Assemblies, apparatuses, and methods for facilitating assembly and disassembly of high-power pumps

Abstract

Apparatuses, assemblies, and methods for facilitating assembly, disassembly, and/or service of a fluid end for a pump may include a fluid end handling system, including a lift adaptor and a support frame. The lift adaptor may include a lift connector configured to be connected to a lifting mechanism for lifting the lift adaptor and the fluid end, and a fluid end support positioned to support the fluid end and orient the fluid end relative to a pump frame for assembly and removal of the fluid end. The support frame may include a pump frame connector to connect the support frame to the pump frame, a ramp having a ramp face extending in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the fluid end is moved for connection to the pump frame, and an actuator connector associated with the ramp and positioned to connect the support frame to an actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid end handling system for facilitating assembly and disassembly of a fluid end relative to a pump frame of a high-power pump, the fluid end handling system comprising:
 a lift adaptor including:
 a lift connector configured to be connected to a lifting mechanism for lifting the lift adaptor and the fluid end; and 
 a fluid end support positioned to support the fluid end and orient the fluid end relative to the pump frame for assembly and removal of the fluid end relative to the pump frame; and 
   a support frame including:
 a pump frame connector positioned to connect the support frame to the pump frame; 
 a ramp having a ramp face extending in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the fluid end is moved for connection of the fluid end to the pump frame; and 
 an actuator connector associated with the ramp and positioned to connect to an actuator. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to be connected to: (a) the support frame via the actuator connector and (b) the fluid end, the actuator being positioned to move the fluid end along the ramp during assembly of the fluid end to the pump frame. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the pump frame includes a power end, and the actuator is positioned to move the fluid end up the ramp toward the power end during assembly of the fluid end to the power end and lower the fluid end down the ramp during disassembly of the fluid end from the power end. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises one or more of a linear actuator or a rotary actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises one or more of a jackscrew, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric linear actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a jackscrew and the fluid end handling system further comprises one or more of a gear-reduction device, an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, or a hydraulic motor connected to the jackscrew to drive the jackscrew. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the lift connector of the lift adaptor comprises one or more of: (a) a lifting sleeve configured to receive a fork of a fork truck or (b) a lifting eye configured to be connected to one or more of a crane or a hoist. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid end support of the lift adaptor comprises a fluid end support face extending obliquely relative to the lift connector. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid end support face is positioned to face and abut an outer surface of the fluid end opposite an inner surface of the fluid end to which the pump frame is connected once the fluid end is connected to the pump frame. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises an upright configured to space the fluid end from one of a platform on which the power end is mounted or a base on which the pump frame is supported. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the ramp face is configured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to a plane in which plungers of the high-power pump reciprocate relative to the fluid end. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 11 , wherein an upright of the support frame is configured to support the pump frame on a horizontal surface and the plane in which the plungers of the high-power pump reciprocate extends obliquely with respect to the horizontal surface. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 12 , wherein the plane in which the plungers of the high-power pump reciprocate forms an angle relative to the upright of the support frame ranging from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame further comprises a pivotable support fixture having a support face and is configured to move from a first orientation in which the support face extends in a direction substantially parallel to the ramp face and provides an extension of the ramp face to a second orientation in which the pivotable support fixture is configured to support a conduit associated with the high-power pump. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 14 , wherein the pivotable support fixture at least partially defines the actuator connector and is configured to receive an actuator support configured to be connected to the actuator. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 15 , wherein the actuator connector at least partially defines a connection hole, and the actuator support is received in the connection hole. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the ramp support comprises a pump frame connector configured to connect the pump frame to the ramp support when the fluid end is connected to the pump frame. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the high-power pump includes a plurality of fluid end connection studs positioned to connect the fluid end to a power end of the high-power pump; and   the ramp face is configured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the plurality of fluid end connection studs.   
     
     
         19 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of:
 (a) the lift adaptor comprises a first lift adaptor configured to engage a first end of the fluid end, and the fluid end handling system further comprises a second lift adaptor configured to engage a second end of the fluid end opposite the first end of the fluid end;   (b) the pump frame connector comprises a first power end connector configured to be connected to a first end of a power end of the high-power pump, and the support frame further comprises a second power end connector configured to be connected to a second end of the power end opposite the first end of the power end;   (c) the ramp comprises a first ramp at a first end of the support frame, and the support frame further comprises a second ramp at a second end of the support frame opposite the first end of the support frame; or   (d) the actuator connector comprises a first actuator connector at a first end of the support frame, and the support frame further comprises a second actuator connector at a second end of the support frame opposite the first end of the support frame.   
     
     
         20 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump frame includes a power end, and the fluid end support is configured to support the fluid end and orient the fluid end relative to the power end for assembly and removal of the fluid end relative to the power end. 
     
     
         21 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump frame includes a power end, and the pump frame connector comprises a power end connector positioned to connect the support frame to the power end. 
     
     
         22 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump frame includes a power end, and the ramp face extends in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the fluid end is moved for assembly of the fluid end to the power end. 
     
     
         23 . A fluid end handling system for facilitating assembly and disassembly of a fluid end relative to a power end of a high-power pump, the fluid end handling system comprising:
 a lift adaptor including:
 a lift connector configured to be connected to a lifting mechanism for lifting the lift adaptor and the fluid end; and 
 a fluid end support positioned to support the fluid end and orient the fluid end relative to the power end for assembly and removal of the fluid end relative to the power end; 
   a support frame including:
 a power end connector positioned to connect the support frame to the power end; 
 a ramp having a ramp face extending in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the fluid end is moved for connection of the fluid end to the power end; and 
 an actuator connector associated with the ramp and positioned to connect to an actuator; and 
   an actuator configured to be connected to: (a) the support frame via the actuator connector and (b) the fluid end, the actuator being positioned to move the fluid end up the ramp toward the power end during assembly of the fluid end to the power end and lower the fluid end down the ramp during disassembly of the fluid end from the power end.   
     
     
         24 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 23 , wherein the power end connector of the support frame comprises an upright configured to space the fluid end from one of a platform on which the power end is mounted or a base on which the power end is supported. 
     
     
         25 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 23 , wherein the actuator comprises one or more of a linear actuator or a rotary actuator. 
     
     
         26 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 25 , wherein the actuator comprises one or more of a jackscrew, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric linear actuator. 
     
     
         27 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 26 , wherein the actuator comprises a jackscrew and the fluid end handling system further comprises one or more of a gear-reduction device, an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, or a hydraulic motor connected to the jackscrew to drive the jackscrew. 
     
     
         28 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 23 , wherein the ramp support comprises a fluid end connector configured to connect the fluid end to the ramp support when the fluid end is connected to the power end. 
     
     
         29 . The fluid end handling system of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the power end includes a plurality of fluid end connection studs positioned to connect the fluid end to the power end; and   the ramp face is configured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the plurality of fluid end connection studs.