TAPERING COUPLERS FOR CONNECTING FLUID FLOW COMPONENTS

摘要

Tapering couplers and coupling methods for connecting fluid flow components are provided. In one embodiment, the tapering coupler includes a housing with a first opening and a second opening in fluid communication through the housing. The first opening is sized for a first fluid flow component to couple to the housing, and the second opening for a second fluid flow component. The first and second fluid flow components include first and second fluid-carrying channels of different diameter, with the first fluid-carrying channel having a first channel diameter that is larger than the second channel diameter of the second fluid-carrying channel. A tapering element is associated with the housing and extends into the first fluid-carrying channel. The tapering element includes a tapering fluid-carrying channel which tapers in a direction back towards the housing, for instance, from about the first channel diameter to about the second channel diameter.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a tapering coupler, the tapering coupler comprising
a housing with a first opening and a second opening in fluid communication through the housing, the first opening being sized for a first fluid flow component to couple to the housing, and the second opening being sized for a second fluid flow component to couple to the housing, the first fluid flow component and the second fluid flow component comprising a first fluid-carrying channel and a second fluid-carrying channel, respectively, the first fluid-carrying channel having a first channel diameter and the second fluid-carrying Channel having a second channel diameter, wherein the first channel diameter is larger than the second channel diameter; anda tapering element associated with the housing and configured to extend into the first fluid-carrying channel of the first fluid flow component when the first fluid flow component is coupled to the housing, with the first fluid-carrying channel of the first fluid flow component and the first opening of the housing in fluid communication, the tapering element comprising a tapering fluid-carrying channel which tapers in a direction back towards the housing from about the first channel diameter to about the second channel diameter.