Cathodic protection of a fluid end

Inventor: Jacob Bayyouk (Richardson, TX)

Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.

F04B53/108 C23F13/16 F04B53/1087

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12687163
App. No.: 19/285,120
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A valve assembly of a fluid end of a pump may include a valve seat having a bore defining an inner surface and an outer surface of the valve seat, a first end configured to engage with a valve in a closed position of the valve, and a second end, opposite the first end, defining a groove surrounding the bore. The valve assembly may include a sacrificial ring, positioned in the groove, configured to control corrosion of a fluid end block of the fluid end.

Claims (31)

1 . A valve assembly of a fluid end of a pump, comprising:

a valve seat having a bore that provides a flow path through the valve seat and defining an inner surface and an outer surface of the valve seat, a first end configured to engage with a valve in a closed position of the valve, and a second end, opposite the first end, defining a groove surrounding the bore outside of the flow path of the valve seat, wherein the groove is from the outer surface of the valve seat extending inward toward the inner surface of the valve seat; and

a sacrificial ring, positioned in the groove outside of the flow path of the valve seat, configured to control corrosion of a fluid end block of the fluid end, the valve seat having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the sacrificial ring so that the valve seat is configured to contact the fluid end block without the sacrificial ring contacting the fluid end block.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial ring is configured to serve as an anode of an electrochemical cell in which the fluid end block serves as a cathode.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the groove extends from the second end of the valve seat toward the first end of the valve seat between the outer surface of the valve seat and the inner surface of the valve seat.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a conductive adhesive coupling the sacrificial ring to the valve seat.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the valve seat adjacent the sacrificial ring is greater than the outer diameter of the sacrificial ring.

6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the sacrificial ring is greater than a minimum inner diameter of the valve seat.

7 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the sacrificial ring is at least 25% of a maximum thickness of the valve seat between the inner surface and the outer surface.

8 . A fluid end of a pump, comprising:

a fluid end block defining a discharge bore; and

a valve assembly installed in the discharge bore, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve;

a valve seat having a bore that provides a flow path through the valve seat and defining an inner surface and an outer surface of the valve seat, a first end configured to engage with the valve in a closed position of the valve, and a second end, opposite the first end, defining a groove surrounding the bore outside of the flow path of the valve seat, wherein the groove is from the outer surface of the valve seat extending inward toward the inner surface of the valve seat; and

a sacrificial ring, positioned in the groove outside of the flow path of the valve seat, configured to control corrosion of the fluid end block, the valve seat having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the sacrificial ring so that the valve seat contacts the fluid end block without the sacrificial ring contacting the fluid end block.

9 . The fluid end of claim 8 , wherein the fluid end block is composed of stainless steel.

10 . The fluid end of claim 8 , wherein the sacrificial ring includes one or more of aluminum, aluminum alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, magnesium, or magnesium alloy.

11 . The fluid end of claim 8 , wherein the groove extends from the second end of the valve seat toward the first end of the valve seat between the outer surface of the valve seat and the inner surface of the valve seat.

12 . The fluid end of claim 8 , further comprising:

a conductive adhesive coupling the sacrificial ring to the valve seat.

13 . The fluid end of claim 8 , wherein an inner diameter of the sacrificial ring is greater than a minimum inner diameter of the valve seat.

14 . The fluid end of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the sacrificial ring is at least 25% of a maximum thickness of the valve seat between the inner surface and the outer surface.

15 . A fluid end of a pump, comprising:

a fluid end block defining a discharge bore; and

a valve assembly installed in the discharge bore, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve;

16 . The fluid end of claim 15 , wherein the groove extends from the second end of the valve seat toward the first end of the valve seat between the outer surface of the valve seat and the inner surface of the valve seat.

17 . The fluid end of claim 15 , wherein the outer diameter of the valve seat adjacent the sacrificial ring is greater than the outer diameter of the sacrificial ring.