Patent Application
20200132076
The present invention generally relates to an eddy pump. More specifically, the present invention relates to eddy pump including a rotor that improves pumping performance using a synchronized eddy.
Conventional pumps are designed to pump a variety of liquids, materials and slurries (i.e., solids suspended in liquid). One type of conventional pump is a centrifugal pump. In a centrifugal pump fluid or slurry enters axially through a casing, is caught up in the impeller blades, and is tangentially and radially spun outward through a diffuser part of the casing. When pumping slurries, it is important to minimize direct contact of solid material to the impeller, due to wear on the impeller.
It has been discovered that pump characteristics are improved and wear is minimized by a new pump design that forms a synchronized central column of flow from the pump rotor to the pump inlet and creates a low-pressure reverse eddy flow from the pump inlet to the pump discharge. The new pump design also results in an area of negative pressure near the pump seal. The negative pressure allows the pump to achieve zero (or near zero) leakage.
In view of the state of the known technology, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a pump rotor comprising a hub, a back plate and a plurality of blades extending from the hub and disposed on the back plate. The back plate has a planar surface. Each of the plurality of blades has an outer surface essentially parallel to a rotational axis of the hub, a first end adjacent the hub and a second end distal from the hub. The first end has a height from the planar surface that is less than a height from the planar surface of the second end. The plurality of blades is configured to cause a synchronized central column of flow.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a pump, comprising a housing and a rotor. The housing has an intake and a discharge. The rotor includes a hub, a back plate, and a plurality of blades extending from the hub and disposed on the back plate. Each of the plurality of blades has an outer surface essentially parallel to a rotational axis of the hub, and a first end adjacent the hub and a second end distal from the hub. The first end has a height from the planar surface that is less than a height from the planar surface of the second end. The plurality of blades is configured to cause a synchronized central column of flow.
Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:
Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Referring initially to
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the back plate is a generally circular plate having a first side (defining a first planar surface), a second side (defining a second planar surface) and an outer circumferential edge. The first or upper side faces the interior of the housing and has a protrusion or shaft extending therefrom. The protrusion is connected to or connectable to a drive shaft from the drive motor. The second side has the plurality of blades disposed thereon. As shown in
As shown in
The conical center portion helps hydraulically by causing suction which enables the fluid to flow inside the housing smoothly from the inlet and facilitates laminar movement towards the outlet or end of the rotor and subsequently to the discharge. This induction of laminar flow aids in reduction of eddy currents and recirculation inside the housing, increasing pump efficiency. The size of the conical center portion (length, diameter and angle) can depend on the particle size, allowing better clearances of the particles, as long as laminar flow can be maintained towards the discharge. The conical center portion also helps create better eddy current from the suction to the inlet of the rotor while preventing turbulence at higher flow rates than the best efficiency point allowing the pump a flow rate 140% of the design best efficiency point. The size of the cone can be reduced or increased to control power consumption.
As shown in
The first longitudinal side and a second longitudinal side are opposite each other. The first and second longitudinal sides extend in the longitudinal direction, generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotor and taper away from each other in the radial direction. That is, as shown in
As shown in
The outer surface of the blades can be seen in at least
Additionally, as shown in
Thus, as can be understood, the height of each of the blades increases from the center of the rotor towards the outside diameter or the peripheral edge of the back plate, on the suction side of the rotor. This structure enhances the eddy currents for improved suction of fluid and creates clearance for larger particle sizes. The rotor blade height at outside diameter is kept close to the height of the discharge or the diameter of the discharge so as to be capable of pushing fluids directly into the discharge. This configuration reduces leakage, recirculation and pressure losses. The tapering blade height also helps reduce the torque, and thus reduce the power consumed versus uniform blade height from center to outer diameter. The outer blade height can also be varied in proportion to the outlet diameter of the housing, keeping the dimensions similar if desired.
As shown in
A rotor having five blades is the preferable number of blades to reduce eddy current formation and recirculation between the rotor blades. It has been found that too few blades can cause turbulence and may not enable higher flow rates to create the required pressure differential. Too many blades may reduce clearances prohibiting larger size particles from passing through the pump and may reduce fluid volume allowable for ideal flow rate. However, the rotor can have any suitable number of blades that will enable some flow with a suitable amount and size of particles to pass through the housing.
Embodiments described herein reduce Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) because the embodiments can handle lower suction pressures and subsequent cavitation significantly better due to smoother streamlines relative the conventional systems. This improves the suction performance of the pump and reduces the chances of cavitation and pump damage.
As can be understood, embodiments of the pumps described herein do not rely on the centrifugal principle of conventional pumps. Instead of a low tolerance impeller of a conventional pump, the pumps described herein use a specific geometric, recessed rotor to create a vortex of fluid or slurry like that of a tornado. That is, the Eddy Pump operates on the tornado principle. The tornado formed by the Eddy Pump and the rotor generates a very strong, synchronized central column of flow from the pump rotor to the pump inlet and creates a low-pressure reverse eddy flow from the pump inlet to the pump discharge. This action also results in an area of negative pressure near the pump seal. The negative pressure allows the pump to achieve zero leakage.
Further open rotor design described herein has high tolerances that enable any substance that enters the intake to be passed through the discharge without issues. This translates to a significant amount of solids and debris that passes through without clogging the pump. In one embodiment, the pump is capable of pumping up to 70% solids by weight and/or slurries with high viscosity and high specific gravity.
The configuration of the rotor so as to be recessed also creates eddy current that keeps abrasive material away from critical pump components. This structure improves pump life and reduces pump wear.
The tolerance between the rotor and the housing easily allows the passage of a large objects significantly greater than that of a centrifugal pump. For example, in a 2-inch to 10-inch Eddy Pump the tolerance ranges from 1-9 inches.
The embodiments described herein can have additional advantages, such as low maintenance, minimal downtime, low ownership costs and no need for steel high-pressure pipeline.
Since the Eddy Pump is based on the principle of Tornado Motion of liquid as a synchronized swirling column along the center of intake pipe that induces agitated mixing of solid particles with liquid, suction strong enough for solid particles to travel upwards into the housing or volute and generating pressure differential for desired discharge is created. This eddy current is formed by the pressure differential caused by the rotor and strengthened by turbulent flow patterns in the housing or volute and suction tube. Eddy currents are strengthened by the presence of solid particles which increase the inertial forces in the fluid. The formation of the eddy depends on the suspended solid particles that causes suction. Unlike conventional vortex pumps, the rotor directly drives the fluid through the pump with no slip. The Eddy Pump uses the movement of particles and the wake induced from these solid particles to generate Eddy Current and induce suction. Hence, efficiency is 7-10% better than conventional vortex pumps, with respect to horsepower. The eddy current generated by the Eddy Pump ensures steady movement of the mixture that leads to excellent non-clumping capabilities and the power to pump a very high concentration of solids, up to 70% by weight, and highly viscous fluids.
The drive motor is conventional component that are well known in the art. Since drive motor is well known in the art, this structure will not be discussed or illustrated in detail herein. Rather, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the components can be any type of structure and/or programming that can be used to carry out the present invention.
In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term “comprising” and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as the terms, “including”, “having” and their derivatives. Also, the terms “part,” “portion,” or “element” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts. Also as used herein to describe the above embodiment(s), the following directional terms “rearward”, “top”, and “bottom”, as well as any other similar directional terms refer to those directions of the Eddy Pump. Accordingly, these terms, as utilized to describe the present invention should be interpreted relative to the Eddy Pump.
The term “configured” as used herein to describe a component, section or part of a device includes hardware and/or software that is constructed and/or programmed to carry out the desired function.
The terms of degree such as “substantially”, “about” and “approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.
While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the size, shape, location or orientation of the various components can be changed as needed and/or desired. Components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them. The functions of one element can be performed by two, and vice versa. The structures and functions of one embodiment can be adopted in another embodiment. It is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time. Every feature which is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the applicant, including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such features. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
