Pumps – One fluid pumped by contact or entrainment with another – Diverse pumps
Patent
1993-12-07
1998-01-27
Thorpe, Timothy
Pumps
One fluid pumped by contact or entrainment with another
Diverse pumps
417148, F04B 2308
Patent
active
057116555
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a pump arrangement for transporting a liquid from a first location by means of a pump positioned at a second location which may be at a higher level than the first location. The invention also relates to a method for such pumping.
A commonly occurring problem is to pump liquid from a lower level to a higher level in a situation in which the liquid to be pumped is not easily accessible to permit a pump of the required lifting capacity to be positioned with its inlet located near the level from which the liquid is to be drawn. In situations like that, an immersible pump is normally used, but such a solution is not always satisfactory.
An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient pump arrangement which offers a good solution to the problem, and a simple and efficient method for pumping operations of the kind indicated.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved with a pump arrangement and a method as defined in the claims.
The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the annexed drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the basic features of the invention;
FIG. 2 is likewise a schematic illustration in vertical section of a pump arrangement embodying the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, numeral 11 designates a hermetically sealed vacuum compartment which is kept under negative pressure through a conduit 12 connected to a suction pump or other suitable vacuum source. The vacuum compartment 11 houses a pump 13 the inlet 14 of which is always in communication with the interior of the vacuum compartment at a level A and the outlet 15 of which is in communication with the surrounding space by way of an outlet conduit 16.
The pump 13 is a pressure pump, that is, a pump that pressurizes the pumped fluid to the degree required for lifting the liquid to the desired level which is designated by B in FIG. 1. Basically, any pressure pump may be used, such as a positive-displacement pump (piston pump) or a centrifugal pump.
Connected to the vacuum compartment 11 is also one end of a suction conduit 17. The other end of the conduit 17, which may be a pipe or a hose capable of resisting the occurring negative pressure without collapsing, is intended during the pumping operation to be immersed in the liquid to be pumped; the level of that liquid is indicated at C in FIG. 1.
In this case, level A is presumed to be higher than level C and lower than level B but this vertical relationship is not necessary in all cases. For example, level B may well be lower than level A.
In operation of the pump arrangement, liquid is lifted through the suction conduit 17 to the interior of the vacuum compartment 11 under the influence of the negative pressure in that compartment. When the liquid in the vacuum compartment reaches the inlet level A, the pump 13 carries the inflowing liquid away through the outlet conduit 16.
The vacuum compartment 11 may be provided with a level control or level monitoring device (not shown) which ensures that the liquid level in the vacuum compartment never drops below the pump inlet level A. However, as will become apparent from the following description, such a device can be dispensed with if the pump is of the inflow-controlled type and provided with a valve which prevents backflow through the pump.
As long as the liquid is being pumped out of the vacuum compartment 11 and flows into the compartment at the same rates, no air has to be pumped out of the vacuum compartment to maintain the required negative pressure, provided of course that no air leaks into the compartment.
Obviously, the pump has to operate against the negative pressure, but this does not mean any loss of energy, because basically no energy is consumed for maintaining the negative pressure and the energy consumption which is caused by the pump having to operate against the negative pressure is balanced by the gain of energy resulting from the pump lifti
REFERENCES:
patent: 3342135 (1967-09-01), Schnabel, Jr.
patent: 4147474 (1979-04-01), Heimdal
patent: 4339232 (1982-07-01), Campbell
patent: 4514977 (1985-05-01), Bowen
patent: 4736749 (1988-04-01), Lundback
patent: 4896548 (1990-01-01), Lalin et al.
patent: 5325667 (1994-07-01), Lundback
Korytnyk Peter G.
Thorpe Timothy
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