Fluid end for high-pressure fluid pumps

A fluid end for use in a high-pressure, reciprocating, fluid pump including a power end having at least one reciprocating plunger extending therefrom, the fluid end comprising:

• a cylinder including a bore therethrough for receiving the reciprocating plunger, the bore having a longitudinal axis;
• a valve body disposed at one end of the bore, the valve body including a suction valve seat and a discharge valve seat, the suction valve seat and discharge valve seats in substantially coaxial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the bore;
• a suction valve including a rigid disk having a circumferential conical surface formed thereon, the circumferential conical surface having a layer of elastomeric, abrasion-resistant material formed thereon to matingly and sealingly engage the suction valve seat;
• a discharge valve formed substantially identically to and interchangeable with the suction valve;
• a discharge biasing member disposed for urging the suction valve into selective sealing engagement with the suction valve seat;
• a pressure chamber within the bore defined at one end of the bore by the valve body and at an opposite end by the reciprocating plunger and a packing member disposed within the bore;
• a suction biasing member disposed to abut the suction valve at one end of the suction biasing member and to abut a packing member disposed within the bore at an opposite end of the suction biasing member, wherein the suction biasing member urges the suction valve into selective sealing engagement with the suction valve seat and maintains the packing member in a selected position in the bore of the cylinder;
• at least one fluid flow passage disposed in the valve body about the periphery of the suction valve seat, the fluid flow passage in fluid communication at one end thereof with the pressure chamber and in fluid communication at an opposite end thereof with the discharge valve seat, a first of the fluid flow passages positioned within the valve body to collect and discharge gas bubbles from the pressure chamber, a second of the fluid flow passages positioned in the valve body to collect and discharge solid particles from the pressure chamber;
• a discharge manifold having at least one discharge passage in selective fluid communication with the fluid flow passages to selectively discharge fluid from the fluid end;
• and
• a valve cover removably attached to the discharge manifold to permit selective removal and confinement of the valve body within the fluid end.