Systems, assemblies, apparatuses, and methods providing enhanced fluid seal for high-power pumps

A high-power pump comprising:

• (a) a power end;
• (b) a fluid end connected to the power end, the fluid end including a fluid end housing at least partially defining an access port;
• (c) a cover received in the access port;
• and
• (d) a seal positioned between the cover and the access port to provide a fluid seal between the cover and the fluid end housing, the seal comprising:
• an annular seal body having:
• (1) a groove face positioned to face an annular groove of one of the cover or the fluid end housing,
• (2) a sealing face opposite the groove face,
• (3) a first lateral face extending between the groove face and the sealing face, and
• (4) a second lateral face opposite the first lateral face and extending between the groove face and the sealing face;
• the annular seal body also having a seal cross-section at least partially defined by the groove face, the sealing face, the first lateral face, and the second lateral face, the seal cross-section having:
• (i) a groove edge at least partially defined by the groove face, the groove edge being at least partially convex,
• (ii) a sealing edge at least partially defined by the sealing face, the sealing edge being at least partially concave and having a protrusion between the first lateral face and the second lateral face,
• (iii) a first lateral edge at least partially defined by the first lateral face;
• and
• (iv) a second lateral edge at least partially defined by the second lateral face, the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge being oblique with respect to one another,
• the first lateral edge and the sealing edge defining a sealing edge intersection, the groove edge defining a groove edge apex, the protrusion defining a protrusion apex, the sealing edge intersection and a groove edge apex defining a first radial dimension, and the groove edge apex and a protrusion apex defining a second radial dimension less than the first radial dimension, and one or more of the groove face, the sealing face, the first lateral face, or the second lateral face being positioned to cause the seal to deform in the groove of the one of the fluid end housing or the cover as the fluid end presses against the protrusion in a direction toward the groove face, thereby to expand the annular seal body laterally outward from the first lateral face and the second lateral face, thereby to enhance the fluid seal between the cover and the fluid end housing.

A seal to enhance a fluid seal between an outer surface of a first component having a substantially circular cross-section and an inner surface of a second component, the seal comprising:

• an annular seal body having:
• (a) a groove face positioned to face a groove of one of the first component or the second component;
• (b) a sealing face opposite the groove face and positioned to face away from the groove face;
• (c) a first lateral face extending between the groove face and the sealing face;
• and
• (d) a second lateral face opposite the first lateral face and extending between the groove face and the sealing face;
• the annular seal body also having a seal cross-section at least partially defined by the groove face, the sealing face, the first lateral face, and the second lateral face, the seal cross-section having:
• (i) a groove edge at least partially defined by the groove face, the groove edge being at least partially convex and at least partially defining a groove edge radius;
• (ii) a sealing edge at least partially defined by the sealing face, the sealing edge being at least partially concave and having a protrusion between the first lateral face and the second lateral face,
• (iii) a first lateral edge at least partially defined by the first lateral face;
• (iv) a second lateral edge at least partially defined by the second lateral face, the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge being oblique with respect to one another, and
• (v) one of more of (1) a first rounded transition between the groove edge and the first lateral edge or (2) and a second rounded transition between the groove edge and the second lateral edge,
• the first lateral edge and the sealing edge defining a sealing edge intersection, the groove edge defining a groove edge apex, the protrusion defining a protrusion apex, the sealing edge intersection and a groove edge apex defining a first radial dimension less than the groove edge radius, and the groove edge apex and a protrusion apex defining a second radial dimension less than the first radial dimension, and one or more of the groove face, the sealing face, the first lateral face, or the second lateral face being positioned to cause the seal to deform in the groove of the one of the first component or the second component when the other of the first component or the second component presses against the protrusion in a direction toward the groove face, thereby to expand the annular seal body laterally outward from the first lateral face and the second lateral face, thereby to enhance the fluid seal between the first component and the second component when positioned in an annular groove of a high-power pump.