Gate valve for fracking
AssigneeWorldwide Oilfield Machine, Inc.
InventorANAND KALIMUTHU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses a gate valve with an upper side and lower side relative to the throughbore whereby the lower side is defined by a non-circular outer body. The outer surface could be oval, elliptical, non-circular but with rounded surfaces entirely around or partially around the lower body. The outer surface could be rectangular. The resulting shape reduces the amount of material required and the weight of the valve.
Claims20
A gate valve for oil and gas well operations, comprising:
- a valve body having a throughbore extending therethrough and a body cavity oriented transversely to said throughbore;
- said valve body having an outer circumferential surface that is continuously curved and non-circular in cross-section;
- a gate disposed within said body cavity and movable along an axis between an open position and a closed position;
- and
- wherein said valve body has a first total volume for a given throughbore diameter and pressure rating that is less than a second total volume of a gate valve body having a circular outer circumference for said given throughbore diameter and pressure rating.
A gate valve for hydraulic fracturing operations, comprising:
- a valve body having a throughbore and a body cavity intersecting said throughbore;
- a gate disposed within said body cavity and movable between an open position and a closed position, said gate having an opening therethrough and a blank sealing portion;
- a mechanical debris-exclusion assembly comprising at least one plate disposed adjacent a side of said gate and in sliding engagement therewith, said at least one plate positioned to cover said opening when said gate is in said closed position;
- and
- wherein said gate valve is configured to prevent proppant ingress into said body cavity during fracturing operations exclusively through mechanical exclusion by said at least one plate without requiring injection of grease into said body cavity.
A debris-exclusion assembly for a gate valve, comprising:
- a top plate having an opening configured to receive a valve stem;
- first and second skirt plates connected to said top plate and extending downwardly therefrom, said first and second skirt plates configured to be disposed on opposite sides of a gate;
- a plurality of spacers extending outwardly from each of said first and second skirt plates, said spacers positioned to engage opposing walls of a gate valve body cavity;
- and
- wherein said spacers are configured to limit deflection of said first and second skirt plates away from said gate in response to a pressure differential between a gate opening and said body cavity when said gate is in a closed position.
A gate valve, comprising:
- a valve body having a throughbore and a body cavity intersecting said throughbore, said body cavity having a non-circular cross-section portion below said throughbore comprising at least two flat walls;
- a gate disposed within said body cavity and movable along an axis between an open position and a closed position, said gate having a rectangular cross-section portion complementing said non-circular cross-section portion of said body cavity;
- wherein said rectangular cross-section portion of said gate is guided during movement by engagement with said at least two flat walls of said body cavity;
- and
- a seat disposed on each side of said gate, each seat having a sealing end engaging said gate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.