Unbalanced Pressure Activated Valve Seal Assembly
AssigneeForce Pressure Control, LLC
InventorsJacob Startz, Dustin Nesloney, Jason Beck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention comprises a valve assembly with an unbalanced seal between sealing components of the valve assembly. For a gate valve assembly, an upstream seat may have a different outer diameter than a downstream seat, thereby creating an unbalanced seal with the gate. By increasing the sealing surface of the downstream gate/seat interface and by decreasing the sealing surface of the upstream gate/seat interface, the gate/seat interface may seal at lower pressures. A bidirectional seal is also disclosed that may prevent grease or sand from entering a cavity of the seat/pocket insert interface and assists with controlling the pressures and torque on the valve assembly.
Claims20
A valve assembly comprising:
- a gate that is configured to open and close a fluid passageway of said valve assembly;
- a first seat insert that is configured to seal against a first side of said gate, wherein said first seat insert comprises a single element with a first sealing surface that is at least configured to interface said gate;
- a second seat insert that is configured to seal against a second side of said gate, wherein said second seat insert comprises a single element with a second sealing surface that is at least configured to interface said gate;
- wherein said first sealing surface of said first seat insert has a larger diameter than said second sealing surface of said second seat insert, and wherein said fluid passageway has approximately the same diameter on said first side and said second side of said gate.
A gate valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body;
- a gate that is configured to open and close a fluid passageway within said valve body, wherein movement of said gate is configured to be at least partially controlled by at least one guide;
- a first seat insert that is configured to interface a first side of said gate at a first sealing surface, wherein said first seat insert is a first monolithic element of said gate valve assembly;
- a second seat insert that is configured to interface a second side of said gate at a second sealing surface, wherein said second seat insert is a second monolithic element of said gate valve assembly;
- wherein said first sealing surface is a larger than said second sealing surface.
A valve assembly to deliver fluid comprising:
- an insert that is configured to open a fluid passageway within said valve assembly, wherein at least one guide is configured to partially control a movement by said insert;
- a first seat that is configured to interface a first side of said insert at a first sealing surface of said first seat when said fluid passageway is open, wherein said first seat is configured to comprise a single component of said valve assembly;
- a second seat that is configured to interface a second side of insert at a second sealing surface of said second seat when said fluid passageway is open, wherein said second seat is configured to comprise a single component of said valve assembly;
- wherein said first seat has a larger diameter than said second seat, and wherein said first sealing surface is larger than said second sealing surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.