Adiabatic expansion orifice assembly for passing a slurry from a high pressure region to a low pressure region

Claim 2

An orifice assembly for passing a slurry from high temperature and pressure conditions to relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, comprising, in combination: (a) a housing made of material capable of withstanding the flow of an abrasive slurry at high temperature and pressure conditions and having an end wall, an internal chamber and a flange partially closing said internal chamber near said end wall and thereby defining an inner frusto conical surface that opens toward said internal chamber; and (b) an insert having an outer frusto conical surface that fits within said internal chamber in abuttment and at least partially contacts with said inner frusto conical surface of said flange, and includes a substantially cylindrical passage extending through said insert and communicating with said internal chamber of said housing; (c) said flange, said insert, and said abuttment of said outer frusto conical tapered surface of said insert against said inner frusto conical surface of said flange defining means for retaining and sealing said insert within said chamber against the flow of slurry under high pressure conditions.

Claim 3

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insert further includes an end wall, said substantially cylindrical passage defining an axis of flow of said slurry out of said orifice assembly; said end wall of said housing and said end wall of said insert defining an exit end wall of said orifice assembly which forms an angle γ of approximately 90° or more with said axis.

Claim 4

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein a portion of said insert defines said substantially cylindrical passage, said portion being a wear resistant material.

Claim 5

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said portion is composite diamond.

Claim 6

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said insert is replaceable.

Claim 7

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said portion is made of a wear resistant material capable of withstanding the flow of an abrasive slurry at high temperature and pressure, and said substantially cylindrical passage has a length in the range of approximately 75 micrometers to approximately 150 micrometers.

Claim 8

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the slurry forms exploding solids immediately after passing through the orifice assembly, further comprising: (1) enclosure means for defining an expansion zone adjacent the exit end wall which is free of obstruction within the path of the exploding solids; and (2) mixer means for mixing reactant gases with said exploding solids within the expansion zone, said mixer means directing said reactant gases on a path which converges with said axis.

Claim 9

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein said mixer means includes a collar member surrounding said orifice assembly to define an annular passage therebetween.

Claim 10

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said annular passage converges toward said substantially cylindrical passage of said insert such that the reactant gases are directed to flow toward said slurry emerging out of the orifice assembly.

Claim 11

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a collection chamber adjacent said exit end wall, said collection chamber defining an expansion zone which is free of obstruction within a distance from said substantially cylindrical passage at least as great as the path of the exploding solids.

Claim 12

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said substantially cylindrical passage has a predetermined diameter and said distance is larger than approximately 20 times said predetermined diameter.

Claim 13

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said distance is larger than approximately 50 times said predetermined diameter.

Claim 14

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said distance is larger than approximately 100 times said predetermined diameter.

Claim 15

An orifice assembly for passing a slurry from high temperature and pressure conditions to relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, comprising, in combination: a housing having a chamber therein, an end wall and a flange at one end thereof defining an inner frusto conical surface that opens toward said internal chamber; an insert including an end wall and an outer frusto conical surface and being adapted to fit within said chamber such that said outer frusto conical surface of said insert abuts and makes at least partial contact with said inner frusto conical surface of said flange; and a high pressure tubing secured to said housing within said chamber, said high pressure tubing abutting said insert to form a seal therebetween and urging said insert against said flange to form a seal therebetween; said insert and said high pressure tubing defining a passage through said housing, said passage including a substantially cylindrical portion adjacent said end wall of said insert and defining an axis; said end wall of said housing and said end wall of said insert defining an exit end wall of said orifice assembly, said exit end wall and said axis defining an angle which is approximately 90° or more.

Claim 16

An orifice assembly for passing a slurry from high temperature and pressure conditions to relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, comprising, in combination: a housing having a chamber therein, an end wall and a flange at one end thereof defining an inner frusto conical surface that opens toward said internal chamber; an insert including an end wall and an outer frusto conical surface and being adapted to fit within said chamber such that said outer frusto conical surface of said insert abuts and makes at least partial contact with said inner frusto conical surface of said flange; and a high pressure tubing secured to said housing within said chamber, said high pressure tubing abutting said insert to form a seal therebetween and urging said insert against said flange to form a seal therebetween; said insert and said high pressure tubing defining a passage through said housing, said passage including a substantially cylindrical portion adjacent said end wall of said insert and defining an axis; said end wall of said housing and said end wall of said insert defining an exit end wall of said orifice assembly, said exit end wall and said axis defining an angle which is approximately 90° or more.

Claim 17

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said insert is replaceable.

Claim 18

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein the seal formed between the high pressure tubing and the insert is a metal-to-metal seal.

Claim 19

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a passage-restricting member interposing said high pressure tubing and said insert, said high pressure tubing abutting said passage-restricting member to form a seal therebetween and urging said passage restricting member against said insert to form a seal therebetween and to, in turn, urge said insert against said flange to form a seal therebetween.

Claim 20

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein said housing, said insert, and said high pressure tubing cooperatively define vent means for controllably venting leakage of said slurry between said insert and said high pressure tubing.

Claim 21

An orifice assembly for passing a slurry from high temperature and pressure conditions to relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, comprising, in combination: a housing made of a material capable of withstanding the flow of an abrasive slurry at high temperature and pressure conditions, said housing having an end wall and defining an internal passage chamber, said housing also including a flange partially closing said internal chamber to define an internal frusto conical surface facing said internal chamber; and an insert received by said housing within said internal chamber, said insert having an outer frusto conical surface for engagement and at least partial contact with said internal frusto conical surface of said flange, said insert defining a substantially cylindrical passageway extending through at least a portion of said insert, said internal passage chamber of said housing and said substantially cylindrical passageway of said insert being substantially coaxial to provide a passageway for flow of said slurry through said orifice assembly, said passageway defining a flow axis; said insert and said end wall of said housing cooperating to define an exit end wall of said orifice assembly; said internal frusto conical surface of said flange and said outer frusto conical surface of said insert cooperatively defining seal and retention means for retaining said insert within said housing against said flow of said slurry in a sealed relationship to substantially avoid leakage with said orifice assembly.

Claim 22

An orifice assembly for passing a slurry from high temperature and pressure conditions to relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, comprising, in combination: a housing made of a material capable of withstanding the flow of an abrasive slurry at high temperature and pressure conditions, said housing having an end wall and defining an internal passage chamber, said housing also including a flange partially closing said internal chamber to define an internal frusto conical surface facing said internal chamber; and an insert received by said housing within said internal chamber, said insert having an outer frusto conical surface for engagement and at least partial contact with said internal frusto conical surface of said flange, said insert defining a substantially cylindrical passageway extending through at least a portion of said insert, said internal passage chamber of said housing and said substantially cylindrical passageway of said insert being substantially coaxial to provide a passageway for flow of said slurry through said orifice assembly, said passageway defining a flow axis; said insert and said end wall of said housing cooperating to define an exit end wall of said orifice assembly; said internal frusto conical surface of said flange and said outer frusto conical surface of said insert cooperatively defining seal and retention means for retaining said insert within said housing against said flow of said slurry in a sealed relationship to substantially avoid leakage with said orifice assembly.

Claim 23

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 19, further comprising, in combination: (a) enclosure means for defining an expansion zone outside of the orifice and adjacent the exit end wall, which enclosure means is free of obstruction within the path of the exploding solids; and (b) mixer means situation on said housing, said mixer means providing a flow passage for reactant gases which causes said reactant gases to mix with said exploding solids within the expansion zone, said mixer means directing said reactant gases on a path which converges with said flow of slurry out of said orifice.

Claim 24

An orifice assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein said mixer means includes a collar member surrounding said orifice assembly to define an annular flow passage therebetween.