Tapered valve seat
A valve seat. The valve seat is used in a fluid end of a fracturing pump. The external surface of the valve seat has a tapered portion that retains the valve seat in the fluid end. The external surface also has a portion that is substantially cylindrical. A hardened insert is integrated into a strike face of the valve seat. The tapered portion is at a first end of the valve seat and the tapered portion is at a second end of the valve seat. The second end of the valve seat may be formed such that its exterior surface does not contact the fluid end.
1. A valve seat configured to be disposed within a pump assembly, the valve seat comprising:
an annular body having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and the second end, in which:
the first end defines a tapered exterior surface having a frusto-conical first taper conforming to a portion of the pump assembly;
the second end defines an internally disposed strike face and a cylindrical exterior surface; and
the intermediate portion is characterized by an exterior surface situated at a convex angle relative to the cylindrical exterior surface of the second end and situated at a convex angle relative to the tapered exterior surface of the first end; and
an insert disposed within the second end of the body, in which the insert is harder than the body and in which a portion of the insert is integrated with the strike face.
2. A valve seat configured to be disposed within a pump assembly, the valve seat comprising:
an annular body having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and the second end, in which:
the first end defines a tapered exterior surface having a frusto-conical first taper conforming to a portion of the pump assembly; and
the second end defines an internally disposed strike face and a first exterior surface; and
the intermediate portion is characterized by a second exterior surface;
in which the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface intersect and form a first angle; and
in which the second exterior surface and the tapered exterior surface intersect and form a second angle; and
in which the second exterior surface has a second taper from the first angle to the second angle;
an insert disposed within the second end of the body, in which the insert is harder than the body and in which a portion of the insert is integrated with the strike face.
3. The valve seat of claim 2 in which the taper of the second taper is less than the taper of the first taper.
4. A fracturing pump having a fluid passage bore with an internal taper comprising:
a valve body having a sealing surface; and
the valve seat of claim 2 ;
in which the sealing surface and the strike face are complementary in shape; and
in which the internal taper of the fluid passage bore is seated against the tapered exterior surface of the first end of the valve seat; and
in which the first exterior surface does not contact the fluid passage bore.
5. The fracturing pump of claim 4 , in which the insert is disposed entirely between a vertex of the first angle and the second end.
6. The fracturing pump of claim 4 , in which the second exterior surface is seated against the fluid passage bore.