Sleeved Fluid End Retention for Erosion-Resistant Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pumping systems used in hydraulic fracturing operations face issues with erosion and corrosion due to particulates and corrosive fluids, leading to sealing surface damage and costly repairs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing sleeve assemblies at different sealing interfaces within the fluid end, including sacrificial components made of high hardness materials, which can be easily replaced during maintenance, and securing sleeves via connections to the front face of the fluid end without using threaded components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing surfaces are used in pump systems handling particulate-laden fluids, then the system structure remains simple, but the sealing surfaces become eroded and damaged due to particulates and corrosive fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid end is segmented into multiple components: the main fluid end body and separate replaceable sleeves (packing sleeve, suction sleeve, valve sleeves). These sleeves are inserted into bores within the fluid end and retained by retainers, allowing the sealing surfaces to be divided into replaceable portions that can be independently maintained without replacing the entire fluid end assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeves are designed as sacrificial, replaceable components made from wear-resistant materials. When the sealing surfaces on the sleeves become eroded from contact with particulate-laden fluids, the sleeves can be removed and replaced with new ones, avoiding the need to replace the expensive main fluid end body. This follows the principle of using cheaper, replaceable components to protect more expensive permanent structures.
2Strength
If threaded components are used to secure sleeves within the fluid end, then the connection strength is improved, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection feature is extracted from the sleeve itself and placed in a separate retainer component. The retainers are installed in the fluid end body and provide the threaded or other securement mechanism, while the sleeves simply need to be inserted into the retainers. This separation simplifies sleeve manufacturing and installation while maintaining secure retention through the retainer's connection mechanism.
3Ease of repair
If the entire fluid end system must be disassembled to replace worn sealing components, then component accessibility is improved, but the maintenance time and system downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing components are segmented into separate, accessible sleeves that can be individually removed from the fluid end. The retainers are designed to allow sleeve removal without requiring disassembly of the entire fluid end assembly, enabling maintenance personnel to access and replace worn sleeves quickly while the pump remains assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers are pre-installed in the fluid end body, positioned to automatically engage and retain the sleeves upon insertion. This preliminary positioning of the retention mechanism eliminates the need for complex assembly steps during maintenance, allowing sleeves to be quickly swapped by simply removing the old sleeve and inserting a new one that self-secures in the pre-positioned retainer.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid end includes a first sleeve associated with a plunger bore, a second sleeve assembly associated with a suction bore, and a packing sleeve retainer positioned at the plunger bore to axially retain a packing sleeve of the first sleeve assembly within the plunger bore, the packing sleeve retainer being coupled to a front face of the fluid end. The fluid end further includes a suction ring positioned at the suction bore to axially retain a suction sleeve of the second sleeve assembly within the suction bore, the suction ring being coupled to a rear face of the fluid end.