Drive piston and foot valve seat

Abstract

A drive piston valve and a foot valve may each have a valve seat in the form of a non-compressible (e.g., metal or ceramic) sealing plate having a compressible, resilient mating element that retains the ring at an inlet portion of a check valve having a housing formed of another material, such as a low-wear resin material. In some examples, the sealing plate may have a truncated corner for engaging a check ball in its closed positioned while avoiding damage to the check ball or plate resulting from a chemical encrustation build-up or other containment at the sealing edge.

1 . A valve assembly for a pumping apparatus that pumps liquid through a riser pipe, the valve assembly comprising:
 a housing positioned in the riser pipe for communicating fluid from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing through an inlet, the housing defining an inner chamber for liquid flow;   a check valve comprising a check ball disposed within the inner chamber and movable from a closed position blocking liquid flow through the chamber and an opened position allowing liquid flow through the chamber; and   a metal or ceramic sealing plate disposed at the inlet and having an inner sealing corner to engage the check ball when the check ball is in the closed positioned, the sealing plate having a resilient sealing member at an outer wall for sealing the sealing plate against a wall of the inner chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner sealing corner of the sealing plate comprises a conical, beveled surface for engaging the check ball. 
   
   
       3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner sealing corner of the sealing plate comprises a radial corner for engaging the check ball. 
   
   
       4 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall of the sealing plate comprises a mating slot, and wherein the resilient sealing member is an o-ring partially recessed in the mating slot and extending beyond the outer wall for sealably engaging with the wall of the inner chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing plate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, and steel. 
   
   
       6 . The valve assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the housing is formed of a low-wear resin material. 
   
   
       7 . The valve assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the housing is formed of a DELRIN or a PEEK material. 
   
   
       8 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient sealing member is releasably positioned between the outer wall of the sealing plate and the wall of the inner chamber, for replacing the resilient sealing member separately from the sealing plate. 
   
   
       9 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drive piston rod attached to the housing for actuating movement of the housing and for moving the check valve between the closed blocking position and the open position under pressure within the riser pipe. wherein the housing comprises a cap member slidably engaged with a base member at least partially defining the inner chamber, the cap member having at least one venting slot, the drive piston rod being attached to a cap member.   
   
   
       10 . A pumping apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a piston rod drive assembly mounted to the frame for actuating a piston rod in a riser pipe to pump fluid through the riser pipe;   a discharge head mounted at a well head for transferring pumped fluid from the riser pipe;   a drive piston apparatus affixed to a distal end of the piston rod, the drive piston apparatus having a housing, a first check valve within said housing, said first check valve comprising a first flow chamber having an inlet and outlet, and a first metal or ceramic sealing plate disposed at the inlet of the first flow chamber and engaging the flow chamber through a first resilient sealing member at an outer wall of the first sealing plate; and   a foot valve apparatus mounted in the riser pipe and having a housing, a second check valve comprising a second flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and a second metal or ceramic sealing plate disposed at the inlet of the second flow chamber and engaging the second flow chamber through a second resilient sealing member at an outer wall of the second sealing plate.   
   
   
       11 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer wall of the first sealing plate comprises a mating slot, and wherein the first resilient sealing member is an o-ring partially recessed in the mating slot and extending beyond the outer wall of the first sealing plate for sealably engaging the wall of the first inner chamber, and wherein the outer wall of the second sealing plate comprises a mating slot, and wherein the second resilient sealing member is an o-ring partially recessed in the mating slot and extending beyond the outer wall of the second sealing plate for sealably engaging the wall of the second inner chamber. 
   
   
       12 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, and steel. 
   
   
       13 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the housing of the drive piston apparatus and the housing of the foot valve apparatus are formed of a low-wear resin material. 
   
   
       14 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the housing of the drive piston apparatus and the housing of the foot valve apparatus are formed of a DELRIN or a PEEK material. 
   
   
       15 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first resilient sealing member is releasably positioned between the outer wall of the first sealing plate and the wall of the first inner chamber for replacing the first resilient sealing member separately from the first sealing plate, and wherein the second resilient sealing member is releasably positioned between the outer wall of the second sealing plate and the wall of the second inner chamber for replacing the second resilient sealing member separately from the second sealing plate. 
   
   
       16 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate comprise an inner sealing corner to engage a check ball when the check ball is in a closed positioned, the inner sealing corner having a conical, beveled surface for engaging the check ball. 
   
   
       17 . The pumping apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate comprise an inner sealing corner to engage a check ball when the check ball is in a closed positioned, the inner sealing corner having a radial corner for engaging the check ball. 
   
   
       18 . A method pumping fluid from an underground fluid source, the method comprising:
 mounting a discharge head at a well head;   mounting a piston rod drive assembly to the discharge head for actuating a piston rod in a riser pipe extending from the discharge head to the underground fluid source to pump the fluid through the riser pipe; and   attaching a drive piston apparatus to a distal end of the piston rod, the drive piston apparatus having a housing, a first check valve within said housing, said first check valve comprising a first flow chamber having an inlet and outlet, and a first metal or ceramic sealing plate disposed at the inlet of the first flow chamber and engaging the flow chamber through a first resilient sealing member at an outer wall of the first sealing plate.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 affixedly mounting a foot valve apparatus to a distal end of the riser pipe, the foot valve apparatus having a housing, a second check valve comprising a second flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and a second metal or ceramic sealing plate disposed at the inlet of the second flow chamber and engaging the second flow chamber through a second resilient sealing member at an outer wall of the second sealing plate.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the outer wall of the first sealing plate comprises a mating slot, and wherein the first resilient sealing member is an o-ring partially recessed in the mating slot and extending beyond the outer wall of the first sealing plate for sealably engaging the wall of the first inner chamber, and wherein the outer wall of the second sealing plate comprises a mating slot, and wherein the second resilient sealing member is an o-ring partially recessed in the mating slot and extending beyond the outer wall of the second sealing plate for sealably engaging the wall of the second inner chamber. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, and steel. 
   
   
       22 . The method of claim of  claim 19 , wherein the housing of the drive piston apparatus and the housing of the foot valve apparatus are formed of a DELRIN or a PEEK material. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming the first resilient sealing member to be releasably detachable from the outer wall of the first sealing plate for replacing the first resilient sealing member separately from the first sealing plate; and   forming the second resilient sealing member to be releasably detachable from the outer wall of the second sealing plate for replacing the second resilient sealing member separately from the second sealing plate.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming at least one of the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate to comprise an inner sealing corner to engage a check ball when the check ball is in a closed positioned, the inner sealing corner having a conical, beveled surface for engaging the check ball.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming at least one of the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate to comprise an inner sealing corner to engage a check ball when the check ball is in a closed positioned, the inner sealing corner having a radial corner for engaging the check ball.