Dual seal fire safe stem packing orientation

A packing assembly for sealing an annular space between a valve stem with an axis and a valve body assembly, the packing assembly comprising:

• a lower packing retainer having a collar with a lower end surface, and a lower retainer body defining an inner cavity with a bottom surface, the collar having a smaller outer diameter than the lower retainer body;
• a fluid pressure energized lower stem packing, the lower stem packing located between the lower end surface of the collar of the lower packing retainer and the valve body assembly wherein a gap is defined between an end of the lower stem packing and one of the lower end surface of the collar and the valve body assembly so that the lower stem packing floats freely between the lower end surface of the collar and the valve body assembly;
• an upper packing retainer with a downward protruding neck having a reduced outer diameter the upper packing retainer further comprising a downward facing retainer shoulder, the downward facing shoulder engaging an upper end of the lower packing retainer;
• a fire resistant stem packing located in the inner cavity of the lower packing retainer, the ire resistant stem packing being compressed between the bottom surface of the inner cavity and the downward protruding neck of the upper packing retainer;
• and
• a retaining assembly selectively coupled to the valve body assembly for applying axial force to the upper packing retainer.

A valve having a packing assembly, the valve comprising:

• a valve body assembly defining a flow passage and a body cavity perpendicular to the flow passage, the valve body assembly further defining a bore extending from an exterior of the valve body assembly into the body cavity, the valve body assembly having an upward facing seal surface;
• a valve member moveable between an open position and a closed position, the valve member blocking the flow passage in the closed position, and allowing a flow through the flow passage in the open position;
• a valve stem coupled to the valve member, the valve stem having an axis and extending from the body cavity to an exterior of the valve body assembly through the bore for moving the valve member from the closed position to the open position;
• an upper bore portion defined by an inner surface of the bore;
• a floating lower stem packing circumscribing a first portion of the valve stem, and located in the upper bore portion;
• a lower packing retainer having a collar that limits axial movement of the lower stem packing, wherein the lower stem packing floats separate from the lower packing retainer so that the lower stem packing is free of energization by the packing retainer, the lower packing retainer also having a lower retainer body defining an inner cavity, the lower packing retainer further comprising a tapered seal portion located adjacent to the collar, the tapered seal portion having a downward facing seal surface;
• a compressed fire resistant stem packing circumscribing a second portion of the valve stem located in the inner cavity of the lower packing retainer;
• an upper packing retainer with a downward protruding neck engaging the fire resistant stem packing, the upper packing retainer further comprising a downward facing retainer shoulder engaging the lower packing retainer;
• and
• a retaining assembly coupled with the valve body assembly for applying axial force to the upper packing retainer;
• and wherein
• the tapered seal portion of the lower packing retainer has a downward facing circumferential recess and deflects to form a fluid seal between the lower packing retainer and the valve body assembly when the lower packing retainer is pushed downward to engage the downward facing seal surface of the lower packing retainer with the upward facing seal surface of the valve body assembly.