Verdantas (formerly Alden Research Laboratories) was engaged to solve a complex flow control challenge for a nuclear facility requiring a highly specialized multi-stage orifice assembly. The system needed to reliably deliver a very specific design pressure drop of over 2000psi when subjected to a flow rate of 100 gallons per minute. Traditional valves require maintenance and contain moving parts, while simple orifice plates induce noise and damaging cavitation. The unique multi-state orifice allows a controlled pressure drop while managing cavitation and avoiding any moving parts or maintenance requirements. The key technical hurdle was designing a compact, seven-stage orifice that could meet these specifications without inducing cavitation, all while maintaining manufacturability and long-term performance.

To address this, Verdantas developed a modular orifice assembly and employed a rigorous, iterative design process. Initial configurations were modeled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), followed by extensive physical testing in a custom-built loop. Each stage of the orifice was evaluated for sensitivity to bore diameter, spacing, thickness, surface finish, and leading-edge sharpness. The team conducted 24 tests in total, refining the design to ensure that the final configuration met the target resistance within 2%, which corresponds to a flow rate deviation of less than 1%.

The final qualified design demonstrated exceptional performance. It was confirmed to be cavitation-free, self-venting, and robust against downstream pressure variations, including the presence of a check valve. The testing also established clear manufacturing tolerances, ensuring that the assembly could be reliably reproduced without compromising performance. All work was conducted under a quality assurance program compliant with 10CFR50 Appendix B, ensuring the design met the rigorous standards required for nuclear applications.