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 26 is a generally circular plate having a first side 32 (defining a first planar surface), a second side 34 (defining a second planar surface) and an outer circumferential edge 36. The first or upper side faces 32 the interior surface 22 of the housing 14 and has a protrusion or shaft 38 extending therefrom. The protrusion 38 is connected to or connectable to a drive shaft from the drive motor 12. The second side 34 has the plurality of blades 30a-30e disposed thereon. As shown in
As shown in
The conical center portion 28 helps hydraulically by causing suction which enables the fluid to flow inside the housing 14 smoothly from the inlet 18 and facilitates laminar movement towards the outlet 20 or end of the rotor 16 and subsequently to the discharge. This induction of laminar flow aids in reduction of eddy currents and recirculation inside the housing 14, increasing pump efficiency. The size of the conical center portion 28 (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 28 also helps create better eddy current from the suction to the inlet 18 of the rotor 16 while preventing turbulence at higher flow rates than the best efficiency point allowing a flow rate 140% of the design best efficiency point. The size of the conical center portion 28 can be reduced or increased to control power consumption.
As shown in
The first longitudinal side 44 and a second longitudinal side 46 are opposite each other. The first and second longitudinal sides 44, 26 extend in the longitudinal direction, generally parallel to the rotational or longitudinal axis A of the rotor 16 and taper away from each other in the radial direction. That is, as shown in
As shown in
The outer surface 48 of the blades 30a-30e can be seen in at least
Additionally, as shown in
Thus, as can be understood, the height of each of the blades 30a-30e increases from the conical center portion 28 of the rotor 16 towards the outside diameter or the circumferential edge 36 of the back plate 26, on the suction side of the rotor 16. This structure enhances the eddy currents for improved suction of fluid and creates clearance for larger particle sizes. The rotor 16 blade height at the outside diameter (i.e., at the circumferential edge 36) is kept close to the height of the outlet 20 or the diameter of the outlet 20 so as to be capable of pushing fluids directly into the outlet 20. This configuration reduces leakage, recirculation and pressure losses. The tapering blade height also helps reduce the torque, and thus reduce the power consumed versus a uniform blade height from the center to outer diameter. The outer blade height (i.e., H2) can also be varied in proportion to the outlet 20 diameter of the housing 14, keeping the dimensions similar if desired.
As shown in
A rotor 16 having five blades is the preferable number of blades to reduce eddy current formation and recirculation between the rotor 16 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 10 and may reduce fluid volume allowable for ideal flow rate. However, the rotor 16 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 14.
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 10 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 16 generates a very strong, synchronized central column of flow from the pump rotor 16 to the pump inlet 18 and creates a low-pressure reverse eddy flow from the pump inlet 18 to the pump outlet 20. This action also results in an area of negative pressure near the pump seal. The negative pressure allows the pump 10 to achieve zero leakage.
Further the open rotor design described herein has high tolerances that enable any substance that enters the inlet 18 to be passed through the outlet 20 without issues. This translates to a significant amount of solids and debris that passes through the pump 10 without clogging the pump 10. In one embodiment, the pump 10 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 16 so as to be recessed also creates an 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 16 and the housing 14 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 14 and generating pressure differential for desired discharge is created. This eddy current is formed by the pressure differential caused by the rotor 16 and strengthened by turbulent flow patterns in the housing or volute 14 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 16 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 12 is conventional component that is well known in the art. Since drive motor 12 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 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.
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