Abstract: A valve seat is provided herein. The valve seat may include a ceramic valve seat insert positioned within a metal valve seat housing and comprising an indentation corresponding to a retention lip of the metal valve seat housing and a compliant sleeve positioned coaxially around at least a portion of an outer surface of the ceramic valve seat insert.

Abstract: A plug head assembly having a ceramic plug head having an annular retention groove, wherein the ceramic plug head has a proximal terminus and a distal terminus, a first clamp portion having a first annular retention protrusion conforming to the annular retention groove, a second clamp portion having a second annular retention protrusion conforming to the annular retention groove, and an annular retention sleeve conforming to the annular retention groove, the annular retention sleeve disposed between the annular retention groove and at least one of the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion.

Abstract: A valve seat is provided herein. The valve seat may include a ceramic valve seat insert positioned within a metal valve seat housing and comprising an indentation corresponding to a retention lip of the metal valve seat housing and a compliant sleeve positioned coaxially around at least a portion of an outer surface of the ceramic valve seat insert.

Abstract: A plug head assembly having a ceramic plug head having an annular retention groove, wherein the ceramic plug head has a proximal terminus and a distal terminus, a first clamp portion having a first annular retention protrusion conforming to the annular retention groove, a second clamp portion having a second annular retention protrusion conforming to the annular retention groove, and an annular retention sleeve conforming to the annular retention groove, the annular retention sleeve disposed between the annular retention groove and at least one of the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a plug head assembly is provided comprising a ceramic plug head having a frustroconical geometry, wherein the ceramic plug head has a proximal terminus and a distal terminus, wherein the ceramic plug head has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), a sleeve having a frustroconical geometry conforming to the ceramic plug head and a second CTE, wherein the second CTE is greater than the first CTE, a distal retainer having a frustroconical geometry conforming to the sleeve, the distal retainer having a first engagement portion for engaging the a proximal retainer, the proximal retainer having a second engagement portion for engaging the distal retainer, and a base that couples with the proximal retainer.

Abstract: As set forth in the detailed description, the present invention includes, in various exemplary embodiments, a valve device to control fluid flow that incorporates a substantially flat plug head. By incorporating a substantially flat plug head, the valve device realizes lower stresses than other typical valve configurations; namely thermal and tensile stress is reduced throughout the valve device. In an exemplary embodiment of this invention, the valve device comprises a housing, at least one plug head seat within the housing, a substantially planar or flat plug head configured to control or stop flow of a substance and a plug stem configured to actuate the substantially flat plug head. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the substantially flat plug head comprises a solid disk shaped or cylindrical shaped plug head. Additionally, in one exemplary embodiment, the plug head and plug head seat material can comprise ceramics and various metal alloys.

Abstract: 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.