Hydraulic fracturing pumps to enhance flow of fracturing fluid into wellheads and related methods

Abstract

Systems and methods to enhance the flow of fracturing fluid into a wellhead during a high-pressure fracturing operation may include providing a pump frame and a crankshaft. A plurality of first plungers may be connected to the crankshaft and may reciprocate in a first plane. The hydraulic fracturing pump also may include a plurality of second plungers connected to the crankshaft and positioned to reciprocate in a second plane. The first plane and the second plane may define a non-zero offset angle between the first plane and the second plane. The crankshaft may include a plurality of crankpins, and each of the crankpins may be connected to one of the first plungers and one of the second plungers. The first plungers may pump a first fracturing fluid and the second plungers may pump a second fracturing fluid different from the first fracturing fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to of operating a hydraulic fracturing pump associated with a high-pressure fracturing operation, the method comprising:
 pumping a first fracturing fluid having a first fracturing fluid composition via a plurality of first plungers of a hydraulic fracturing pump; and   while pumping the first fracturing fluid, pumping a second fracturing fluid having a second fracturing fluid composition via a plurality of second plungers of the hydraulic fracturing pump, the first fracturing fluid composition being different than the second fracturing fluid composition.