Pump fluid end with positional indifference for maintenance

A pump comprising:

• a reciprocating element adapter, a pump fluid end and a pump power end, wherein the pump fluid end and the pump power end are separated by a minimum spacing distance, wherein the pump fluid end comprises a pump fluid end body having therein a reciprocating element bore in which, during operation, a reciprocating element is reciprocated via the pump power end via connection of a tail end of the reciprocating element to the reciprocating element adapter, wherein the reciprocating element adapter is coupled with a pushrod and crankshaft of the pump power end, wherein the minimum spacing distance is an axial distance measured along the central axis between a back of the pump fluid end and a front end of the reciprocating element adapter when the crankshaft of the pump power end is at top dead center (TDC), wherein the back of the pump fluid end is proximal the pump power end, wherein the pump fluid end is a concentric bore pump fluid end, and wherein the reciprocating element adapter comprises an inlet port and provides a fluid flow path for a fluid being pumped by the pump through the inlet port of the reciprocating element adapter to a suction valve assembly associated with a front end of the reciprocating element, and wherein the pump fluid end comprises a packing assembly, wherein the packing assembly comprises a packing screw, a packing carrier, and a packing, wherein the packing screw, the packing carrier, and the packing are each cylindrical and have a width measured along a central axis thereof that is less than the minimum spacing distance, wherein the central axis thereof is coaxial with a central axis of the pump fluid end, wherein a front side of the packing carrier distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the packing proximate the pump power end, wherein at least a portion of a front side of the packing screw distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the packing carrier proximate the pump power end, and the packing screw is coupled with an inside surface of a reciprocating element bore within a pump fluid end body of the pump fluid end, whereby the packing screw retains the packing carrier and the packing within the pump fluid end body during operation of the pump, and wherein the back side of the packing carrier is entirely inside the pump fluid end, such that the packing carrier does not extend axially beyond a back of the pump fluid end,
• wherein the pump power end is operable to reciprocate the reciprocating element along a path within the reciprocating element bore of the pump fluid end during operation of the pump, when the tail end of the reciprocating element is coupled to the reciprocating element adapter and the reciprocating element adapter is coupled with the pushrod and crankshaft of the pump power end, and
• wherein the reciprocating element comprises:
• a uniform outer circumference from the tail end to a front end axially opposite the tail end, wherein the front end is distal the pump power end, wherein the front end comprises one or more tool engagement features positioned about an outer circumference of the front end of the reciprocating element, wherein the one or more tool engagement features are adapted to engage a corresponding one or more reciprocating element engagement features of a reciprocating element end of a tool, such that the reciprocating element is operable to be be rotated, pulled, and/or pushed within the reciprocating element bore via the tool.

A method of maintaining a pump, the method comprising:

• accessing a reciprocating element of a pump fluid end of a pump comprising the pump fluid end and a pump power end, wherein the pump fluid end and the pump power end have a minimum spacing distance therebetween,
• wherein the pump power end is operable to reciprocate the reciprocating element along a central axis of and within a reciprocating element bore of the pump fluid end during operation of the pump, wherein a tail end of the reciprocating element is coupled to a front end of a reciprocating element adapter, wherein the reciprocating element adapter is coupled to a pushrod and crankshaft of the pump power end, and wherein the pump fluid end is a concentric bore pump fluid end, and wherein the reciprocating element adapter comprises an inlet port and provides a fluid flow path for a fluid being pumped by the pump through the inlet port of the reciprocating adapter to a suction valve assembly associated with a front end of the reciprocating element,
• wherein the pump fluid end comprises the reciprocating element, the reciprocating element bore, and a packing assembly, wherein the packing assembly comprises a packing screw, a packing carrier, and a packing, wherein the packing screw, the packing carrier, and the packing are each cylindrical and have a width measured along a central axis thereof that is less than a minimum spacing distance, wherein the central axis thereof is coaxial with a central axis of the reciprocating element bore, wherein the packing is positioned within the reciprocating element bore toward a back of the pump fluid end proximate the pump power end, wherein a front side of the packing carrier distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the packing proximate the pump power end, and wherein at least a portion of a front side of the packing screw distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the packing carrier proximate the pump power end, and the packing screw is coupled with an inside surface of the reciprocating element bore, whereby the packing screw retains the packing carrier and the packing within the reciprocating element bore during operation of the pump, and
• wherein the minimum spacing distance is an axial distance along the central axis between the back of the pump fluid end and the front end of the reciprocating element adapter when the crankshaft of the pump power end is at top dead center (TDC), and wherein the back of the pump fluid end is proximal the pump power end;
• removing the reciprocating element from the pump fluid end;
• removing the packing screw, the packing carrier, and the packing from the pump fluid end, from the back thereof;
• inserting the packing or another packing, the packing carrier or another packing carrier, and the packing screw or another packing screw into the pump fluid end from the back thereof, whereby the inserted packing is positioned within the reciprocating element bore toward the back of the pump fluid end, wherein a front side of the inserted packing carrier distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the inserted packing proximate the pump power end, and wherein at least a portion of a front side of the inserted packing screw distal the pump power end is in contact with a back side of the inserted packing carrier proximate the pump power end, and the packing screw is coupled with an inside surface of the reciprocating element bore, whereby the inserted packing screw retains the inserted packing carrier and the inserted packing within the reciprocating element bore;
• inserting the or another reciprocating element into the pump fluid end;
• and
• coupling the tail end of the or the another reciprocating element to the reciprocating element adapter.

A method of servicing a wellbore, the method comprising:

• fluidly coupling a pump to a source of a wellbore servicing fluid and to the wellbore, wherein the pump comprises:
• a reciprocating element adapter, a pump fluid end and a pump power end, wherein the pump fluid end and the pump power end are separated by a minimum spacing distance,
• wherein the pump fluid end comprises a packing assembly, wherein the packing assembly comprises a packing screw, a packing carrier, and a packing, and wherein the packing screw, the packing carrier, and the packing are each cylindrical and have a width along a central axis thereof that is less than the minimum spacing distance,
• wherein the pump power end is operable to reciprocate a reciprocating element along a central axis of and within a reciprocating element bore of the pump fluid end during operation of the pump, and wherein a tail end of the reciprocating element is coupled to a front end of the reciprocating element adapter, wherein a tail end of the reciprocating element adapter is coupled with a pushrod and a crankshaft of the pump power end, and wherein the pump fluid end is a concentric bore pump fluid end, and wherein the reciprocating element adapter comprises an inlet port and provides a fluid flow path for the wellbore servicing fluid through the inlet port of the reciprocating adapter to a suction valve assembly associated with a front end of the reciprocating element, and
• wherein the minimum spacing distance is an axial distance along the central axis between a back of the pump fluid end and the front end of the reciprocating element adapter when the crankshaft of the pump power end is at top dead center (TDC), wherein the back of the pump fluid end is proximal the pump power end, wherein the packing and the packing carrier are positioned within the pump fluid end such that a back side of the packing axially proximate the pump power end contacts a front side of the packing carrier axially distal the pump power end, and wherein a back side of the packing carrier axially proximate the pump power end is entirely inside the pump fluid end, such that the packing carrier does not extend axially beyond the back of the pump fluid end;
• and
• communicating wellbore servicing fluid into the wellbore via the pump.