Low shear control valve

1. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and a flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet;

a flow control element positioned in the flow path of the valve body and disposed about a central axis, the flow control element having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and a plurality of fluid passageways extending between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter, each fluid passageway having an inlet at the outer perimeter, an outlet at the inner perimeter, and defining a flow axis extending out of the flow control element from the inner perimeter that is radially offset from the central axis;

a plug having a cylindrical section and a tapered section extending from the cylindrical section and terminating at a distal end, the tapered section having a diameter that decreases from the cylindrical section to the distal end and including a helical groove formed therein, the plug being moveable along the central axis between a closed position and an open position;

in the closed position, the cylindrical section being disposed adjacent the inner perimeter of the flow control element to block fluid flow therethrough;

in the open position, the cylindrical section being spaced axially from the flow control element such that the inner perimeter of the flow control element and the tapered section of the plug collectively define an annular vortex chamber;

the fluid passageways in the flow control element and the tapered section of the plug collectively imparting a rotational fluid flow around the central axis when the plug is in the open position and as fluid exits the flow control element and flows through the vortex chamber toward the outlet.

2. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein each fluid passageway is a curved passageway.

3. The flow control device of claim 2 , wherein the inlet of each fluid passageway is larger than the outlet of the corresponding fluid passageway.

4. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein each fluid passageway is a linear passageway.

5. The flow control device of claim 4 , wherein the inlet of each fluid passageway is same size as the outlet.

6. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the flow control element comprises a stack of annular discs, each disc having a plurality of the fluid passageways formed therein.

7. The flow control device of claim 6 , wherein each disc includes three curved fluid passageways formed therein.

8. The flow control device of claim 7 , wherein the outlets of the plurality of fluid passageways in a given disc are spaced 120 degrees from each other.

9. The flow control device of claim 6 , wherein each disc includes four linear fluid passageways formed therein.

10. The flow control device of claim 9 , wherein the outlets of the plurality of fluid passageways in a given disc are spaced 90 degrees from each other.

11. The flow control device of claim 1 , wherein in a longitudinal cross section of the plug including the central axis, the tapered section includes opposed convex sides.

12. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and a flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet;

a flow control element positioned in the flow path of the valve body and disposed about a central axis, the flow control element having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and a plurality of fluid passageways extending between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter, each fluid passageway having an inlet at the outer perimeter, an outlet at the inner perimeter, and defining a flow axis extending out of the the flow control element from the inner perimeter that is radially offset from the central axis;

a plug having a cylindrical section and a tapered section extending from the cylindrical section and terminating at a distal end, the tapered section having a diameter that decreases from the cylindrical section to the distal end and including a helical groove formed therein, the plug being moveable along the central axis between a closed position, a low flow position, and a high flow position;

in the closed position, the cylindrical section being disposed adjacent the inner perimeter of the flow control element to block fluid flow therethrough;

in the low flow position and the high flow positions, the flow control element and the tapered section of the plug collectively define an annular vortex chamber, the volume of the annular vortex chamber increasing as the plug is moved from the low flow position to the high flow position;

the fluid passageways in the stack of annular discs flow control element and the tapered section of the plug collectively imparting a rotational fluid flow around the central axis when the plug is in the low flow position and the high flow position, and as fluid exits the flow control element and flows through the vortex chamber toward the outlet.

13. The flow control device of claim 12 , wherein each fluid passageway is a curved passageway.

14. The flow control device of claim 13 , wherein the inlet of each fluid passageway is larger than the outlet of the corresponding fluid passageway.

15. The flow control device of claim 12 , wherein each fluid passageway disc is a linear passageway.

16. The flow control device of claim 15 , wherein the inlet of each fluid passageway is same size as the outlet.

17. The flow control device of claim 12 , wherein the flow control element comprises a stack of annular discs, each disc having a plurality of the fluid passageways formed therein.

18. The flow control device of claim 17 , wherein each disc includes four linear fluid passageways formed therein, the outlets of which are space 90 degrees from each other.

19. The flow control device of claim 17 , wherein each disc includes three curved fluid passageways formed therein, the outlets of which are space 120 degrees from each other.

20. The flow control device of claim 12 , wherein in a longitudinal cross section of the plug including the central axis, the tapered section includes opposed convex sides.