Over pressure relief system for fluid ends
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsCurtis John Graham, Samuel Jaroslav Stafl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A relief valve assembly includes a housing assembly defining a chamber therein. The relief valve assembly includes a piston. The piston may be at least partially disposed within the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes a pilot inlet. The pilot inlet may be configured to provide a pilot pressure proximate a second end of the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes an overpressure inlet sealed from a first end of the chamber by the piston. The overpressure inlet may be configured to provide an inlet pressure which may actuate the piston when the inlet pressure exceeds the pilot pressure.
Claims14
A fluid end for a well stimulation pump, the fluid end comprising:
- a fluid end housing including a compression area;
- a discharge conduit in valved communication with the compression area;
- a suction cavity in valved communication with the compression area;
- an access port in valved communication with the compression area;
- a relief valve assembly located in the access port, the relief valve assembly including
- a housing assembly defining a chamber therein, the chamber having a first end and a second end;
- a pilot inlet in fluid communication with the discharge conduit and the second end of the chamber, the pilot inlet configured to provide a pilot pressure proximate the second end of the chamber;
- an overpressure inlet adjacent the first end of the chamber;
- an overpressure outlet extending from the chamber and adjacent to the first end of the chamber;
- a piston at least partially disposed within the chamber,
- the piston sealably engaged to the chamber,
- the piston fluidly separating the first end from the second end,
- the piston actuatable between a first position, the piston preventing fluid communication between the overpressure inlet and the overpressure outlet, and a second position, the piston allowing fluid communication between the overpressure inlet, the overpressure outlet, and the suction cavity.
A method for managing pressure of a fluid mixture in a compression area of a fluid end for a well stimulation pump, the fluid mixture in fluid communication with a relief valve assembly having a chamber therein, the chamber having a first end, a second end, and an actuatable piston therein, the piston having a first end and a second end, the first end of the chamber sealed by the first end of the piston, the first end of the piston in fluid communication with the compression area, the method comprising:
- suctioning the fluid mixture from a suction cavity into the compression area;
- pumping the fluid mixture out of the compression area into a discharge cavity and expelling the fluid mixture through a discharge conduit;
- generating a pilot pressure against the second end of the piston by the discharge conduit in fluid communication with the second end of the chamber;
- when the pressure of the compression area exceeds the pilot pressure,
- actuating the piston to unseal the first end of the chamber, allowing the fluid mixture to flow from the compression area to the suction cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.