Experimental Study on the Flow Characteristics of a Plate with a Mechanically Choked Orifice

The mechanically choked orifice plate (MCOP) is a new type of device for flow control by which choking conditionsfor incompressible fluids can be obtained with relatively small pressure losses. Given the lack of relevant results anddata in the literature, in the present study, we concentrate on the experimental determination of the flow coefficientfor the annular orifice, the pressure distribution in the MCOP, and the characteristics of the choked flow itself. Asconfirmed by the experimental results, the Reynolds number, the orifice plate thickness, the plug taper, and theeccentricity have an obvious influence on the aforementioned flow coefficient. The pressure drop in the MCOPis mainly generated near the orifice plate, and the pressure upstream of the orifice plate is slightly reduced in theflow direction, while the pressure downstream of the orifice plate displays a recovery trend. The choked flow rateof the MCOP can be adjusted by replacing the spring with a maximum flow control deviation of 4.91%.