Valve poppets and valve seats for high-speed reciprocating compressor capacity unloaders

An unloader valve assembly for a reciprocating compressor, comprising:

• a) a clearance pocket having a volume;
• b) a support dome including a plurality of support dome ports, wherein each of the plurality of support dome ports communicates with the clearance pocket;
• c) a valve guard including:
• i) a plurality of poppet guide recesses;
• ii) a plurality of poppets, wherein each of the plurality of recesses houses one of the plurality of poppets, each of the plurality of poppets having an upper sealing surface and a lower sealing surface;
• iii) a plurality of valve guard seating surfaces for contacting the upper sealing surfaces of the plurality of poppets, wherein each of the plurality of valve guard seating surfaces contacts an upper sealing surface of one of the plurality of poppets;
• iv) a spacer plate portion comprising a plurality of posts for supporting the valve guard against the support dome, wherein the spacer plate and the support dome form a control pressure chamber, wherein each of the plurality of posts include a central port which communicates with one of the plurality of support dome ports;
• v) a plurality of control pressure ports, each of the plurality of control pressure ports located in the spacer plate portion between the plurality of posts, wherein each of the plurality of control pressure ports communicates with the control pressure chamber and with one of the plurality of poppet guide recesses;
• and
• d) a valve seat including:
• i) a valve seat cushioning plate for reducing the magnitude of impact stresses acting on the head end of the poppet, the valve seat cushioning plate including a plurality of valve seat seating surfaces for contacting the lower sealing surfaces of the plurality of poppets, wherein each of the plurality of valve seat seating surfaces contacts a lower sealing surface of one of the plurality of poppets;
• and
• ii) a plurality of valve seat ports, wherein each of the plurality of valve seat ports communicates with a cylinder of a reciprocating compressor.