Tunable Fluid End Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure reciprocating pumps used in fracking operations experience significant vibration-induced damage due to the wide pressure variations across check valves, leading to reliability issues and fatigue failures, as conventional rigid check valves convert kinetic energy into high-amplitude mechanical shocks that excite destructive resonances in the pump housing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of tunable fluid ends with components such as tunable check valve assemblies, valve seats, radial arrays, and plunger seals that down-shift the frequency domain of valve-closure impulses and selectively dampen vibrations at critical frequencies, converting kinetic energy into heat to reduce the excitation of resonances and minimize damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid check valves are used, then valve closure force is sufficient to seal at high pressures, but valve-closure impact energy converts to high-amplitude mechanical shocks causing vibration-induced damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a compliant valve body material that absorbs impact energy during valve closure. The compliant material acts as a pre-positioned energy absorber that prevents the conversion of kinetic energy into high-amplitude mechanical shocks, thereby protecting the pump housing from vibration-induced damage while maintaining sealing effectiveness at high pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the valve body from rigid to compliant, altering its mechanical properties. This parameter change allows the valve body to deform elastically during closure, dissipating impact energy and reducing the amplitude of transmitted shocks to the pump housing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing force and reliability.
2Device complexity
If conventional rigid check valves are used, then valve structure is simple, but wide pressure variations excite destructive resonances in pump housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the valve body from rigid to compliant, which fundamentally alters how the valve responds to pressure variations. The compliant material allows the valve to absorb and dampen pressure-induced vibrations, preventing the excitation of destructive resonances in the pump housing while maintaining a relatively simple valve structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material characteristics by combining the sealing functionality of a check valve with the vibration-damping properties of compliant material. This effective composite approach allows the single valve body to perform both sealing and vibration mitigation functions, addressing the harmful vibration effects without significantly increasing structural complexity.
3Stress or pressure
If peak pumped-fluid pressures increase to 22,000 psi, then pumping capability is improved, but valve-closure shock forces increase to 50,000-150,000 pounds causing cumulative damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by using a compliant valve body that is pre-configured to absorb the high impact forces generated at 22,000 psi operating pressures. The compliant material acts as a shock absorber that reduces the 50,000-150,000 pound closure forces into lower-amplitude impulses, preventing cumulative damage while allowing the pump to operate at high pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the valve body from rigid to compliant, enabling it to deform and absorb impact energy during closure. This parameter change allows the system to maintain high operating pressures while reducing the transmitted impact forces that cause cumulative damage to the pump housing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces valve-generated vibration, minimizing the likelihood of fatigue cracking and corrosion fatigue, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of frac pumps by dissipating a significant portion of the valve-closure energy as heat, rather than transmitting it as destructive vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
the viscoelastic body elements have been tuned to the resonant frequency of the pump housing to which the check valve assembly is installed, so that the hysteresis damping of the viscoelastic body elements is maximized at that frequency
Implementation Method 2
the viscoelastic body elements have been tuned to the resonant frequency of the pump housing to which the check valve assembly is installed, so that the hysteresis damping of the viscoelastic body elements is maximized at that frequency
Data Source
AI summary
Tunable fluid ends reduce valve-generated vibration to increase fluid-end reliability. Tunable fluid end embodiments comprise a family, each family member comprising a fluid end housing with at least one installed tunable component chosen from: tunable check valve assemblies, tunable valve seats, tunable radial arrays and/or tunable plunger seals. Each tunable component, in turn, contributes to blocking excitation of fluid end resonances, thus reducing the likelihood of fluid end failures associated with fatigue cracking and/or corrosion fatigue. By down-shifting the frequency domain of each valve-closing impulse shock, initial excitation of fluid end resonances is minimized. Subsequent damping and/or selective attenuation of vibration likely to excite one or more predetermined (and frequently localized) fluid end resonances represents further optimal use of fluid end vibration-control resources.