Caldera Engineering, Lc

Valtek, Inc.

Caldera Engineering LLC

Stephen R Chipman

Jeffrey Robison

Craig C Smith

Michael R Luque

Robert E Gooch

Dan O Enniss

Jonathan D Nelson

Herman Pieterse

Dan O Ennis

Jeffrey C Robison

A nozzle design and method for designing such a nozzle being adapted for three phase slurry flow from the choke into the flash tank during pressure let-down in autoclave mining operations that uses a selection of the expansion ratio in the choke to select a nozzle dispersion angle to select a spread of the flow over the slurry pool in the flash tank, to generally maximize the use of the pool for energy dissipation without causing undo wear and tear on the tank walls.

Controlled dispersion multi-phase nozzle and method of making the same

A valve plug design is disclosed that uses a plug head band and a retaining ring to restrain a valve plug head to a valve plug stem. This invention is specifically directed to providing valve plugs where the plug head material is different and distinct from the plug stem material and where each material is selected to optimize its performance. Moreover, this invention is provided with a means for fixing and removing the plug head to and from the plug stem that can easily be worked in the field without special purpose manufacturing equipment, thereby making the maintenance, repair and replacement of plug head easier for users. This valve plug design subjects the plug head to reduced stresses thereby enhances the operating life of the valve and valve plug. This valve plug design provides a shock absorbing, compliance barrier around and/or under the plug head. This invention also provides a more uniform and broadened contact surface between the plug head and the plug stem, further reducing mechanical stresses to the plug head. This plug head invention requires less material and thus leads to reduced manufacturing costs and does not require welding to fasten the plug head to the plug stem, thereby permitting heat treatments as required without adverse impacts to the plug head to plug stem joint. Also, this invention is adapted to function in cooperation sensors embedded at the plug head&mdash;valve plug stem interface to permit the monitoring of alignment stresses on the valve plug head.

Banded valve plug head

A new segmented choke is provided. Designed to reduce thermal stresses created when the fluid temperature fluctuate, this invention is constructed of segmented ceramic members fit within a relatively thin-walled retainer, shrunk fit thereto, thereby allowing the retainer to be more compliant. Shorter, multiple segments used in this invention are also easier to manufacture, can be produced with tighter tolerances, provide easier access thereby reducing maintenance costs and allow for the inclusion of sensors in the individual ceramic segments. This invention also provides improvements in size, manufacturing cost, ease of use and operating efficiency over prior choke devices.

Segmented ceramic choke

A new valve device adapted specifically for use with hot erosive flow streams is provided. This valve device has an inner plug head, which modulates and throttles the amount of flow passing through the valve when the valve is open. The inner plug head is shaped so that as the valve plug approaches the closed position, the inner plug head blocks most of the flow path, reducing the flow to a small amount. The valve of this invention has an outer plug head the contacts the valve's outer ceramic seat as the valve reaches the closed position. Contact between the outer ceramic seat and the outer ceramic plug entirely shuts off flow through the valve.

Double-seated shutoff valve

A new flash tube device adapted specifically for use with hot erosive flow streams is provided. This flash tube uses an extension cone fixed to the outlet of a choke to create an extension choke to insure that the shock wave occurs within the extension choke, thereby decreasing the flow velocity to a subsonic level, reducing the kinetic energy of the flow as it leaves the extension choke. By moving the shock wave into the extension choke, this device dramatically improves the working life of the flash tank, allowing for easier separation of fluid/solids and vapor in the flash tank.

Flash tube device

A coupling for use in a rotary ball valve having a spherical ball with a passageway therethrough for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve. The coupling is particularly suited for use with non-metallic, for example, ceramic, spherical balls which are rotated by torque applied to a metallic actuator shaft. The coupling includes a plurality of depressions and protrusions formed at the interface of the non-metallic and metallic components. The depressions and protrusions are positioned away from the central axis of the spherical ball. A cushion can be interposed between the metallic and non-metallic components to further disperse the force applied to the non-metallic component. The depression and protrusions can be tapered and oriented at an angle with respect to the central axis so that as torque is applied to the shaft the non-metallic component is rotated without breakage thereof.

Fluid valves

A coupling for use in a rotary Ball valve having a spherical ball with a passageway therethrough controlling the flow of fluid through the valve. The coupling is particularly suited for use with non-metallic, for example, ceramic, spherical balls which are rotated by torque applied to a metallic actuator shaft extending from the valve body. The coupling includes a plurality of depressions and protrusions formed at the interface of the non-metallic and metallic components. The depressions and protrusions are positioned away from the central axis of the spherical ball. A cushion is interposed between the metallic and non-metallic components to further disperse the force applied to the non-metallic component so that as torque is applied to the shaft the non-metallic component is rotated without breakage thereof.

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Provo, UT, United States of America

Stephen R Chipman