Side entry valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466783-B2
Application number	US-202016829664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 25, 2020
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A valve assembly includes a valve body having a flow bore extending along a valve body axis from a first end to a second end, wherein at least one of the first end or the second end includes an opening adapted to receive a fluid end, the opening having an opening diameter sized to enable at least one of a valve member, a valve stem, or a valve seat to be installed through the opening. The valve assembly also includes an actuator adapted to drive movement of a valve member between an open position and a closed position. The valve assembly further includes a bonnet coupled to the actuator, the bonnet being coupled to the valve body at a top location, the bonnet being coupled to the valve body while at least one of the valve member, the valve stem, or the valve seat is installed through the opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve assembly, comprising:
a valve body having a stem bore extending along a stem axis and a flow bore extending along a valve body axis, the stem axis and the flow bore being substantially perpendicular;
a fluid end adapted to non-threadingly couple to the valve body at an opening such that a pressure within the valve body is retained by a non-threaded connection that secures the fluid end to the valve body, the opening being in a side of the valve body and substantially aligned with the valve body axis, the fluid end having a plurality of fluid end lugs, extending radially outward from the valve body axis and arranged circumferentially about the fluid end, the plurality of fluid end lugs separated by respective gaps of a plurality of gaps, the fluid end being translatable along the valve body axis between a coupled position and a decoupled position, wherein the plurality of fluid end lugs axially move through a plurality of valve body slots as the fluid end is moved along the valve body axis, and the fluid end is rotatably placed into the coupled position after moving through the plurality of valve body slots; and
a valve stem installed through the opening when the fluid end is in the decoupled position; and
a valve member installed through the opening when the fluid end is in the decoupled position;
wherein a connection between the valve stem and the valve member is formed within a cavity of the valve body when the fluid end is in the decoupled position.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator adapted to drive movement of the valve member between an open position and a closed position; and
a bonnet coupled to the actuator, the bonnet being coupled to the valve body.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve guide member arranged within the cavity.

4. The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the valve guide member further comprises:
a first guide body; and
a second guide body.

5. The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the valve guide member further comprises:
a guide passage being a recess formed in the valve body.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein an opening diameter is greater than a length of one or more internal components.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more valve seats are installed through the opening when the fluid end is in the decoupled position.

8. A valve assembly, comprising:
a valve body having a flow bore extending along a valve body axis from a first end to a second end, wherein at least one of the first end or the second end includes an opening adapted to receive a fluid end to non-threadingly couple within the opening such that a pressure within the valve body is retained by a non-threaded connection that secures the fluid end to the valve body, the opening having an opening diameter sized to enable a valve member, a valve stem, and a valve seat to be installed through the opening;
an actuator adapted to drive movement of a valve member between an open position and a closed position; and
a bonnet coupled to the actuator, the bonnet being coupled to the valve body at a top location,
wherein a connection between the valve stem and the valve member is formed within a cavity of the valve body, the cavity formed between the first end and the second end, the connection being formed when the fluid end is decoupled from the valve body and after both the valve stem and the valve member have been installed through the opening.

9. The valve assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of valve body lugs extending radially inward toward the valve body axis, the plurality of valve body lugs each having a valve body lug circumferential length less than an outer circumference of the valve body, wherein each valve body lug is separated from an adjacent valve body lug by a space; and
a plurality of fluid end lugs extending radially outward from the valve body axis, the plurality of fluid end lugs each having a first end lug circumferential length less than an outer circumference of the fluid end, wherein each fluid end lug is separated from an adjacent fluid end lug by a gap;
wherein the fluid end is adapted to couple to the valve body by aligning the plurality of valve body lugs with respective gaps and axially translating the fluid end such that the fluid end lugs are arranged within a slot formed in the valve body.

10. The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the opening diameter is greater than at least one of valve member length or a stem length.

11. The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the opening diameter is less than at least one of a valve member length or a stem length, the valve member or the valve stem being arranged at an acute angle when being installed through the opening.

12. The valve assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a valve member guide blocking movement of the valve member in at least one direction.

13. The valve assembly of claim 12 , wherein the valve member guide is at least one of coupled to the valve body or integrally formed in the valve body.

14. The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the valve stem, after being installed through the opening, is positioned such that a first portion of the valve stem, coupled to the actuator, is moved in a vertical direction, substantially perpendicular to the valve body axis.

15. The valve assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second bonnet, coupled to a bottom of the valve body, opposite the bonnet.

16. The valve assembly of claim 15 , wherein the valve assembly is a balanced stem valve.

17. A method for assembling a valve, comprising:
removing a fluid end, from an opening formed in a side of a valve body;
removing one or more valve components from an interior portion of the valve body, the one or more valve components being removed through the opening;
installing a valve stem and a valve member into the interior portion of the valve body, through the opening;
coupling the valve stem to the valve member within a cavity of the valve body, the connection being formed within the cavity through the opening; and
non-threadingly coupling the fluid end to the opening such that a pressure within the valve body is retained by a non-threaded connection that secures the fluid end to the valve body.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
installing a bonnet on a top portion of the valve body, the bonnet being coupled to the valve body when the one or more valve components are removed.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
aligning the valve member with a valve member guide.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
aligning the valve stem with a bore extending through a top portion of the valve body, the bore being substantially perpendicular to the opening; and
axially translating the valve stem through the bore, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opening.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Choate Jeremy
• Adams Keith M
• Cheatham Lloyd

Classifications

• F16K27/044

  slide valves with flat obturating members · CPC title

• F16K1/42

  Valve seats (for double-seat valves F16K1/44) · CPC title

• F16K3/316

  Guiding of the slide · CPC title

• F16K3/0236 Primary

  the packing being of a non-resilient material, e.g. ceramic, metal · CPC title

• F16K1/36 Primary

  Valve members (for double-seat valves F16K1/44 {; for butterfly valves F16K1/222, F16K1/223}) · CPC title