Unbalanced pressure activated valve seal assembly
AssigneeForce Pressure Control, LLC
InventorsJacob Startz, Dustin Nesloney, Jason Beck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention comprises a valve assembly with an unbalanced seal between sealing components of the valve assembly. For a gate valve assembly, an upstream seat may have a different outer diameter than a downstream seat, thereby creating an unbalanced seal with the gate. By increasing the sealing surface of the downstream gate/seat interface and by decreasing the sealing surface of the upstream gate/seat interface, the gate/seat interface may seal at lower pressures. A bidirectional seal is also disclosed that may prevent grease or sand from entering a cavity of the seat/pocket insert interface and assists with controlling the pressures and torque on the valve assembly.
Claims17
A valve assembly comprising:
- a gate that is configured to move in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the flow of liquid through a body of the valve assembly;
- a first seat insert that is configured to seal against a first side of said gate, wherein said first seat insert comprises a single element with a first sealing surface that is at least configured to interface said gate during operation;
- a second seat insert that is configured to seal against a second side of said gate, wherein said second seat insert comprises a single element with a second sealing surface that is at least configured to interface said gate during operation;
- wherein said first sealing surface of said first seat insert has a larger diameter than said second sealing surface of said second seat insert;
- wherein a first and a second gate guide are configured to interface with said gate.
A gate valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body;
- a gate that is configured to open and close a fluid passageway within said valve body;
- a first seat insert that is configured to interface a first side of said gate at a first sealing surface, wherein said first seat insert is a first monolithic element of said gate valve assembly;
- a second seat insert that is configured to interface a second side of said gate at a second sealing surface, wherein said second seat insert is a second monolithic element of said gate valve assembly;
- wherein said first seat insert has a larger diameter than said second seat insert, and wherein said first sealing surface is a larger than said second sealing surface;
- wherein a first and a second gate guide are configured to interface with said gate.
A valve assembly for use in frac operations to deliver fluid to a well site comprising:
- an insert that is configured to open a fluid passageway within said valve assembly;
- a first seat that is configured to interface a first side of said insert at a first sealing surface of said first seat when said fluid passageway is open, wherein said first seat is configured to comprise a single component of said valve assembly;
- a second seat that is configured to interface a second side of insert at a second sealing surface of said second seat when said fluid passageway is open, wherein said second seat is configured to comprise a single component of said valve assembly;
- wherein said first seat has a larger diameter than said second seat, and wherein said first sealing surface is larger than said second sealing surface;
- wherein a first and a second gate guide are configured to interface with said gate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.