Valves and valve actuation – Valve – Seats
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-21
2003-11-04
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3754)
Valves and valve actuation
Valve
Seats
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641112
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to valves and valve seats, of the type used in general in hydraulic bodies for piston reciprocating pumps, being their main object the provision of an optimized valve and valve seat wherein a quadruple seal is provided assuring the closure tightness under all working conditions.
An important object of the instant invention is the arrangement which specially takes into account the assembling and disassembling operations for maintenance purposes, particularly in critical and severe installation requirements, as is the case in oil wells.
The main problem inherent to equipment employed in oil fields, including reciprocating pumps, is that originated by the valves used in the crude oil pumping circuit. The extremely severe operating conditions are strongly influenced by several factors such as temperature, pressures higher than those of the equipment, the aggression of the product per se and of materials such as sand, sludge, water and bacterial attack. These factors produce the quick wear of the valves included in the pumping hydraulic circuit and affect these valves such that they should be replaced after periods of time so short as 30 days.
This disadvantage is of concern since it affects production when the valve is not replaced at the proper time, further including the labor cost and that of spare parts. This situation is particularly notorious in those wells subject to recovery techniques, wherein water of the formation is sometimes injected, which increases the natural temperature of the product stored deep into the earth, which is commonly of higher viscosity. As a consequence the great amount of water, sludge and sand entrained quickly corrode the seats and valves of the equipment, thus turning it inoperative due to the high economic losses involved.
On the other hand, the relatively high temperatures involved result in dilatation of the pump body and of the valve seat support, which allows displacement of the seal away from its normal position, thus completely destroying its action.
Sometimes, the failure is produced at the tank level control, this resulting in overflow or emptying thereof. The filter blocking causes low suction and the corresponding negative hydraulic pressure, thus stopping the pumping action.
The above mentioned disadvantages result in the mandatory disassembly of the valve body to replace the valve and its seat. Frequently, the metal seat is nailed to the body, removal thereof being extremely difficult, requiring the use of large lever removers, heat dilatation of the body using a torch and removal of the seat, in some cases by oxy-cut. All these tasks increase cost and also the time involved in repairing the valve, thus decreasing safety.
The object of the invention is to facilitate maintenance operation and reduce the frequency between subsequent replacements, due to the fact that its special structure increases duration of the arrangement, specially in the cases of extremely severe operative conditions, as mentioned.
An additional object of the arrangement of the invention is its use as a spare part for any kind of pump employing seats and valves of the mentioned kind. Therefore, the shape and dimensions of the seat and of the valve per se are maintained, and the elements are manufactured in this case in three basic sizes to comply with the existing equipment. The only modification required could be the part of the body seat support which is adapted to the particular pump. Thus, the inventory of spare parts is reduced to a minimum and the only requirement is machining at the proper time the seat support required, thus giving a quick answer to a request for a determined part.
An alternative embodiment of the invention only affects the portion of the seat support which may be manufactured as an independent part or may be a part integrating the hydraulic body of the pump to which is applied, according to the features of the requested spare part. The same occurs with the nature of the seat of the sealing part which, apart from being frustoconical as is common at an angle of about 65°, it may also be planar at 90° without varying the concept of the invention.
A very important factor to be considered of basic interest for the advantage afforded by the invention is that referred to maintenance tasks during which operators are in contact with the fluid being pumped. It is known that during the preparation and pumping steps of oil wells toxic chemical products are used, which obviously are damaging for the operators working with such products and metering them, in spite of the safety measures taken. As mentioned, the contact during reparation of each unit with such chemicals is unavoidable. Since the invention reduces considerably the need of several maintenance operations, the pollution risk also decreases, thus preserving the operators health.
PRIOR ART
Arrangements similar to that of the invention are already known. Examples thereof are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,568 refers to “Improvements in valves and seats therefor”. This patent deals with a process for constructing check valves, discharge valves, and others. This invention relates to the combination of metal and non metal parts manufactured with refractory semi-plastic materials, such as those known at that time, such as ebonite, vulcanized rubber, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,291, “Improvements in the manufacturing of washing plugs and valves of general use”. This invention was used in plugs, valves and seats of general use. It discloses practicing slots, recesses and cuts in order to locate a metal washer with which the contact and blocking region was defined for closing or regulated the passage of liquid, vapor or gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,773 relates to “Improvements to valves and washing plugs”, additional to the previous patent. In this patent, valve vanes have a longitudinal helical shape and provides the washing plugs with a part freely rotating within the plug, which carries a seal washer of the parent patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 32,203, “Check Valve”. Among other members, it is comprised by an inner diaphragm having a central suction hole for housing the cone of a pump valve, forming a seat on which said check pump valve acts. Over the pump valve its housing has alignment and fastening guides for the retainer fitted into the slots by means of ears. The lower conical portion of the pump valve ends in a cylindrical shape as a guide for centering it into the suction and fastening hole above its seat. The pump valve includes a disk connecting the gasket and the retainer with years preventing the removal of the pump valve from its position.
U.S. Pat. No. 33,753, “Improved Diaphragm Valve”; U.S. Pat. No. 58,492, “Check Valve made of a Resilient Material Disk” and U.S. Pat. No. 109,400 use blocking members made of resilient material which may not be used in the field of the product to be described.
U.S. Pat. No. 161,862 relates to a “Ball Valve seat ring”, which being spherical, substantially differs from the object of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 198,828 refers to “A seal closure to be used in the construction of a fluid valve”. It is comprised by three members. The first member is movable with respect to the second member, which has a port communicating with he first member. The third member is located opposite to the second one. The closure includes a port seal portion adapted to be extended through the port, its inner edge being adapted for being in tight contact with the first member, and a body portion surrounding the port seal portion whose opposite sides are against the second and third member and in tight contact therewith and the fluid at the port urges the cited edge of the port seal portion towards a tight contact with the first member. This is a different structure which is not able to withstand high pressures due to its construction. It does not constitute an antecedent for the arrangement of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 209,373 refers to “Improvements in the functional structure of disk valves”. It relates to a body divided into two eq
Antoff Hector Alberto
Antoff Jorge Osvaldo
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Keasel Eric
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