Frac pump valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly includes a valve body, a seal, and a supplemental material. The valve assembly configured to reduce the effects of wear and erosion of the seal and valve body by including material with increased hardness. The supplemental material has a higher hardness level than the valve body and is inserted on the contact surface of the valve body. The seal can include a plurality of materials, each having different hardness levels. The location of the supplemental material can vary and the overall radial distribution on the contact surface may vary.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A valve assembly, comprising:
 a valve body having a contact surface; and   a dual seal coupled to the periphery of the valve body, the seal including a contact surface, the seal includes a first material having a first hardness level and a second material having a second hardness level, the second material is adjacent the contact surface of the valve body.   
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a supplemental material recessed into the contact surface of the valve body, the supplemental material having a hardness level greater than the hardness level of the valve body.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the supplemental material is radially aligned around the circumference of the contact surface of the valve body. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the valve body includes a plurality of cylindrical holes, the supplemental material being inserted into the cylindrical holes. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the supplemental material is heat shrunk into the cylindrical holes. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the supplemental material is recessed into a groove in the contact surface of the valve body, the groove forming a circular ring around a valve axis. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the second hardness level of the second material adjacent the contact surface is greater than the first hardness level of the first material. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the valve body is an annular valve body defining a valve axis, and wherein the contact surface of the valve body circumscribes the valve axis, the second material circumscribes the contact surface of the valve body and the first material circumscribes the second material. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the second material is arranged axially between the first material and the contact surface of the valve body. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 13  wherein the first material and the second material are urethane materials. 
     
     
         25 . A valve assembly, comprising:
 an annular valve body formed of an upper surface, a lower contact surface and a peripheral edge therebetween; and   an annular seal disposed adjacent at least a portion of the peripheral edge, the annular seal having a hardness gradient in a radial direction extending from the peripheral edge.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the annular seal is constructed of a singular material. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the hardness gradient decreases in the radial direction from the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the annular seal includes a first material having a first hardness level and a second material having a second hardness level greater than the first harness level. 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the second material is disposed radially adjacent the peripheral edge and wherein first material is disposed radially outward of the second material. 
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 29 , wherein valve body defines a valve axis, and wherein the second material is arranged axially between the first material and the contact surface of the valve body. 
     
     
         31 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the first material is substantially flush with the lower contact surface. 
     
     
         32 . A fluid end for a reciprocating frac pump, the fluid end comprising:
 a valve seat;   an annular valve body defining a valve axis and arranged to reciprocate along the valve axis relative to the valve seat, the annular body defining a body contact surface arranged to engage the valve seat when the valve body is reciprocated to a closed position; and   an annular seal coupled to a periphery of the valve body, the annular seal defining a seal contact surface arranged to engage the valve seat when the valve body reciprocated to the closed position, the seal contact surface having a hardness gradient in a radial direction extending from the body contact surface.   
     
     
         33 . The fluid end of  claim 32 , wherein the seal contact surface defines a first hardness level at a radially outer edge thereof and a second hardness level at a radially inner edge thereof, the radially inner edge of the seal contact surface adjacent the body contact surface and the second hardness level greater than the first hardness level. 
     
     
         34 . The fluid end of  claim 32 , further comprising a supplemental material insert disposed in a cavity defined in the body contact surface, the supplemental material insert having a greater hardness than a hardness of the valve body.