FLOW CONTROL DEVICE

A flow control device has a body with side walls which define a fluid holding chamber, an inlet for allowing fluid to enter the chamber, and at least one outlet for allowing fluid to exit the chamber. A length of collapsible tubing is sealingly attached to each outlet and extends into the fluid holding chamber. A mechanical device is provided for selecting collapsing the tubing at a point which is spaced apart from the side walls of the chamber. When the tubing is collapsed at this point, the downstream pressure in the outlet decreases and the pressure of the fluid in the chamber causes the tubing between the location of the mechanical device and the side walls to collapse. The tubing is formed from a material having a durometer hardness rating selected on the basis of a fluid characteristic or on the basis of a characteristic of particle carried in the fluid. In the latter case, the tubing is selected to the soft enough to encapsulate and seal around particles in the collapsed seal area of the tubing. To open the valve, the mechanical device releases the tubing and the pressure of the fluid in the chamber causes the tubing to return to an uncollapsed state. One embodiment of the device has an arrangement for automatically opening the outlets when the temperature of the body increases beyond a predetermined level.