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Pressure reducers are disclosed that, in some embodiments, are designed for use in a pressurized pipe line to provide variable resistance to flow of process fluid, such as steam or water, with no moving parts. The pressure reducers have an elongate outer shell and an inner sleeve spaced radially inw

Pressure reducers are disclosed that, in some embodiments, are designed for use in a pressurized pipe line to provide variable resistance to flow of process fluid, such as steam or water, with no moving parts. The pressure reducers have an elongate outer shell and an inner sleeve spaced radially inwardly from the outer shell. The outer shell is defined by an outer annular wall having an open end and an end wall opposite the open end. The inner sleeve and the outer shell are connected near the open end. The inner sleeve defines a passageway that extends into a cavity defined by the outer shell and has an outlet that is spaced from the end wall. The outer annular wall and the end wall are perforated by a plurality of flow holes extending therethrough, and the sleeve is preferably not perforated.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A pressure reducer for a pressurized pipeline, comprising: an outer shell having an annular sidewall and an end wall, the annular sidewall defining an interior space, a first end, and a second end, the first end defining an opening into the interior space, the annular sidewall having a first leng

1. A pressure reducer for a pressurized pipeline, comprising: an outer shell having an annular sidewall and an end wall, the annular sidewall defining an interior space, a first end, and a second end, the first end defining an opening into the interior space, the annular sidewall having a first length from the first end to the second end, and the end wall disposed across the second end;an annular sleeve extending into the interior space from the first end of the annular sidewall, the annular sleeve having a fluid impenetrable sidewall, an inlet connected with the first end of the annular sidewall, an outlet disposed distal to the inlet within the interior space and spaced from the end wall, and a passageway extending from the inlet to the outlet, the annular sleeve extending into the interior space a second length, wherein the second length is less than the first length;an annular gap surrounding the annular sleeve, the annular gap disposed between the annular sidewall and the annular sleeve;a second gap between the end wall and the outlet of the annular sleeve;a first set of apertures through the end wall; anda second set of apertures through the annular sidewall, wherein at least a first one of the second set of apertures is located opposite the annular sleeve along the second length,wherein the annular sleeve is arranged to force fluid flowing through the pressure reducer to flow through the outlet of the annular sleeve, without flowing through the sidewall, before flowing through the outer shell. 2. The pressure reducer of claim 1, wherein at least a second one of the second set of apertures is located between the first aperture and the inlet. 3. The pressure reducer of claim 2, wherein the annular sleeve is attached to the annular sidewall adjacent the first end. 4. The pressure reducer of claim 3, wherein the annular sleeve comprises an annular flange surrounding the inlet, the annular flange attached to an inner surface of the annular sidewall at the first end. 5. The pressure reducer of claim 2, wherein there are no apertures through the annular sidewall between the first end and the inlet of the annular sleeve. 6. The pressure reducer of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve is parallel with the annular sidewall. 7. The pressure reducer of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve is radially spaced from the annular sidewall a first distance adjacent the inlet and a second distance at the outlet, wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance. 8. The pressure reducer of claim 7, wherein the annular sleeve has a tapered outer surface along the second length opposite the annular sidewall. 9. The pressure reducer of claim 1, wherein each aperture of the second set of apertures through the annular sidewall has an axis aligned orthogonal to an axis of the annular sidewall. 10. The pressure reducer of claim 1, wherein at least some apertures of the second set of apertures have axes aligned non-orthogonally to an axis of the annular sidewall. 11. A valve assembly for a pressurized pipeline, the valve assembly comprising: a valve comprising a body defining a passage extending from a valve inlet to a valve outlet, and a flow control member adapted to selectively open and/or close the passage;a pressure reducer operatively connected with the valve outlet, the pressure reducer comprising:an outer shell having an annular sidewall defining an interior space and an end wall, the annular sidewall having a first end, a second end, and a first length from the first end to the second end, wherein the first end defines an opening into the interior space operatively connected with the valve outlet to receive fluid from the valve outlet, and the end wall is disposed across the second end;an annular sleeve extending into the interior space from the first end of the annular sidewall, the annular sleeve having a fluid impenetrable sidewall, an inlet connected with the first end of the annular sidewall and an outlet located distal to the inlet and spaced from the end wall, wherein the outlet extends into the interior space a second distance from the first end of the annular sidewall, the second distance less than the first distance;an annular gap between the annular sidewall and the annular sleeve;an axial gap between the outlet of the annular sleeve and the end wall of the outer shell;a first set of apertures through the end wall; anda second set of apertures through the sidewall, wherein at least a first one of the second set of apertures is disposed opposite the annular sleeve along the second length,wherein the annular sleeve is arranged to force fluid flowing through the pressure reducer to flow through the outlet of the annular sleeve, without flowing through the sidewall, before flowing through the outer shell. 12. The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the valve comprises a steam conditioning valve. 13. The valve assembly of claim 12, further comprising a cooling shroud surrounding the pressure reducer and a spraywater manifold carried by the cooling shroud and arranged to spray water into a cavity in fluid communication with the pressure reducer. 14. The valve assembly of claim 11, further comprising a pipe section operatively connected with the valve outlet, wherein the pipe section surrounds and is radially spaced from the pressure reducer.