U.S. patent application number 10/863699 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-03 for method for protecting pump components.
Invention is credited to Ford, Michael Brent.
Application Number | 20050025629 10/863699 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46302152 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050025629 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ford, Michael Brent |
February 3, 2005 |
Method for protecting pump components
Abstract
A method for protecting pump components by coating moving
components with an amorphous carbon material. Components that
preferably receive such coating include the plunger, barrel,
traveling valve ball and seat, and standing valve ball and seat.
Other components may also be coated. The coating thickness is
preferably in the range of between about 0.0002" and 0.030". In one
embodiment, at least two coating layers are applied, with the
coating layers having different colored appearances so as to
facilitate inspection for wearing away of the coating material.
Inventors: |
Ford, Michael Brent; (St.
George, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEISS & MOY PC
4204 NORTH BROWN AVENUE
SCOTTSDALE
AZ
85251
US
|
Family ID: |
46302152 |
Appl. No.: |
10/863699 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10863699 |
Jun 8, 2004 |
|
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10630964 |
Jul 30, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
417/53 ;
417/572 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F05C 2203/0808 20130101;
F04B 47/02 20130101; F04B 53/00 20130101; F05C 2253/12
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/053 ;
417/572 |
International
Class: |
F04B 001/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method for reducing wear and tear on components in a
fluid-pumping system, comprising the steps of: providing a first
component of a fluid pumping system; providing a second component
of a fluid pumping system that is in moving contact with said first
component during operation of said fluid-pumping system, such that
said moving contact tends to cause wear and tear on at least one of
said first component and said second component over time; coating
at least one of said first component and said second component with
amorphous carbon.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of coating
each of said first component and said second component with
amorphous carbon.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said coating step involves
application of an amorphous carbon coating having a thickness
within the range of between about 0.0002" and 0.030".
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first component is a
ball.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said second component is a
seat.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first component is a
plunger.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said second component is a
barrel.
8. A method for reducing wear and tear on components in a
fluid-pumping system, comprising the steps of: providing a fluid
pumping system including a traveling valve ball, a traveling valve
seat, a standing valve ball, a standing valve seat, a plunger and a
barrel; and coating each of said traveling valve ball, traveling
valve seat, standing valve ball, standing valve seat, plunger and
barrel with amorphous carbon.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said coating step involves
application of an amorphous carbon coating having a thickness
within the range of between about 0.0002" and 0.030".
10. A method for reducing wear and tear on an object comprising the
steps of: providing an object to be coated; and coating said object
with at least a first layer and a second layer of amorphous carbon;
wherein said first layer and said second layer have different
colored appearances relative to each other.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of coating
said object with a third layer of amorphous carbon, wherein each of
said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer have
different colored appearances relative to each other.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a ball.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a seat.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a plunger.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a barrel.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a bearing.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a sleeve.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is a piston.
19. The method of claim 10 wherein said object is an impeller.
Description
[0001] RELATED APPLICATION
[0002] This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/630,694, filed
Jul. 30, 2003 in the name of the same inventor hereof, and to which
priority is claimed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates generally to pumping systems
and, more specifically, to a method for reducing wear and tear on
pumping system components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] During down-hole pumping operations, various pumping
components are subject to wear and tear caused by repeated sliding
or other movement that involves contact with another component. For
example, repeated movement of the ball relative to the seat (in
each of the traveling valve and standing valve) causes wear to both
of these components. Rubbing of the plunger against the barrel,
during up and down movement of the plunger relative to the barrel,
is similarly wearing. In general, pump components that are in
sliding or other moving relationship to each other are subject to
friction-caused wear and tear.
[0005] To impart resistance to friction-caused wear and tear, prior
art components are chromed, coated with nickel carbide, or
hardened. This provides some limited protection, but improved
protection, and thus longer life for pump components, is
desired.
[0006] The present invention satisfies this need and provides
other, related, applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method
for reducing friction-caused wear and tear on pump components.
[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method for reducing friction-caused wear and tear on pump
components through a method of coating such components with an
improved protective coating material.
[0009] It is a still further object of the present invention to
provide a method for reducing friction friction-caused wear and
tear through a coating process, and to provide an improved ability
to detect wearing away of coating material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Initially, some of the basic moving components of a fluid
pumping system should be noted. Such components include a plunger,
which travels within a barrel. The barrel is itself received within
tubing. It further includes a traveling valve, which is opened and
closed by movement of a ball that is received within a seat. (There
term "ball" as used herein is intended to include valves.) Yet
further, the apparatus will typically include a standing valve,
which is similarly activated by movement of a ball/valve that is
received within a seat.
[0011] According to one embodiment of the method of the present
invention, it will be desired to coat pump components that are
subject to friction-caused wear and tear with a protective coating.
The protective coating should be amorphous carbon which, when
applied, will have a Rockwell hardness in the range of 90 or
greater. This will impart a ceramic like hardness to the applied
surface. The thickness of the applied coating should be maintained
within the range of between about 0.0002" and 0.030". Amorphous
carbon of the type preferred for use as described herein is
available from Armoloy of Illinois, located in DeKalb Ill.
[0012] Testing has shown that an amorphous carbon coating to pump
components becomes integral with the base metal, and does not chip
or peel during bending impact and normal operational flexing. It
can operate successfully at temperatures up to about 1400
Fahrenheit with no adverse effects on either the coating or on base
metal integrity. The coating greatly reduces surface friction
between sliding and mating components, as compared to prior art
methods, and eases assembly and disassembly. It further provides
substantial anti-galling and anti-fretting corrosion
protection.
[0013] Amorphous carbon may be applied to a variety of pump
components that are vulnerable to friction-caused wear and tear. It
is preferred, in particular, to apply it to balls/valves, seats,
plungers, and barrels. (The term "barrel" as used herein is
intended to include sleeves.) Other components may be coated as
well, including valve rods, valve-rod bushings, threads, gears,
bearings, the PC pump-rotor, and chokes.
[0014] Preferably, components that are involved in friction-caused
wear and tear with each other are both coated. For example, both a
traveling valve ball and traveling valve seat should each be coated
as described herein. However, the coating of even one of two
components that slide or otherwise move relative to each other
should confer some of the benefits described herein.
[0015] It should be noted that it may be desired to blend the
amorphous carbon with chrome or nickel, and to thereby apply a
mixed coating to the pump components. Application may also be
accomplished through the use of vapor technology, or by other
desired methods.
[0016] In one embodiment, two or more layers of amorphous carbon
material are used to coat the desired object. In this embodiment,
each layer is differently colored. For example, one layer may be
uncolored and a second layer may have a coloring agent added
thereto, or each layer could have a different coloring agent added
thereto. It may be desired to provide, for example, three layers,
with each layer having a different colored appearance. More than
three layers may also be desired for certain embodiments.
[0017] The benefit of providing different colored layers is that
the wearing of the carbon material can be more readily determined
by a visual inspection that is focused on the color of the exposed
surface. For example, if there are two layers of coating material,
with the covering layer being yellow and the underlying layer being
red, the appearance of red color in an area indicates that a layer
of amorphous carbon material has been worn away in that region.
That can indicate that it would be desired to either replace the
affected part, or to re-apply one or more layers of carbon material
at least to the worn area or perhaps generally to the part.
[0018] The advantage of applying more than two colored layers of
carbon material is that the visual inspection can be more precise.
For example, if there are three layers of material, each having a
thickness of 0.002" (for a total thickness of 0.006"), and only the
top layer is worn away, the inspector can conclude that 0.004" of
material remain. When the second layer is then worn away, the
inspector will recognize that only 0.002" of material is still
present.
[0019] It should be noted that in the performance of an inspection
step, it may be desired to utilize a magnifying device so that even
small areas of worn material can be detected.
[0020] The use of a multi-colored, layering process can be
beneficial with respect to any object that can benefit from the
application of an amorphous carbon coating and a more precise
ability to inspect for wear. This includes components that are not
connected to down-hole pumping operations. Examples would include
bearings, sleeves, pistons, and impellers.
[0021] While the invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and
other changes in form and details may be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *