US Patent 10100604 Valve assembly with cage and flow control assembly

A valve assembly is provided, the assembly comprising a valve housing; an inlet for fluid entering the valve housing; an outlet for fluid leaving the valve housing; a flow control assembly disposed within the valve housing between the inlet and the outlet, whereby fluid entering the valve housing is caused to flow through the flow control assembly, the flow control assembly comprising a cage having apertures therethrough to provide passage for fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet, the cage having an outlet end, in use fluid flowing within the cage in a downstream direction towards the outlet; a closure assembly moveable with respect to the cage to open or close each of the apertures through the cage, to thereby control the flow of fluid through the cage; wherein the apertures in the cage extend through the cage at a first angle to the radial direction of the cage and at a second angle to the radial direction of the cage, such that, in use, fluid entering the cage through each aperture is directed into the cage at the first angle to the radial direction so as to flow around the interior of the cage and at the second angle to the radial direction of the cage so as to flow in the downstream direction towards the outlet end of the cage. A cage assembly is also provided. The valve assembly is of particular use in a wellhead assembly.