I've been tasked with determining whether our subsea choke valves are at risk due to erosion. The design data is:flow of water = 4000 m3/day (SG = 0.96)flow of oil = 2000 m3/day (SG = 0.87)flow of NG = 1,800,000 Sm3/day (SG = 0.67)Calculated Cv = 300T1 = 95 deg CdP = 610 kPaThe realtime data is: dP = 7600 Kpa. The valve is operating about 35% open. I have the plot of valve travel vs. Cv. The current flow is about 5000 m3/day total fluids.My questions is, flow rate is currently almost at design, but at only 35% open. My guess is the U/S pressure is higher to push the same volume through a much smaller area. Obviously this would increse the velocity through the valve (plug and cage, linear). Will it increase the velocity so much as to cause erosion in the trim?It's not the pressure drop I'm concerned about. It's the velocity through the valve that may give problems. As stated earlier, the upstream operating pressure of the valve is spec'd at 8600 kPa (although MAWP is 10000 psi). However, the current U/S pressure is 11000 kPa resulting in a valve that doesn't need to be opened as wide to get the same flow. Getting the same flow through a smaller area means one thing.....increase in velocity through the valve. Does anyone have experience with erosion in subsea choke valves?

MORE NEWS