Patent ID: 8870554

Claim:
A pump, comprising: a pump block defining a cylinder in which a piston is mounted for reciprocation and positive displacement of fluids from an intake port of the pump block to a discharge port of the pump block; an intake valve located in the intake port of the pump block and a discharge valve located in the discharge port of the pump block; the intake valve having a valve plug that has a closed position in which the valve plug is seated on a valve seat in the intake port; a wear sleeve lining at least a portion of the intake port upstream of the valve seat the wear sleeve being non-integrally formed with the valve seat and being separate and distinct from the valve seat; a pressure sensor upstream of the intake valve for detecting a pressure condition indicative of failure of the intake valve to provide a seal when the intake valve is in the closed position; and a controller responsive to the pressure sensor to send a signal to stop operation of the pump upon detection of the pressure condition, wherein the wear sleeve is disposed to intercept a set of lines, each line being tangent to the valve seat, that correspond to projected paths of a reverse flow jet that may form upon valve seal failure.