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US 12,110,980 B2Granted
Pressure-balanced gate valve
AssigneeTech Energy Products, L.L.C.
InventorTodd Roberts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gate valve and method according to which a gate body extends within a valve cavity, a fluid bore extends through the gate body, and a passage extends from the fluid bore, through the gate body, and to the valve cavity. The valve cavity is pressurized with a lubricant to prevent, or at least resist, solid particles (e.g., sand, fines, debris, etc.) from entering the valve cavity. The valve cavity and the fluid bore are pressure balanced. In some embodiments, a flow valve, such as a check valve or one-way valve, is positioned within the passage.
Claims14
A method, comprising:
- providing a valve body and a gate apparatus, the valve body defining a valve cavity and the gate apparatus comprising:
- a gate, comprising:
- a gate body extending within the valve cavity, the gate body defining:
- opposing first and second side surfaces;
- opposing third and fourth side surfaces each extending between the opposing first and second side surfaces;
- and
- opposing first and second end portions each extending between the opposing first and second side surfaces, and between the opposing third and fourth side surfaces;
- a fluid bore extending through the gate body and through the first and second side surfaces;
- and
- a passage extending from the fluid bore, into the gate body, and to the valve cavity, the passage comprising:
- a first segment extending into the gate body from the fluid bore and toward the first end portion of the gate body;
- and
- a second segment extending angularly from the first segment and through the third side surface of the gate body;
- wherein the second segment is offset from the fluid bore along a length of the first segment;
- a flow valve positioned within the passage, the flow valve comprising:
- a valve seat;
- a valve member;
- and
- a biasing member adapted to urge the valve member against the valve seat;
- wherein the flow valve is configured to:
- block fluid flow from the fluid bore and through the flow valve;
- and
- permit fluid flow through the flow valve and into the fluid bore when a pressure differential across the flow valve reaches a predetermined pressure differential;
- preventing, or at least resisting, solid particles from entering the valve cavity, comprising pressurizing, with a lubricant, the valve cavity within which the gate body extends;
- and
- balancing respective pressures in the valve cavity and the fluid bore.
23 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a gate, comprising:
- a gate body, the gate body defining:
- opposing first and second side surfaces:
- opposing third and fourth side surfaces each extending between the opposing first and second side surfaces;
- and
- opposing first and second end portions each extending between the opposing first and second surfaces, and between the opposing third and fourth side surfaces;
- a first fluid bore extending through the gate body and through the first and second side surfaces;
- and
- a passage extending into the gate body from the first fluid bore, the passage comprising:
- a first segment extending into the gate body from the first fluid bore and toward the first end portion of the gate body;
- and
- a second segment extending angularly from the first segment and through the third side surface of the gate body;
- wherein the second segment is offset from the first fluid bore along a length of the first segment;
- a flow valve positioned within the passage, the flow valve comprising:
- a valve seat;
- a valve member;
- and
- a biasing member adapted to urge the valve member against the valve seat;
- wherein the flow valve is configured to:
- block fluid flow from the first fluid bore and through the flow valve;
- and
- permit fluid flow through the flow valve and into the first fluid bore when a pressure differential across the flow valve reaches a predetermined pressure differential.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.