Fluid End Assembly with Modified Suction Block

Abstract

A suction block for use in a fluid end assembly of a high pressure reciprocal pump includes a first suction bore extending from a first face of the suction block and into the interior thereof; and a second suction bore extending from a second face of the suction block and into the interior thereof to intersect the first suction bore. The second suction bore is adapted to receive a valve assembly for alternatively fluidly connecting and disconnecting the first and second suction bores. The first suction bore has a first suction bore section with a first geometry and a second suction bore section with a second geometry different from the first geometry to thereby reduce stress in the suction block during use.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A high pressure device for conveying flowable material from one location to another comprising:
 a body;   a first bore located in the body and extending in a first direction;   a second bore located in the body and extending in a second direction;   the first and second bores being adapted for fluid communication therebetween when the flowable material flows in a first flow direction, and being interrupted when the flowable material flows in a second flow direction opposite the first flow direction;   the first bore alternating between a low pressure state when the flowable material travels in the first flow direction and high pressure state when the flowable material travels in the second flow direction;   the first bore including a first bore section with a first cross-sectional shape having a first cross-dimension, and a second bore section with a second cross-sectional shape having a second cross dimension that is longer than the first cross dimension of the first cross-sectional shape along a first axis, and a third cross dimension that is narrower than the first cross-dimension along a second axis, to thereby provide additional material where highest stresses occur along the first bore when in the high pressure state without impeding flow of the flowable material therethrough to thereby reduce stress in the body.   
     
     
         18 . A high pressure device according to  claim 17 , wherein the second bore section tangentially intersects the second bore to thereby reduce operating stress in the body. 
     
     
         19 . A high pressure device according to  claim 17 , wherein the first bore varies in width from the second cross-sectional shape of the first bore section toward the third cross-sectional shape of the second bore section. 
     
     
         20 . A high pressure device according to  claim 17 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the second cross-sectional shape is approximately equal to a cross-sectional area of the first cross-sectional shape to thereby reduce stress in the body without impeding flow of the flowable material therethrough. 
     
     
         21 . A high pressure device according to  claim 17 , and further comprising a one-way valve assembly positioned between the first and second suction bores to permit fluid flow in the first direction and fluid flow interruption in the second direction. 
     
     
         22 . A high pressure device according to  claim 17 , and further wherein:
 the first cross-sectional shape comprises a circle, with the first cross-dimension including a first diameter; and   the second cross-sectional shape comprises an oblong slot, with the second cross dimension including a first length and the third cross dimension including a first height;   wherein the first length is longer than the first diameter along the first axis and the first height is narrower than the first diameter along the second axis, to thereby provide additional material where highest stresses occur along the first bore.   
     
     
         23 . A high pressure device according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second axes are perpendicular. 
     
     
         24 . A high pressure device according to  claim 23 , wherein the first diameter of the circle is approximately four inches and the first length and height of the oblong slot are approximately seven inches and two inches, respectively. 
     
     
         25 . A high pressure device according to  claim 24 , wherein the oblong slot comprises a straight section with radiused ends. 
     
     
         26 . A high pressure device according to  claim 23 , wherein the first and second axes are perpendicular. 
     
     
         27 . A high pressure device according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second axes are perpendicular. 
     
     
         28 . A high pressure device according to  claim 22 , wherein the first bore converges from the circular cross-sectional shape of the first bore section toward the slotted cross-sectional shape of the second bore section along the second axis, and the first bore diverges from the circular cross-sectional shape toward the slotted cross-sectional shape along the first axis to thereby provide the additional material along the second axis. 
     
     
         29 . A high pressure device according to claim  1 , wherein the first and second directions of the first and second bores, respectively, are perpendicular. 
     
     
         30 . A fluid end assembly comprising the high pressure device according to claim  1  for use in a high pressure reciprocal pump comprising:
 a discharge valve module having a discharge block with a first discharge bore fluidly connectable to a second discharge bore via a first valve assembly, the first discharge bore having a third cross-sectional shape with a fourth cross dimension; 
 a suction valve module having the high pressure device with the body comprising a suction block connectable to the discharge block, and the first bore being a first suction bore fluidly connectable to the first discharge bore and the second bore being a second suction bore fluidly connectable to the first suction bore via a second valve assembly; 
 the first bore section being a first suction bore section having the first cross-sectional shape with the first cross dimension being equal to the third cross-sectional shape and third cross dimension, respectively, of the first discharge bore at an intersection of the first discharge bore and the first suction bore section so that the first discharge bore and first suction bore mate when the discharge block and suction block are connected together; and 
 the second bore section being a second suction bore section having the second cross-sectional shape and being separated from the first discharge bore by the first suction bore section, to thereby reduce stress in the suction valve module due to contact between the second suction bore section and the flowable material being pumped under pressure during use. 
 
     
     
         31 . A fluid end assembly according to  claim 30 , and further wherein:
 the first cross-sectional shape comprises a first circle, with the first cross dimension including a first diameter;   the third cross-sectional shape comprise a second circle, with the fourth cross dimension including a second diameter; and   the second cross-sectional shape comprises an oblong slot, with the second cross dimension including a first length and the third cross dimension including a first height;   wherein the first length is longer than the first diameter along the first axis and the first height is narrower than the first diameter along the second axis, to thereby provide additional material where highest stresses occur along the first bore.   
     
     
         32 . A fluid end assembly according to  claim 31 , and further wherein:
 the first cross-sectional shape defines a first cross-sectional area;   the second cross-sectional shape defines a second cross-sectional area; and   the third cross-sectional shape defines a third cross-sectional area;   wherein the first, second, and third cross-sectional areas are equal so that the flow of liquid slurry through the first suction bore is unimpeded.   
     
     
         33 . A high pressure device for conveying flowable material from one location to another comprising:
 a body;   a first bore located in the body and extending in a first direction;   a second bore located in the body and extending in a second direction;
 a first bore section comprising a first portion of the first bore, the first bore section having a first cross-sectional shape defining a first cross-sectional area; and 
 a second bore section comprising a second portion of the first bore closest to the second bore, the second bore section having a second cross-sectional shape defining a second cross-sectional area, the second cross-sectional shape being different from the first cross-sectional shape, to thereby provide additional material in the second bore section where highest stresses occur due to contact between the second bore section and the flowable material when pumped under pressure during use and reduce stress in the body; 
 wherein the second cross-sectional area is at least approximately equal to the first cross-sectional area so that the flow of flowable material is unimpeded. 
   
     
     
         34 . A high pressure device according to  claim 33 , wherein the first bore section varies in width from the first cross-sectional shape toward the second cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         35 . A high pressure device according to  claim 33 , and further wherein:
 the first cross-sectional shape comprises a circle with a diameter; and   the second cross-sectional shape comprises an oblong slot with a length and a height;   wherein the length is longer than the diameter along a first axis and the height is narrower than the diameter along the second axis, to thereby provide additional material where highest stresses occur along the first bore.   
     
     
         36 . A high pressure device according to  claim 33 , and further comprising a ramped transition area between the first cross-sectional shape of the first suction bore section and the second cross-sectional shape of the second suction bore section.