Patent ID: 8322373

Claim:
A valve, comprising: a housing defining an inlet passage and an outlet passage; a flow control element disposed within the housing between the inlet and outlet passages, the flow control element including a plurality of fluid passageways, at least some of which are configured to facilitate energy loss in a fluid flowing therethrough; and a piston sleeve disposed within the housing and reciprocally moveable between a closed position whereat the piston sleeve is operative to prevent the flow of fluid from the inlet passage to the flow control element, and an open position whereat fluid is able to flow from the inlet passage, through at least a portion of the flow control element, and into the outlet passage, the piston sleeve comprising: a tubular main body portion defining a flow passage which fluidly communicates with the inlet passage; and a rigid flange portion protruding from and moveable with the main body portion, the flange being configured such that the selective application of fluid pressure to the flange portion is operative to facilitate the movement of the piston sleeve between the closed and open positions.