A sleeve shaped valve cage for receiving a valve member is described. The valve cage can guide the valve member relative to the valve cage. The valve cage can include a throttle section configured to provide pressure-reduced flow rates of the processing fluid, the throttle section having multiple throttle conduits extending from an inside of the valve cage to an outside of the valve cage; a high capacity flow section adjacent to the throttle section in the displacement direction, the high capacity flow section configured to provide increased flow rates of the processing fluid; and at least one equalization channel formed in the valve cage and extending from the inside to the outside of the valve cage, the at least one equalization channel leading from the high capacity flow section to the throttle section such that, before the valve member releases all throttle conduits, the equalization channel is released.

A fluid flow control device serving as an inflow port from a fluid reservoir (R) to the interior of a production pipe (S) is in the form of a housing (3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3k, 3l). The housing has a primary flow path (18) and a secondary flow path (19). The secondary flow path is in fluid communication with a chamber (B) in which is arranged an actuator (5) for a valve device (4), the valve device arranged to open and close the primary flow path. At least one flow restrictor (1,2) is arranged in the secondary flow path, the flow restrictor arranged to provide a pressure to chamber (B) sufficient to actuate the valve to an open position when the fluid flowing through the secondary flow path is oil, and a pressure sufficient to actuate the valve to a closed position when the fluid has a viscosity and/or density less than oil.

Bi-directional seal assemblies for use with valves are described. An example apparatus for use with a fluid valve includes a closure member disposed between an inlet and an outlet of a fluid flow passageway of the fluid valve. The closure member is to slide relative to a cage or a valve body, wherein the closure member includes a seal gland and a passageway in fluid communication with the seal gland, the passageway to fluidly couple the seal gland and the fluid flow passageway of the fluid valve. The apparatus further includes a seal assembly positioned in the seal gland, the seal assembly including a first seal, a second seal opposite the first seal, and a spacer ring disposed between the first and second seals.

A valve assembly is provided, the assembly comprising a valve housing; an inlet for fluid entering the valve housing; an outlet for fluid leaving the valve housing; a flow control assembly disposed within the valve housing between the inlet and the outlet, whereby fluid entering the valve housing is caused to flow through the flow control assembly, the flow control assembly comprising a cage having apertures therethrough to provide passage for fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet, the cage having an outlet end, in use fluid flowing within the cage in a downstream direction towards the outlet; a closure assembly moveable with respect to the cage to open or close each of the apertures through the cage, to thereby control the flow of fluid through the cage; wherein the apertures in the cage extend through the cage at a first angle to the radial direction of the cage and at a second angle to the radial direction of the cage, such that, in use, fluid entering the cage through each aperture is directed into the cage at the first angle to the radial direction so as to flow around the interior of the cage and at the second angle to the radial direction of the cage so as to flow in the downstream direction towards the outlet end of the cage. A cage assembly is also provided. The valve assembly is of particular use in a wellhead assembly.

Seal assemblies for use with fluid valves are described. An example seal assembly includes a first seal and a second seal opposite the first seal. The first and second seals are to sealingly engage a closure member of a valve and a sealing surface opposite the closure member. A spacer ring is disposed between the first and second seals to prevent the first and second seals from contacting each other. The spacer ring has an aperture therethrough to enable pressurized fluid to flow from a first side of the spacer ring and a second side of the spacer ring opposite the first side.

A valve, and tubular cage component for a valve, in which the tubular cage is formed such that at least a ported portion between the ends of the cage includes a tubular outer cage member formed from a metal material, and a tubular inner cage member formed from a wear resistant material. The inner cage member and the outer cage member are concentrically aligned and have a length to span at least the ported portion. Some or all of the flow ports in the ported portion include a port insert which includes a port sleeve formed from a wear resistant material such that the port sleeve extends at least over the metal material of the outer cage member at the flow port.

A system including a valve trim having a plurality of flow paths, wherein each flow path of the plurality of flow paths includes a series of stages, and a plurality of expansion zones disposed in series with the series or stages, wherein each expansion zone of the plurality of expansion zones is disposed between a sequential set of adjacent upstream and downstream stages of the series of stages, wherein each expansion zone of the plurality of expansion zones is configured to flow a fluid in a direction that is generally transverse to directions of flow in both the adjacent-upstream stage and the adjacent-downstream stage, and wherein each expansion zone of the plurality of expansion zones is in line with one of the adjacent-upstream stage or the adjacent-downstream stage and offset from a different one of the corresponding adjacent-upstream stage or the adjacent-downstream stage.

A fluid flow control system serving as an inflow port from a fluid reservoir (R) to the interior of a production pipe (S) is in the form of a housing (3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3k, 3l). The housing has a primary flow path (18) and a secondary flow path (19). The secondary flow path is in fluid communication with a chamber (B) in which is arranged an actuator (5) for a valve device (4), the valve device arranged to open and close the primary flow path. At least one flow restrictor (1,2) is arranged in the secondary flow path, the flow restrictor arranged to provide a pressure to chamber (B) sufficient to actuate the valve to an open position when the fluid flowing through the secondary flow path is oil, and a pressure sufficient to actuate the valve to a closed position when the fluid has a viscosity and/or density less than oil.

A pressure type flow rate control apparatus is provided wherein flow rate of fluid passing through an orifice is computed as Qc=KP1 (where K is a proportionality constant) or as Qc=KP2.sup.m (P1-P2).sup.n (where K is a proportionality constant, m and n constants) by using orifice upstream side pressure P1 and/or orifice downstream side pressure P2. A fluid passage between the downstream side of a control valve and a fluid supply pipe of the pressure type flow rate control apparatus comprises at least 2 fluid passages in parallel, and orifices having different flow rate characteristics are provided for each of these fluid passages, wherein fluid in a small flow quantity area flows to one orifice for flow control of fluid in the small flow quantity area, while fluid in a large flow quantity area flows to the other orifice for flow control of fluid in the large flow quantity area.

The invention concerns a flow regulator, made of a stack of 3 plates, respectively a top plate including a flexible membrane (1), a middle plate (2) with pillars and through holes and a bottom plate (3) with fluidic ports, micro channels and through holes (8,9,12). The principle is based on the deformation of the membrane due to the pressure of the liquid. The membrane goes in contact with the pillars of the middle plate, obstructing gradually the through holes of the pillars. The device is designed to keep the flow constant in a predefined range of pressure. The device is dedicated to ultra low flow rate up to 1 ml per day or below, typically for drug infusion. Plastic flow regulators comprise preferably several independent valves coupled in parallel. The membrane plate is therefore made of several flexible membranes obstructing gradually the flow by increasing the pressure. Stress limiters are used to avoid plastic deformation of the membrane. For implanted pump, the use of a flow regulator instead of a flow restrictor has several advantages, including the possibility to reduce significantly the reservoir pressure and to generate directly the pressure during the pump filling by using an elastic drug reservoir.