Types of Choke Valves

Choke valves are critical flow control devices used to regulate flow rate and reduce pressure in oil, gas, and process piping systems. Different choke valve designs are used depending on pressure drop, erosion potential, noise, cavitation, and automation requirements.

This page outlines the most common types of choke valves and when each design is typically used.

What Is a Choke Valve?

A choke valve controls flow by creating a fixed or adjustable restriction in a pipeline. By reducing the effective flow area, the valve dissipates energy, lowers downstream pressure, and allows operators to regulate production rates or protect downstream equipment.

Choke valves are commonly installed on wellheads, production manifolds, separators, test lines, and pressure control systems.

Disc / Orifice Style Choke valves

Disc-style or orifice choke valves control flow using one or more calibrated flow paths through rotating or sliding discs.

Typical characteristics:

Fast operation
Compact design
Well suited for automation
Can be inline or angle body

Best suited for:

Automated flow control
Frequent adjustments
Applications with limited space

Plug and Cage Choke valves

Plug & Cage valves use a throttling plug that moves within a perforated cage to regulate flow.

Typical characteristics:

High flow capacity
Good controllability
Pressure-balanced designs available
Common in oil production and water injection

Best suited for:

Medium pressure drop
Moderate erosive service
Applications requiring smooth throttling control

External Sleeve Choke valves

External sleeve choke valves regulate flow using a sliding sleeve that controls the flow opening externally.

Typical characteristics:

Designed for severe erosive service
Excellent resistance to body wear
Handles high pressure drop at lower flow rates

Best suited for:

High pressure drop applications
Sand-producing or erosive services
Situations where body protection is critical

Multistage / Labyrinth Choke Valves

Multistage choke valves use multiple flow paths to gradually reduce pressure in stages.

Typical characteristics:

Excellent cavitation control
Reduced noise
Longer trim life in severe service

Best suited for:

Large pressure drops
Noise-sensitive installations
Severe service flow control

How to Choose the Right Choke Valve

Selecting the correct choke valve depends on several factors including:

Required pressure drop
Flow rate and Cv requirements
Presence of sand or erosive media
Noise and cavitation concerns
Manual vs automated operation

Choke Valve Solutions from New Star Flow Control

New Star Flow Control manufactures choke valves covering all major design types, including plug & cage, external sleeve, disc-style, and multistage designs.

Learn more about New Star choke valves and available configurations for your application.

New Star Choke Valves