The CROSSTEP cage design is a breakthrough in the field of large pressure drop, low recovery, control valves.

Its absolutely original concept has made it possible the most important advance in many years to suppress cavitation or to avoid sonic conditions in heavy duty services.

The CROSSTEP cage is formed by a stack of grooved discs. Spiral shaped channels grooved in one disc follow opposite direction to the channels grooved in the adjacent disc.

Fluid streams, flowing inside the channels of adjoining discs, are forced to change direction as they impinge against each other.

The succession of turns and stream crashes generates intense turbulences and a stepped pressure reduction.

Channels sectional area increases as fluid pressure decreases, to account for larger specific volume, lower pressure step values.

RADIALLY BALANCED PLUG

The CROSSTEP cage assures a radially balanced plug without the need of a balancing ring channel.

Pressure differences in globe or angle valves, around the outer side of the cage, are balanced through the channels crossings network, there are not radial forces  applied to the plug, so that friction and wearing are reduced.

FLEXIBILITY

CROSSTEP can be adapted to suppress cavitation and reduce noise levels whichever  the service conditions.

The channels sectional area, the number of channels per disc, the impinging angle at every crossing and the number of crossings, are calculated to best suit every particular set of conditions.

DISCS AND CAGE INTEGRITY

 Spiral shaped grooved lines improve the discs rigidity.

On the other hand, the full sectional thickness lanes of the opposite discs, going alternatively clock and anticlockwise, reinforce each other.

Either welded or/and pinned, the  integrity of the CROSSTEP cage is guaranteed.

NO DEAD TRAVEL

Contrarily to other designs, the plug travel varies continuously the uncovered area: when one row of grooves is completely open, the next one starts to open and there is no any dead stroke.

The total travel for a given valve size and Cv value is reduced as compared to the equivalent labyrinthine disc cage.

With standard valve bodies and plug travels, larger Cv values are obtained.  Alternatively, better Fl values are achieved.

Control valves provided with CROSSTEP cages offer higher Cv values and lower noise levels than other valves  with same size and conditions.

STANDARD BODY, SMALLER ACTUATOR

CROSSTEP cages height and outer diameter are designed to fit any standard globe or angle control valve body, and will give higher Cv and Fl values than equivalent disc cages, with lower travel actuators,

AS A SUMMARY CONTROL,  VALVES FITTED WITH CROSSTEP CAGES MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF SEVERE DUTY CONTROL VALVES AT THE COST OF STANDARD VALVES