Patent Grant
11313385
The present invention is directed to an adjustable sub-base assembly for installing a pump in a pump station which permits precise alignment of a rotating unit with a volute of a pump. The present invention may be utilized with advantage for the installation of high capacity submersible pumps into a “dry-pit” raw sewage pump station, wherein a high capacity submersible pump is installed horizontally onto a concrete base.
It is well known that many of the high capacity water and wastewater processing and booster pumps installed in pump stations are so large and so heavy that when they require periodic maintenance and/or repair, which typically requires opening the pump casings to inspect impellers and unclog pumps, considerable time and often considerable manpower are required to manipulate the pumps and motors, drop the couplings, and service the pumps. The sheer magnitude of the effort required to perform the even routine maintenance often delays or even prevents pump crews from performing timely maintenance on these types of pumps. It is equally well known that upon completion of even the most routine of maintenance procedures on such large, high capacity water and wastewater pumps, the alignment of pump and motor, and more importantly, the alignment of the rotating unit and volute of the pump are often disturbed, thus leading to a reduced operating efficiency of the pump, which may be substantial, and may also lead to an early, potentially catastrophic, failure of the pump itself, leading to even more time and expense.
Maintenance and repair operations aside, over time, the concrete bases onto which such high capacity water and wastewater pumps are often installed eventually settle over time which, in and of itself, or combined with shifting of the inlet and discharge piping to and from a pump station, respectively, likewise can lead to a misalignment of the rotating unit and volute, once again, resulting in a reduction in operating efficiency and/or failure of the pump.
Large, high capacity horizontal pumps are typically mounted on structural steel bases with motors mounted separately on one end and the pumps on the other end with a flexible coupling connecting the two together. The structural steel bases are typically large, robust, and grouted into place after the pump is set on its foundation. Grouting connects the fabricated steel bases to an essentially “infinite mass” in the earth below via a concrete base, which reduces the likelihood of damaging the rotating parts of the pump, even when challenged with clogging, typically occurring with wastewater applications.
As the manufacturers of large, high capacity submersible pumps have brought their products to market to be used not only in a traditional, submerged “wet-well” configuration but also, increasingly, to be mounted in “dry-pit” pump station environments, both vertically and horizontally, the market is now challenged with how to manipulate these machines which have become gigantic in size. High capacity “dry-pit” submersible pumps are typically moved into and out of operational position via overhead cranes installed-in the pump station itself, wherein the crane(s) lift and move the motor and rotating unit away from the volute, which remains bolted in position to the intake and discharge piping, thereby allowing access to the rotating unit as needed for routine maintenance and/or repair.
When these large submersible pumps are installed in “dry-pit” applications with intake and discharge lines hard piped to and from the pump, the pumps are often mounted on a cradle that supports the pump and motor horizontally, and in some cases a skid, sled, or service cart is provided to allow the motor/rotating unit to slide backwards away from the pump volute in the event that the operator desires to service the impeller of the rotating unit.
These types of skid, sled or service cart systems have been in use in one form or another for some time, however, as simple as this appears to be and look for service, the heavy pumps, sitting on steel sliding assemblies, often covered with raw sewage, sliding “metal to metal” present significant challenges to manipulation of the pump for periodic routine maintenance. Many submersible pump manufacturers fabricate these types of skid, sled or service cart systems, however, until the present invention, nothing in the prior art addresses the aforementioned and significant shortcomings and the outright failure to provide ease of access to the rotating units of such high capacity “dry-pit” submersible pumps for routine maintenance and/or repair, or the proper alignment or realignment, as the case may be, of the rotating unit with a volute following such routine maintenance or repair.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly for installing a pump mounted into a pump station. In at least one embodiment, the present invention is utilized to install a pump onto a concrete base of a pump station, while allowing for precise alignment of a rotating unit and volute of the pump. As noted above, in at least one embedment, an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly is utilized to install a high capacity submersible pump into a “dry-pit” raw sewage pump station, wherein the high capacity submersible pump is installed horizontally onto a concrete base.
In at least one embodiment, an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly comprises a track assembly having at least one upper track member, and in another embodiment, a track assembly comprises a plurality of upper track members. At least one cradle is dimensioned and disposed to receive at least a portion of a pump operatively mounted therein, and in at least one further embodiment, a plurality of cradles are dimensioned and disposed to receive at least a portion of a pump operatively mounted therein. The one or more cradles are attached to the one or more upper track members, thereby interconnecting the pump to the track assembly of the present invention.
A track assembly in accordance with at least one embodiment of an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly of the present invention further comprising at least one lower track member disposed in a sliding engagement with a corresponding upper track member. In one further embodiment, a track assembly comprises a plurality of lower track members, wherein each of the plurality of lower track members is disposed in a sliding engagement with a different corresponding one of a plurality of upper track members.
The present invention further comprises a sub-base assembly having a sub-base and at least one track support member adjustably mounted to the sub-base. Each lower track member is secured to the at least one track support member, and at least one jacking bolt adjustably secures the at least one track support member to the sub-base. In at least one embodiment, a plurality of jacking bolts are utilized to adjustably secure the at least one track support member to the sub-base. More importantly, each jacking bolt allows for adjustable positioning of the at least one track support member relative to the sub-base, thereby allowing for precise alignment of a rotating unit with a volute of the pump.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly for a pump, generally as shown as at 10 throughout the figures. In at least one embodiment, an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention is utilized to mount a pump onto a concrete base, such as may be found in pump stations, and more in particular, in “dry-pit” type raw sewage pump stations.
Looking first to the illustrative embodiment of
As further shown in
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a track assembly 30 comprises at least one cradle 32 dimensioned and disposed to receive a portion of a pump 20 in a supported relation therein. With reference to the illustrative embodiment of
As noted above, at least one embodiment of the present invention includes one or more cradles 32, which are integral with a track assembly 30, or alternatively, which are provided separately with a pump 20 by the pump manufacturer for subsequent attachment to a track assembly 30. As before, one or more cradles 32 may be securely attached to a portion of an upper track member 34 in accordance with the present invention. More in particular, one or more cradles 32 may be integrally formed with an upper track member 34. Alternatively, one or more cradles 32 may be securely attached to portions of an upper track member 34 by mechanical means including, but not limited to, welding, mechanical fasteners, etc. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, an upper track member 34 in accordance with the present invention may be constructed from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, aluminum, steel, stainless steel, 316 stainless steel, engineered composite materials, etc., provided the selected material(s) exhibit sufficient structural strength to support a pump 20 thereon. In at least one embodiment, an upper track member 34 of a track assembly 30 in accordance with the present invention is constructed of heavy stainless steel having a low carbon content to withstand the corrosive environment in a raw sewage pump station. In at least one further embodiment of the present invention, an upper track member 34 is constructed of 316 stainless steel.
Turning next to the illustrative embodiment of
Looking again to the illustrative embodiment of
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, one or more of an upper track 34′ and/or a lower rail 36′ comprises a friction reducing surface 38. With further reference to the illustrative embodiment of
In one further embodiment, wherein the components of the track assembly 30 and/or sub-base assembly 40 are constructed of 316 stainless steel, a friction reducing surface 38 may comprise a molybdenum disulfide coating to protect against galling and/or seizing of the upper and lower track members 34, 36. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a molybdenum disulfide coating shall have a tensile strength of 50 KSI at ambient operating temperatures, and in still one further embodiment, a molybdenum disulfide coating shall withstand exposure to moderate acidic conditions, such as may be experienced in a “dry-pit” raw sewage pump station environment. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a molybdenum disulfide friction reducing coating 38 comprises NEVER GALL® as manufactured by SCW Associates LLC, Indianapolis, Ind.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, a track assembly 30 comprises at least one lock member 35 to releasably maintain an upper track member 34 in position relative to a corresponding lower track member 36 while a pump 20 is mounted on an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly 10 of the present invention is an operation. Looking once again to the illustrative embodiment of
With continued reference to the illustrative embodiment of
As previously indicated, a sub-base assembly 40 in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one track support member 44. As may be seen, once again with reference to the illustrative embodiment of
More in particular, as will further be appreciated by those of skill in the art, settlement of the concrete base CB within a pump station over time can result in a change in position of a track support member 44 such that a rotating unit axis 24′ of a pump 20 is no longer in precise alignment with a volute axis 28′, thereby resulting in reduced pump efficiency and/or premature failure of the pump 20 itself. As such, in accordance with at least one embodiment of an adjustable sub-base mounting assembly 10 of the present invention, a plurality of jacking bolts 46 are utilized to adjust the position of the track support member 44 relative to the sub-base 42, such that rotating unit 24, and more in particular, the rotating unit axis 24′, may be positioned in precise alignment relative to the volute 28, and again, more in particular, the volute axis 28′. As such, by way of the present invention, a rotating unit 24 can be quickly and easily aligned and/or realigned with a volute 28 of a pump 20, by simply raising or lowering one or more jacking bolt 46, so as to assure efficient operation of the pump 20 and to minimize the potential for premature failure of the same. One or more shims 48 are provided and may be positioned between select portions of a track support member 44 and a sub-base 42 in accordance with the present invention, so as to further assure that the rotating unit 24 is maintained in precise alignment relative to the volute 28.
As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, absent the combination of a sub-base 42, track support member 44, and one or more jacking bolts 46 in accordance with the present invention, correcting a misalignment of a rotating unit 24 with a volute 28 of a pump 20 requires taking the pump 20 out of operation, removing it from the pump station, levelling the concrete base “CB” within the pump station, and reinstalling the pump 20 such that the rotating unit 24 and the volute 28 are, once again, in precise alignment. The other alternative is to simply allow the pump 20 to operate while the rotating unit 24 and volute 28 are misaligned, such that the pump 20 will operate at a reduced efficiency, which may become a significantly reduced efficiency, and with an increased likelihood of premature failure of the pump itself, which can be costly in terms of pump replacement and downtime of a pumping station.
At least one embodiment of the present invention further comprises a positioning assembly 50. As may be seen from the illustrative embodiment of
As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, and with reference to the illustrative embodiment of
Under ideal operating conditions, the rotating unit 24 of the pump 20 is disposed in precise alignment with the volute 28 of the pump 20, wherein precise alignment is at least partially defined by a rotating unit axis 24′ being disposed substantially parallel to and coincident with a volute axis 28′, as further shown in the illustrative embodiments of
As will be further appreciated by one of skill in the art, the positioning assembly 50 of the present invention facilitates ease of access to the rotating unit 24 for routine maintenance and/or repair, which is often a monumental task when dealing with large capacity submersible pumps. Upon completion of the maintenance and/or repair of the rotating unit 24, or other component of the pump 20, the positioning assembly 50 is actuated to reposition the pump 20 for operation, and the positioning arm 54 will extend outwardly from the actuator 52, which is again connected to a portion of a sub-base assembly 40 via interconnect 56, thereby causing the upper track member 34, also having an opposite interconnect 56 secured thereto, to slidingly engage the lower track member 36, thereby moving the pump 20 forward toward the volute 28, to facilitate repositioning the volute 28 relative to the pump 20 so that they may be secured together via bolts or other appropriate means, after which, the pump 20 is ready to be placed into or back into service.
Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3618236 | Pipkin | Nov 1971 | A |
| 4165571 | Chang et al. | Aug 1979 | A |
| 5417553 | Gibson et al. | May 1995 | A |
| 7156614 | Racer et al. | Jan 2007 | B2 |
| 7713031 | Dane | May 2010 | B2 |
| 10001143 | Yoshida | Jun 2018 | B2 |
| 10233945 | Yoshida | Mar 2019 | B2 |
| Entry |
|---|
| FLYGT Horizontal Installation Publication, The Dry- Z installation of pump models 3231-3800. |
| FLYGT Horizontal Installation Publication, Dry-Z installation of pump models 3085-3127. |
| FLYGT Horizontal Installation Publication, Dry-Z installation of pump models 3153-3315. |
