Tunable check valve

摘要

Tunable check valves reduce valve-generated vibration to increase the reliability of tunable fluid ends. Selected improved designs described herein reflect disparate applications of identical technical principles (relating to, e.g., the vibration spectrum of an impulse). Tunable check valve embodiments comprise a family including, but not limited to, tunable check valve assemblies, tunable valve seats, and tunable radial arrays. Each such tunable embodiment, 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 for improving high-pressure fluid end reliability.

主权项

1. A tunable check valve in a fluid end for high pressure pumping, said fluid end having at least one fluid-end resonant frequency;
wherein said tunable check valve is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and comprises a tunable check valve assembly and a tunable valve seat; wherein said tunable check valve assembly comprises a valve body having a peripheral valve seat interface, and further comprises a resilient seal in a peripheral groove, said tunable check valve assembly having a first plurality of tunable vibration dampers; wherein said tunable valve seat comprises a concave mating surface spaced longitudinally apart from a lateral support assembly, said tunable valve seat having a second plurality of tunable vibration dampers; wherein said first plurality of tunable vibration dampers comprises a circular tubular area in said resilient seal, and further comprises a central longitudinally-opposing fluid flow restrictor in fluid communication with a circular tubular area; wherein said second plurality of tunable vibration dampers comprises a plurality of circular viscoelastic support elements longitudinally spaced along said lateral support assembly, each said circular viscoelastic support element comprising a circular tubular area; and wherein said peripheral valve seat interface has a convex curvature with correspondingly greater curvature than said concave mating surface for achieving a circular rolling contact seal between said tunable check valve assembly and said tunable valve seat, said circular rolling contact seal having a rebound characteristic frequency similar to at least one said fluid-end resonant frequency.