Reciprocating pump with improved fluid cylinder cross-bore geometry

Abstract

A reciprocating pump comprising a fluid end housing having a number of plunger sections, each of which includes a plunger bore within which a plunger is slidably received, a suction bore within which a suction valve is positioned, a discharge bore within which a discharge valve is positioned, and a cross bore chamber which is located between said bores and is configured as a surface of revolution. Each of the bores intersects the cross-bore chamber to thereby define a respective cross curve which is spatially separated from each adjacent cross curve. In this manner, the cross-bore chamber defines a single, contiguous surface which extends around and between all of said cross curves.

We claim: 
     
         1 . In a reciprocating pump comprising a fluid end housing having a number of plunger sections, each plunger section including a plunger bore within which a plunger is slidably received, a suction bore within which a suction valve is positioned and a discharge bore within which a discharge valve is positioned, the improvement comprising a cross bore chamber which is located between said bores and is configured as a surface of revolution, wherein each of said bores intersects the cross-bore chamber to thereby define a respective cross curve which is spatially separated from each adjacent cross curve, whereby the cross-bore chamber defines a single, contiguous surface which extends around and between all of said cross curves. 
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-bore chamber is configured as an ellipsoid. 
     
     
         3 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is coaxial with at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         4 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is parallel to but offset from at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         5 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is coaxial with at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is parallel to but offset from at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein each plunger section further comprises an access bore which intersects the cross-bore chamber to thereby define a corresponding cross curve that is spatially separated from each adjacent cross curve, whereby the cross-bore chamber defines a single, contiguous surface which extends around and between all of said cross curves. 
     
     
         8 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein the cross-bore chamber is configured as an ellipsoid. 
     
     
         9 . The pump of  claim 8 , wherein the access bore is generally aligned with the plunger bore and the suction bore is generally aligned with the discharge bore, and wherein the access and plunger bores are oriented at an angle of generally ninety degrees relative to the suction and discharge bores. 
     
     
         10 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is coaxial with at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         11 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is parallel to but offset from at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         12 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is coaxial with at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         13 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a second axis which is parallel to but offset from at least one of a centerline of the suction bore and a centerline of the discharge bore. 
     
     
         14 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein each of said bores is oriented at an angle of approximately 120 degrees relative to each other bore. 
     
     
         15 . The pump of  claim 14 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a center point which is located at an intersection of the plunger bore, the suction bore and the discharge bore. 
     
     
         16 . The pump of  claim 14 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is coaxial with a centerline of the plunger bore and a center point which is offset from an intersection of the plunger bore, the suction bore and the discharge bore. 
     
     
         17 . The pump of  claim 14 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a center which is located at an intersection of the plunger bore, the suction bore and the discharge bore. 
     
     
         18 . The pump of  claim 14 , wherein the ellipsoid comprises a first axis which is parallel to but offset from a centerline of the plunger bore and a center which is offset from an intersection of the plunger bore, the suction bore and the discharge bore. 
     
     
         19 . A method of reducing stress concentrations in a fluid end housing of a reciprocating pump, the fluid end housing having a number of plunger sections, each plunger section including a plunger bore within which a plunger is slidably received, a suction bore within which a suction valve is positioned and a discharge bore within which a discharge valve is positioned, the method comprising:
 forming a cross-bore chamber between said bores, said cross-bore chamber being configured as a surface of revolution;   wherein each of said bores intersects the cross-bore chamber to thereby define a respective cross curve which is spatially separated from each adjacent cross curve;   whereby the cross-bore chamber defines a single, contiguous surface which extends around and between all of said cross curves.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said cross-bore chamber is configured as a spheroid.