Patent ID: 7549441

Claim:
A fluid inlet for dissipating energy of a fluid that flows through said fluid inlet, said fluid inlet comprising: an inlet well including a bottom wall and a first side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said first side wall and said bottom wall forming a chamber; a first port cluster and a second port cluster located in said inlet well, each said port cluster including a first port and a second port located in said inlet well generally adjacent one another, each said port being in fluid communication with said chamber, wherein the first port and the second port are spaced closer than the spacing between the first and second port clusters; a plurality of first directional deflectors, each said first directional deflector associated with a respective first port; and a plurality of second directional deflectors, each said second directional deflector associated with a respective second port; whereby said first directional deflector of said first port cluster is adapted to direct fluid flow from said first port of said first port cluster, and said second directional deflector of said second port cluster is adapted to direct fluid flow from said second port of said second port cluster, such that the fluid flow from said first port of said first port cluster and the fluid flow from said second port of said second port cluster are directed toward one another to impinge upon one another and dissipate energy.