This invention is directed to fluid pumps, and more particularly, to fluid pumps capable of exhausting fluids at different pressures or flow rates, or both.
Mechanical systems often include a plurality of pumps for pumping fluids at different flow rates or different pressures, or both. For instance, power generation facilities often have boiler systems that require fluids to be pumped at different flow rates and pressures. These boiler systems move fluids for multiple purposes including heat transfer and steam production. Boiler systems can be incorporated into power generation systems that include combustion turbines, steam turbines or a combination of combustion and steam commonly referred to as combined-cycle generation systems. The boiler systems are critical to the operation of the power generation system. While multiple pumps have proven useful in such mechanical systems, each pump requires space, consumes power and includes a separate drive source. In addition, use of multiple pumps results in an increased chance of pump failure, which increases the likelihood of system downtime and increased expenses. Thus, a need exists for a more efficient system for generating fluid flows having different pressures and different flow rates.
This invention is directed to a pump configured to receive fluid through an inlet and direct the fluid in two directions-through two or more fluid discharge outlets where the pressures and flows at each outlet are different from those at the other outlets. In one embodiment, the fluid may be exhausted from one end of the pump through a first fluid discharge outlet and from other end of the pump through a second fluid discharge outlet of the pump at a different pressure and flow rate. For instance, in one embodiment, the fluid flowing from the first fluid discharge outlet may be at a first pressure that is greater than a pressure of the fluid exhausted from the second fluid discharge outlet. In other embodiments, other fluid characteristics, such as, but not limited to, flow rate, may be varied as well. In other embodiments, fluid may be taken from each end of the pump and two or more discharge points, each with a different pressure and flow rate. The pump may be used in numerous applications, such as, but not limited to, boiler systems, combustion turbine power generation systems combined-cycle power generation systems and others.
The pump may be configured to discharge fluids through different outlets with different output characteristics. The pump may include a pump housing having a fluid inlet in the pump housing for receiving a fluid for pumping. The pump may also include a first pumping chamber in fluid communication with the single fluid inlet through a first inlet channel and a second pumping chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid inlet through a second inlet channel. A first fluid discharge outlet may be in fluid communication with the first pumping chamber for discharging a fluid, and a second fluid discharge outlet may be in fluid communication with the second pumping chamber for discharging a fluid. The fluid discharged from the first fluid discharge outlet may have different output characteristics than the fluid discharged from the second fluid discharge outlet. The fluid discharged from the first fluid discharge outlet may have a higher pressure than a pressure of the fluid discharged from the second fluid discharge outlet.
The pump may also include a third fluid discharge outlet in which a fluid is discharged at a pressure lower than the pressure fluid discharged from the second fluid discharge outlet, thereby forming a high pressure outlet at the first fluid discharge outlet, an intermediate pressure outlet at the second fluid discharge outlet, and a low pressure extraction at the third fluid discharge outlet. The third fluid discharge outlet may be coupled to the second pumping chamber and positioned between the intermediate pressure outlet and the inlet. In one embodiment, the first pumping chamber and the second pumping chamber may be aligned axially and separated by the fluid inlet. The first pumping chamber may be a first impeller chamber including at least one impeller, and the second pumping chamber may be a second impeller chamber including at least one impeller. The at least one impeller in the first pumping chamber and the at least one impeller in the second chamber may be operatively connected to a shaft that may be coupled to a motor.
An advantage of this invention is that a single pump of the invention configured to generate two separate fluid flows through two outlets, whereby the fluid flows have different pressures or flow rates, or both, may be more cost effective than using two separate pumps to generate two different fluid flows having different pressures or flow rates.
Another advantage of this invention is that the pump may include a first pumping chamber at a first end and a second pumping chamber at a second end that is generally opposite to the first end, thereby forming a double-ended pump in which thrust in the pump is at least partially balanced.
Still another advantage of this invention is that the pump may be able to deliver large intermediate pressure flows while maintaining optimum pump efficiency through the higher pressure sections.
These and other embodiments are described in more detail below.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the presently disclosed invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention.
As shown in
In other embodiments, the pump 10, 110 may be configured to supply fluids through more than two fluid discharge outlets 12 at different fluid characteristics. Also, the first and second fluid discharge outlets 78, 88 and 58 may be positioned such that fluids at different pressures may be exhausted through the fluid discharge outlets 78, 88 and 58 without extracting fluids from the main pump flow. Rather, the fluids may be exhausted from the pump 10, 110 at the designed exhaust points 14, 16 for the pump 10, 110 at opposite ends 22, 24 of the pump 10,110. The pump 10, 110 may be formed from many different configurations. In one embodiment, the pump 10, 110 may be a centrifugal pump. However, in other embodiments, the pump 10, 110 may be formed of other forms of multistage pumps or other appropriate pumps.
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the first and second pumping chambers 18, 19 may each be formed from one or more impeller chambers. For instance, as shown in
As shown in
One or more fluids may flow from the fluid source 102, through the fluid inlet 36, through an inlet manifold 38 and into inlet channels 40 and 60 that feed the second and first pumping chambers 18, 19, respectively. The fluid inlet 36 and the inlet manifold 38 may be centrally located between the first and second pumping chambers 18, 19. Fluid may flow into the first pumping chamber 18 in a first direction toward a first end 24, and fluid may flow from the inlet manifold 36 to the second pumping chamber 19 in a generally opposite direction toward a second end 22 along the axis 21.
As shown in
As shown in
Fluid exiting the fluid discharge outlets 48, 58, 68, 78 may be regulated with control valves. For example, fluid flow can be regulated with a fluid flow valve and fluid pressure can be regulated with a pressure control valve. Pressure control valves may include, but are not limited to, rod and tube type pressure control valves, variable orifice pressure control valves and any other pressure control valves.
As shown in
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of this invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20080213102 A1 | Sep 2008 | US |