Spring-Loaded Valve Member Recess to Prevent Spring Walkout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pump systems, particularly those used in hydraulic fracturing, face issues with spring fatigue and premature failure due to radial expansion of spring bases, leading to reduced sealing effectiveness and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a spring recess or groove into the valve member's top portion to restrict radial expansion of the spring base, combined with a thicker shoulder for improved heat dissipation and enhanced sealing element life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the spring is allowed to expand radially during compression, then the spring can accommodate larger compressive forces, but the spring base walks out leading to premature failure and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a spring recess with specific dimensional characteristics (depth and diameter) that differ from the surrounding valve member structure. This localized feature provides radial constraint exactly where needed at the spring base interface, while the rest of the valve member maintains its original design for force transmission and sealing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring recess acts as an intermediary structure between the spring and the valve member body. It mediates the interaction by providing a controlled interface that allows axial compression while preventing harmful radial expansion, thus protecting the spring from walkout failure without interfering with the overall valve operation.
2Reliability
If the spring base is constrained radially by the spring recess, then spring life is extended by preventing walkout, but the spring cannot expand fully to accommodate compressive forces
Solution Approach 1:
The spring recess provides localized radial constraint only at the spring base region, while allowing the rest of the spring body to expand and contract axially. This selective constraint prevents walkout failure without significantly limiting the spring's ability to accommodate compressive forces through axial deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the constraint from a three-dimensional radial constraint to a more controlled interface by using the depth dimension of the recess. The recess depth is designed to engage the spring base while the recess diameter allows sufficient axial movement, effectively using dimensional differentiation to resolve the contradiction between radial constraint and axial freedom.
3Reliability
If the spring recess depth is increased to better retain the spring, then spring retention is improved, but the contact area between spring and valve member moves lower affecting heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the spring recess depth as a critical parameter to achieve the right balance between spring retention and heat dissipation. The depth is specifically designed to engage sufficient spring coils for retention while maintaining an appropriate contact area position that allows heat to dissipate from the sealing element, demonstrating parameter optimization to resolve conflicting requirements.
4Force
If the spring recess diameter is increased to allow spring expansion, then compressive force capacity is improved, but spring base walkout occurs leading to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects the spring recess diameter as a critical parameter that balances two opposing requirements. The diameter is sized to be large enough to accommodate spring expansion during compression cycles but small enough to prevent the spring base from walking out radially. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between force capacity and retention.
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
The solution extends the life of both the spring and sealing elements, reducing maintenance intervals and operational costs by preventing spring base walkout and enhancing sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a spring biasing the valve member toward the valve seat
Implementation Method 2
the spring retaining recess blocking expansion of the at least one coil when the spring is compressed
Implementation Method 3
a thicker shoulder for improved heat dissipation and enhanced sealing element life
Data Source
AI summary
A valve member for a spring-loaded valve assembly includes a top portion having a spring retaining recess, the spring retaining recess extending into the top portion to form a void space, the void space to receive at least one coil of a spring, the spring retaining recess having a recess diameter that is smaller than a top portion diameter, wherein the recess diameter is larger than a rest diameter of a spring base including the coil, the spring retaining recess blocking expansion of the at least one coil when the spring is compressed. The valve member also includes a bottom portion coupled to the top portion. The valve member further includes a sealing element positioned axially below a shoulder of the top portion and legs coupled to the bottom portion.