ends of said orifices are aligned in mutually opposed relationship.

Claim 4

The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said outlet means is in the form of a bore extending downstream from said orifices.

Claim 5

The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said orifices is formed by a flow bean mounted in said body.

Claim 6

The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said body includes two pairs of inlet orifices, with each member of a pair arranged for having the stream discharging therefrom impinge against the stream discharging from the other orifice in said pair.

Claim 7

The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said outlet means is in the form of a bore extending downstream from said orifices; and the central axes of the bores of said orifices are generally transverse to the central axis of said outlet bore.

Claim 8

A choke for controlling the flow of a pressurized gas in a conduit from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the pressurized gas includes a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, said choke comprising: a choke body having an inlet and outlet respectively disposable in the upstream and downstream flow of the pressurized gas through the conduit, and an internal passageway connecting said inlet and outlet in flowthrough relationship; said inlet being of smaller cross section than said passageway and outlet, and including at lEast two orifices having axes angularly disposed relative to each other and converging towards a substantially common zone of collision generally proximate said orifices and within said passageway to thereby permit gas streams flowing through said orifices to undergo a pressure drop and converge and collide at said zone whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke.

Claim 9

A choke for controlling the flow of a pressurized gas in a conduit from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the pressurized gas includes a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, said choke comprising: a choke body having an inlet and outlet respectively disposable in the upstream and downstream flow of the pressurized gas through the conduit, and an internal passageway connecting said inlet and outlet in flowthrough relationship; said inlet being of smaller cross section than said passageway and outlet, and including at lEast two orifices having axes angularly disposed relative to each other and converging towards a substantially common zone of collision generally proximate said orifices and within said passageway to thereby permit gas streams flowing through said orifices to undergo a pressure drop and converge and collide at said zone whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke.

Claim 10

A choke for controlling the flow of a pressurized gas in a conduit from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the pressurized gas includes a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, said choke comprising: a choke body having means for mounting in said conduit for gas flow therethrough; said body having inlet means including a portion having at least two orifices for receiving said gas, said orifices being positioned such that the discharge ends thereof are in generally proximate and generally opposed relationships, whereby gas streams discharging therefrom impinge against each other to create a collision zone generally proximate said orifices; and said body having outlet means including a portion forming a bore extending downstream from said collision zone for discharging said gas downstream in said conduit after passage thereof through said zone, said bore having a cross-sectional area greater than the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said orifices enabling said gas streams to undergo a pressure drop at said zone, whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke as aforesaid.

Claim 11

A choke for controlling the flow of a pressurized gas in a conduit from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the pressurized gas includes a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, said choke comprising: a choke body having means for mounting in said conduit for gas flow therethrough; said body having inlet means including a portion having at least two orifices for receiving said gas, said orifices being positioned such that the discharge ends thereof are in generally proximate and generally opposed relationships, whereby gas streams discharging therefrom impinge against each other to create a collision zone generally proximate said orifices; and said body having outlet means including a portion forming a bore extending downstream from said collision zone for discharging said gas downstream in said conduit after passage thereof through said zone, said bore having a cross-sectional area greater than the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said orifices enabling said gas streams to undergo a pressure drop at said zone, whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke as aforesaid.

Claim 12

In a pressurized flow system including a choke for controlling the flow from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the flowing medium constitutes a highly pressurized gas having a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, the improvement in the choke comprising: a choke body having inlet means for receiving the pressurized gas and outlet means of larger cross section than said inlet means for discharging said gas at a lower downstream pressure; said inlet means including at least two orifices, each orifice being arranged for passage of a portion of said gas therethrough to a lower pressure zone within said larger outlet means, said orifices being positioned in said body such that the discharge ends thereof are angularly aligned relative to each other to thereby cause the streams discharging from said orifices to impinge against each other in said zone generally proximate to the points of discharge from said orifices whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke as aforesaid.

Claim 13

In a pressurized flow system including a choke for controlling the flow from a high upstream pressure to a lower downstream pressure and wherein the flowing medium constitutes a highly pressurized gas having a freezable substance entrained therein which forms ice on the downstream side of the choke in response to the gas undergoing a pressure drop across the choke, which ice is capable of accumulating in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke, the improvement in the choke comprising: a choke body having inlet means for receiving the pressurized gas and outlet means of larger cross section than said inlet means for discharging said gas at a lower downstream pressure; said inlet means including at least two orifices, each orifice being arranged for passage of a portion of said gas therethrough to a lower pressure zone within said larger outlet means, said orifices being positioned in said body such that the discharge ends thereof are angularly aligned relative to each other to thereby cause the streams discharging from said orifices to impinge against each other in said zone generally proximate to the points of discharge from said orifices whereby said freezable substance is precluded from accumulating in the form of ice in sufficient quantities to block passage of the gas through the choke as aforesaid.