Pump housing with multiple discharge valves

Abstract

A plunger pump fluid end housing assembly comprising: a fluid end housing, multiple plungers a single suction valve and seat corresponding with each said plunger, and one or more discharge valves and seats corresponding with each said plunger; wherein axes of said suction valve and seat are parallel with said plunger, the axes of said discharge valves and seats are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the said plunger axis, and the suction manifold is positioned to feed the fluid chamber opposite the power end of the fluid end.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates generally to high-pressure plunger pumps used, for example, in oil field operations. More particularly, the invention relates to an internal bore configuration that improves flow, improves cylinder filling, and incorporates structural features for stress-relief in high-pressure plunger pumps.BACKGROUND[0002]Engineers typically design high-pressure oil field plunger pumps in two sections; the (proximal) power section and the (distal) fluid section. The power section usually comprises a crankshaft, reduction gears, bearings, connecting rods, crossheads, crosshead extension rods, etc. Commonly used fluid sections usually comprise a plunger pump fluid end housing with multiple fluid chambers, each chamber having a suction valve in a suction bore, a discharge valve in a discharge bore, an access bore, and a plunger in a plunger bore, plus high-pressure seals, retainers, etc. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a typical fluid en...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a fluid end housing with multiple chambers that have aligned bores, reducing fluid energy loss. The design also includes multiple discharge valves and seats, with half the size of the suction valve. The discharge ports are smaller than the suction bore, reducing stress concentration. The peak stress at the bore intersection is less than 20% of conventional housings. The technical effect is a more efficient and reliable fluid end housing design.

Problems solved by technology

Each individual bore in a plunger pump fluid end housing is subject to fatigue due to alternating high and low pressures that occur with each stroke of the plunger cycle.

Both cross-bore blocks and Y-blocks have several major disadvantages when used to pump heavy slurry fluids as typically utilized in oilfield fracturing service.

A first disadvantage is related to the feeding of the plunger bore cavity on the suction stroke of the pump.

The second disadvantage of cross-bore blocks and Y-blocks relates to the large intersecting curved areas where the various bores intersect.

Because the intersection curve changes slope through three-dimensional space, this intersection cannot be easily chamfered or filleted by conventional machining techniques that would mitigate these stresses to a smaller extent.

Indeed, complex computer finite element stress analysis calculations indicate that chamfering or filleting the corner intersection has minimal effect on reducing the stresses at this corner intersection.

Y-Block fluid, such as those illustrated in FIG. 4, end housing designs do reduce this pitch, but the reduction is insufficient to prevent cyclic fatigue failure of the fluid end housing when subjected to high pressure and long pumping cycles.

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