Drain-back check valve assembly

A drain-back check valve assembly comprising:

• a valve body including:
• a passageway having an inlet, an outlet and a peripheral inner surface circumferentially disposed around a central axis of the valve body, and
• a plurality of bypass ports extending substantially radially to the central axis from the inner surface to an outer surface of the valve body;
• and
• a main poppet valve assembly disposed in the passageway and moveable between a closed position which prevents fluid flow from the outlet to the inlet and an open position which allows fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet, the main poppet valve assembly including:
• a poppet disk, and
• a spool guide rigidly fixed to the disk, the guide having a guide sidewall circumferentially disposed around the central axis, the guide sidewall including a plurality of drain-back ports and a plurality of spool guide openings extending substantially radially to the central axis;
• wherein, when the main poppet valve assembly is in the closed position, fluid flow through the spool guide openings is prevented and the drain-back ports are aligned with the bypass ports to allow fluid flow through the bypass ports and,
• when the main poppet valve assembly is in the opened position, fluid flows through the spool guide openings, and the drain-back ports are not aligned with the bypass ports to prevent fluid flow through the bypass ports.

A method of operating a well system, the method including:

• providing a well pump disposed within the well system;
• providing a riser pipe disposed within the well and connected to a tank, the tank mounted on an above-ground surface;
• providing a drain-back check valve assembly including:
• a valve body including a passageway having an inlet connected to an outlet of the pump, an outlet connected to the riser pipe, and a plurality of bypass ports extending substantially radially to a central axis of the passageway, and
• a main poppet valve assembly disposed in the passageway and moveable between a closed position which prevents fluid flow from the outlet to the inlet and an open position which allows fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet, the main poppet valve assembly including a poppet disk, and a spool guide rigidly fixed to the disk, the guide having a guide sidewall which includes a plurality of drain-back ports and spool guide openings extending substantially radially to the central axis,
• wherein, when the main poppet valve assembly is in the closed position, fluid flow through the spool guide openings is prevented and the drain-back ports are aligned with the bypass ports to allow fluid flow through the bypass ports and,
• when the main poppet valve assembly is in the opened position, fluid flows through the spool guide openings and the riser pipe, and the drain-back ports are not aligned with the bypass ports to prevent fluid flow through the bypass ports;
• turning the pump on to pump fluid through the drain-back check valve assembly and the riser pipe to the tank, but not through the bypass ports;
• and
• turning the pump off to allow fluid to drain-back down the riser pipe, through the bypass ports and around outside surfaces of both the valve body the pump such that the riser pipe is drained of fluid down to the drain-back check valve assembly.