US 11,746,619 B2
Traveling relief valve
Jason Williams, Weatherford, TX (US); Daniel Brewer, Fort Worth, TX (US); and Patrick R. McCarthy, Springtown, TX (US)
Assigned to Epic Lift Systems, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Epic Lift Systems, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/494,200.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/088,682, filed on Oct. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0106857 A1, Apr. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 34/08 (2006.01); F16K 17/04 (2006.01); F16K 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 34/08 (2013.01) [F16K 15/026 (2013.01); F16K 17/0433 (2013.01); F16K 17/0466 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A traveling relief valve assembly for reducing fluid build-up at the bottom of a gas well, comprising:
a hold down accessory mounted in the gas well, wherein the hold down accessory includes a bore through which fluids in the gas well flow;
a flow cage having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the flow cage is connected to the hold down accessory and wherein the flow cage includes a bore having a plurality of vents through which fluids in the gas well flow, and wherein the bore of the flow cage and the bore of the hold down accessory are fluidly connected;
a traveling relief valve disposed in the bore of the flow cage to travel between the upper end and lower end of the flow cage;
a seat securely mounted in the bore of the flow cage, wherein the seat includes a bore in fluid communication with the bore of the hold down assembly and through which fluids from the gas well flow, wherein the seat further includes a top end and a bottom end;
the traveling relief valve including a carrier having a top end and a bottom end, whereby the carrier is movably positioned in relation to the seat to form a first open or closed interface between the top end of the seat and the bottom end of the carrier, whereby the first interface is open when pressure in the gas well below the carrier is greater than above the carrier, and whereby the first interface is closed when pressure in the gas well above the carrier is greater than below the carrier, such that changes in said pressures within the gas well cause the first interface to open or close;
whereby the first open interface between the carrier and the seat includes the carrier being positioned in the bore of the flow cage above the seat such that no portion of the carrier is positioned within the bore of the seat; and
a ported tube movably secured within the carrier to form a second open or closed interface for flow through the ported tube, whereby the second interface is closed when pressure in the well below the ported tube is greater than above the ported tube, and whereby the second interface is open when pressure in the well above the ported tube is greater than below the ported tube, such that changes in said pressures within the well cause the second interface to open or close,
whereby the traveling relief valve assembly includes a flow path through which the gas well fluids flow to reduce fluid build-up at the bottom of the well when the second interface is open, said flow path including the bore of the flow cage, the ported tube, the second interface, the bore of the seat, and the bore of the hold down assembly.