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A cage valve, flow trim components, and method for signalling erosion of flow trim. The valve is of the type having flow trim arranged across an inlet bore and aligned with an outlet bore, and including a stationary tubular cage and an internal or external flow control member such as a plug or flow

A cage valve, flow trim components, and method for signalling erosion of flow trim. The valve is of the type having flow trim arranged across an inlet bore and aligned with an outlet bore, and including a stationary tubular cage and an internal or external flow control member such as a plug or flow collar slidable along the side wall of the cage to cover or uncover flow ports in the side wall. The flow control member includes an end plate which closes an upstream end of the cage. A cavity is formed in the flow control member upstream of the end plate. A transmitter, such as a proximity beacon, positioned in the cavity transmits a first signal indicative of intact flow trim when no fluid is in the beacon cavity and transmits a zero value signal or no signal indicative of eroded flow trim when fluid enters the cavity.

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1. A valve having a fluid flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet, and which is to be restricted or closed, comprising: a hollow valve body assembly configured with an inlet bore and an outlet bore which intersect at a main bore, the main bore being open at an upper end and providing flui

1. A valve having a fluid flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet, and which is to be restricted or closed, comprising: a hollow valve body assembly configured with an inlet bore and an outlet bore which intersect at a main bore, the main bore being open at an upper end and providing fluid communication between the inlet bore and the outlet bore;a flow trim positioned in the main bore, the flow trim comprising: a stationary tubular cage having a side wall, the side wall of the cage forming an internal bore aligned with the outlet bore and having a ported portion between its ends formed with one or more flow ports; anda flow control member closing the cage at an upstream end opposite the outlet and being adapted for sliding movement along the side wall of the cage, either internal the cage or external the cage, the flow control member being adapted for movement between a closed position, wherein the one or more flow ports are fully covered by the flow control member, and an open position, wherein each of the one or more flow ports is fully or partially uncovered by the flow control member, whereby fluid may enter the valve through the inlet, continue through the inlet bore, pass through the one or more flow ports at reduced pressure, continue through the outlet bore and exit by the outlet;a bonnet disengagably connected with, and closing, the upper end of the main bore;a stem for biassing the flow control member over the one or more flow ports between the open and closed positions;the flow control member having an end plate positioned to close the cage at the upstream end;the flow control member forming a cavity upstream of the end plate such the end plate prevents fluid communication between the cage and the cavity until erosion at a central wear portion of the end plate caused from turbulent flow of fluid in the cage wears through the end plate to permit fluid from the cage to enter the cavity; anda transmitter positioned in the cavity to transmit a first signal indicative of intact flow trim when there is no fluid in the cavity and to transmit a second signal indicative of eroded flow trim when fluid enters the cavity. 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the end plate is formed with a reduced thickness portion aligned with the cavity for selective erosion in the reduced thickness portion. 3. The valve of claim 2, wherein the inlet bore and the outlet bore are configured to intersect substantially at a right angle within the flow trim, and the main bore is an extension of the outlet bore. 4. The valve of claim 3, wherein the end plate is concave facing the outlet to form the reduced thickness portion aligned with a centre axis of the outlet bore. 5. The valve of claim 4, further comprising a back plate at the reduced thickness portion, the back plate being positioned between the end plate and the cavity and being formed with an aperture aligned with the centre axis of the outlet bore to permit fluid from the cage to enter the cavity through the eroded reduced thickness portion of the end plate and through the aperture of the back plate. 6. The valve of claim 5, wherein some or all of the one or more flow ports of the cage are formed at an angle to a centre axis of the inlet bore such that the flow from the inlet bore is directed angularly toward the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and away from the outlet bore to preferentially wear at the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and to reduce erosion at the outlet bore. 7. The valve of claim 6, wherein the angle is between about 10 and 60, or between about 10 and 45, or between about 15 and 25, degrees from the centre axis of the inlet bore. 8. The valve of claim 7, further comprising a transceiver positioned on or proximate the valve to receive the first and second signals from the transmitter and to transmit a communication signal based on the received transmitter signals indicative of the state of the flow trim to an operator located remotely from the valve. 9. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control member is an internal plug, and wherein the end plate is positioned at an end of the plug facing the outlet bore. 10. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control member is an external cylindrical flow collar adapted for sliding movement along the side wall of the cage external of the cage, the flow collar forming a bore and being closed an upstream end by the end plate such that a flow collar chamber is formed in the bore of the external flow collar. 11. The valve of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is a proximity beacon, or a sensor to sense pressure or fluid in the cavity, and wherein the transmitter transmits the first and second signals to the transceiver via wires or wireless. 12. The valve of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is a switching device or a pressure transducer which senses increased pressure when fluid enters the cavity to generate the second signal indicative of the increased pressure. 13. The valve of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is the proximity beacon, and the beacon is adapted to short or cease transmitting once fluid enters the cavity so that the second signal is zero value signal or no signal which is transmitted wirelessly to the transceiver to indicate eroded flow trim. 14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is adapted to transmit additional data in the communication signal, wherein the data may include one or more of identification, location, vibration, and battery life of the valve, the transmitter or the transceiver, and wherein the transceiver may transmit the communication signal via satellite to the one or more of the remote locations. 15. The valve of claim 14, wherein: the flow collar includes an inner liner formed of a hardened wear materialthe end plate forms part of the inner liner, and is formed from the hardened wear material;the cage is formed from the hardened wear material;the end plate may be formed from a less hard grade of the hardened material; andthe hardened material is preferably tungsten carbide. 16. The valve of claim 15, wherein the one or more flow ports are arranged to include one or more pairs of diametrically opposed main flow ports and the main flow ports are formed at an angle to the centre axis of inlet bore axis such that the flow from the inlet bore is directed angularly into the flow collar chamber and away from the outlet bore to encourage wear at the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and to reduce erosion at the outlet bore, and wherein the angle is between about 10 and 60, or between about 10 and 45, or between about 15 and 25, degrees from the centre axis of the inlet bore. 17. The valve of claim 16, wherein there is one pair of diametrically opposed main flow ports. 18. The valve of claim 17, which further comprises a tubular sleeve positioned in the main bore across the inlet bore and forming at least one side port communicating with the inlet bore, the flow trim being positioned within the tubular sleeve, and wherein the bonnet closes the upper end of both the valve body and the tubular sleeve. 19. The valve of claim 18, wherein the at least one side port is aligned with the inlet bore, and one pair of the one or more pairs of the diametrically opposed main flow ports is arranged such that a line through a midpoint of the diametrically opposed main flow ports is parallel to the centre axis of the inlet bore. 20. The valve of claim 19, further comprising: at least a pair of diametrically opposed secondary flow ports formed in the side wall of the cage, the secondary flow ports having a smaller diameter than a diameter of the main flow ports and each pair of secondary flow ports being positioned with an axis which is offset by 90° from the axis of one of the pairs of main flow ports and closer to the outlet bore than are the main flow ports, and wherein the secondary ports may be formed at an angle to the centre axis of the inlet bore such that the flow from the inlet bore is directed angularly into the flow collar chamber and away from the outlet bore to encourage wear at the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and to reduce erosion at the outlet bore, and wherein the angle is between about 10 and 60, or between about 10 and 45, or between about 15 and 25, degrees from the centre axis of the inlet bore. 21. The valve of claim 20, wherein the valve is adapted for subsea use below a surface station, wherein: the inlet bore and the outlet bore are arranged in a T-shape between the inlet and the outlet forming an insert chamber at the intersection of the inlet bore and the outlet bore; andthe tubular sleeve and the flow trim are arranged as a removable insert assembly positioned in the insert chamber, the insert assembly comprising:(i) the tubular sleeve being adapted as a tubular cartridge having a side wall forming an internal bore and the at least one side port communicating with the inlet, whereby fluid may enter through the at least one side port from the inlet;(ii) the flow trim being positioned in the cartridge internal bore, the flow trim comprising the tubular cage aligned with the outlet, and an external flow collar slidable along the side wall of the cage, the cage side wall forming the one or more pairs of diametrically opposed main flow ports located to overlap the intersection of the axes of the inlet bore and the outlet bore and aligned with the at least one side port of the tubular cartridge to communicate with the side port, whereby fluid from the inlet may enter the cage bore at reduced pressure and exit through the outlet;(iii) the bonnet being disengagably connected with, and closing, the upper end of the tubular cartridge and the body; and(iv) the stem being adapted for biassing the flow collar over the main flow ports, and wherein the transceiver is adapted to transmit the communication signal to the operator located at a sea surface via an umbilical or via an ROV. 22. A method of signalling erosion of a flow trim in a cage valve, wherein the cage valve has an inlet, an outlet, an inlet bore and an outlet bore, with the flow trim positioned in a main bore at an intersection of the inlet bore and the outlet bore, the flow trim including a stationary tubular cage and a flow control member sliding internally or externally of the cage over one or more ports formed in a side wall of the cage to control fluid flow through the cage valve, the method comprising: providing an end plate on the flow control member such that the end plate closes the upstream end of a cage opposite the outlet;providing a cavity in the flow control member upstream of the end plate such that the end plate prevents fluid communication between the cage and the cavity until erosion at a central wear portion of the end plate caused by turbulent flow of fluid entering the cage wears through the end plate to permit fluid from the cage to enter the cavity; andproviding a transmitter in the cavity to transmit a first signal indicative of intact flow trim when there is no fluid in the cavity and to transmit a second signal indicative of eroded flow trim when fluid enters the cavity. 23. The method of claim 22, which further comprises directing flow through the valve such that fluid entering the cage component is directed toward the central wear portion of the end plate. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the valve is of a type having a fluid flow path extending therethrough which is to be restricted or closed, a hollow valve body assembly with the inlet bore and the outlet bore intersecting substantially at a right angle within the flow trim, and a main bore which is an extension of the outlet bore and which communicates with the inlet bore; the flow trim being positioned in the main bore, the flow control member of the flow trim comprising an external flow collar sliding along the side wall of the cage, the cage side wall forming an internal bore aligned with the outlet bore and having a ported portion between its ends formed with the one or more flow ports, the flow collar being located for movement between a closed position wherein the one or more flow ports are fully covered by the flow collar and an open position wherein each of the flow ports is fully or partially uncovered by the flow collar, whereby fluid may enter the valve through the inlet bore, pass through the one or more flow ports at reduced pressure and continue through the outlet bore, the flow collar forming a bore and being closed at an upstream end by the end plate to form a flow collar chamber in the bore of the flow collar; a bonnet disengagably connected with, and closing, an upper end of the valve body; and a stem for biassing the flow collar over the flow ports between the open and closed positions, the method further comprising: forming the end plate with a reduced thickness portion aligned with the cavity for selective erosion in the reduced thickness portion. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the end plate is formed to be concave facing the flow collar chamber to form the reduced thickness portion aligned with a centre axis of the outlet bore. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a back plate at the reduced thickness portion, the back plate being positioned between the end plate and the cavity and being formed with an aperture aligned with the centre axis of the outlet bore to permit fluid from the cage to enter the cavity through the eroded reduced thickness portion of the end plate and through the aperture of the back plate. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein some or all of the one or more flow ports of the cage are formed at an angle to a centre axis of the inlet bore such that the flow from the inlet bore is directed angularly toward the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and away from the outlet bore to cause preferential wear at the reduced thickness portion of the end plate and to reduce erosion at the outlet bore. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the angle is between about 10 and 60, or between about 10 and 45, or between about 15 and 25, degrees from the centre axis of the inlet bore. 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing a transceiver positioned on or proximate the valve to receive the first and second signals from the transmitter and to transmit a communication signal based on the received transmitter signals indicative of the state of the flow trim to an operator located remotely from the valve. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is a proximity beacon, or a sensor to sense pressure or fluid in the cavity, and wherein the transmitter transmits the first and second signals to the transceiver via wires or wireless. 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is a switching device or a pressure transducer which senses increased pressure when fluid enters the cavity to generate the second signal indicative of the increased pressure. 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is the proximity beacon, and the beacon is adapted to short or cease transmitting once fluid enters the cavity so that the second signal is zero value signal or no signal which is transmitted wirelessly to the transceiver to indicate eroded flow trim. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the transceiver transmits additional data in the communication signal, wherein the data may include one or more of identification, location, vibration and battery life of the valve, the transmitter or the transceiver, and wherein the transceiver may transmit the communication signal via satellite to the one or more of the remote locations. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein: the flow collar includes an inner liner formed of a hardened wear materialthe end plate forms part of the inner liner, and is formed from the hardened wear material;the cage is formed from the hardened wear material;the end plate may be formed from a less hard grade of the hardened material; andthe hardened material is preferably tungsten carbide.