Positive Displacement Pump and Suction Valve Module Therefor

A suction valve module for a pump, comprising:

• a housing including flow bore extending therethrough along a valve axis, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the flow bore includes a reduced diameter portion at the second end of the housing forming a fluid passageway for fluid to exit the housing;
• a fluid inlet extending through the housing an inlet axis to the flow bore, wherein the inlet axis is skewed relative to the valve axis;
• a valve cage coaxially disposed in the flow bore, wherein the valve cage includes a first end, a second end, a cylindrical side wall disposed between the first end and the second end of the valve cage, an interior chamber disposed within the side wall between the first end and the second end of the valve cage, and a plurality of apertures extending radially through the side wall to the interior chamber;
• a valve seat having an annular seating surface disposed in the flow bore;
• and
• a poppet valve member configured to reciprocate axially relative to the valve axis within the flow bore;
• a biasing member configured to bias an annular sealing surface of the poppet valve member into engagement with the annular sealing surface of the valve seat.

A reciprocating pump, comprising:

• a power end configured to reciprocate a piston within a cylinder;
• a fluid end coupled to the power end and configured to draw fluid into the pump when the piston moves in a first direction and to discharge fluid from the pump when the piston moves in a second direction opposite the first direction, the fluid end further comprising:
• a suction valve module;
• a discharge module;
• a fluid flow passage extending between the suction valve module and the discharge valve module and providing fluid communication therebetween;
• wherein the suction valve module comprises:
• a fluid inlet for conveying fluid into the suction valve module in a first direction;
• a suction valve assembly disposed in the suction valve module, the suction valve assembly including a movable poppet element configured to reciprocate within the suction valve module along a valve axis that is skewed relative to the first direction;
• a housing block having a through-bore;
• and
• a valve cage disposed within the through-bore, the valve cage having a cylindrical side wall surrounding an interior chamber, the interior chamber being disposed between the valve inlet and the poppet element;
• wherein the sidewall includes a plurality of apertures disposed about the suction valve axis for allowing fluid to flow from the fluid inlet into the interior chamber before passing the poppet element.