Dual-Thread Pump Stud Assembly for High-Pressure Preload Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fasteners in high-power pumps, particularly those used in hydraulic fracturing operations, fail prematurely due to inability to withstand high pressures, leading to increased downtime and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Use of studs with different thread forms at opposite ends, where one end has a buttress thread form for secure engagement with the fluid end block and the other end has a different thread form for engagement with a fastener, enhancing the reliability of connections between components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fasteners with uniform thread forms are used to connect components in high-power pumps, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fasteners fail prematurely under high pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The stud is designed with different thread forms at different locations (ends) to optimize performance for specific functions. The first end has a first thread form optimized for engagement with the fluid end block, while the second end has a second thread form optimized for engagement with the fastener. This local differentiation allows each end to be tailored for its specific loading conditions and functional requirements, thereby improving overall reliability without requiring a complete redesign of the entire fastening system.
Solution Approach 2:
The stud employs asymmetric thread forms where the thread geometry at one end differs from the thread geometry at the other end. This asymmetry enables the stud to handle directional loads and stress distributions more effectively, with each end configured to match the specific mechanical requirements of the components it connects. The asymmetric design resolves the contradiction by accepting increased structural complexity as a necessary trade-off for achieving superior reliability under high-pressure conditions.
2Reliability
If fasteners are designed to withstand high pressures, then connection reliability improves, but the service life decreases due to premature damage and failure
Solution Approach 1:
By assigning different thread forms to different ends of the stud, each end can be optimized for its specific functional requirements and loading conditions. This localized optimization ensures that the stud can withstand high pressures reliably while distributing stresses more evenly across the connection points, thereby preventing premature failure and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the thread forms at different ends of the stud. By varying thread pitch, diameter, angle, or other geometric parameters to create distinct thread forms, the stud achieves optimal mechanical performance for each connection point. This parameter differentiation allows the fastener to maintain reliable connections under high pressure while reducing stress concentrations that would otherwise lead to premature damage and shortened service life.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform thread forms are used on both ends of the stud, then manufacturing is simpler, but preload consistency deteriorates under high pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The stud incorporates different thread forms at different ends to optimize preload application and distribution. The first thread form at the fluid end block engagement is designed to achieve consistent preload under high-pressure conditions, while the second thread form at the fastener engagement is optimized for torque-to-preload conversion. This localized differentiation of thread geometry ensures precise and consistent preload application, resolving the contradiction by accepting increased manufacturing complexity as necessary to achieve the required precision in high-pressure environments.
Data Source
AI summary
Studs, assemblies, and related methods may provide enhanced reliability of connections between components in high-power pumps. A stud may include a stud body having an anchor end positioned to be threadedly engaged with a fluid end block, and a fastener end positioned to be threadedly engaged with a fastener, thereby to secure the component and the fluid end block to one another. The stud body may include external anchor threads at the anchor end of the stud body having a buttress thread form, thereby to secure the anchor end of the stud body to the fluid end block. The stud body also may include external fastener threads at the fastener end of the stud body, and the external fastener threads may have a thread form different than the external anchor threads of the anchor end of the stud body.