CA1153622A - Material transport system and boost pump therefor - Google Patents

Material transport system and boost pump therefor

Info

Publication number
CA1153622A
CA1153622A CA000360887A CA360887A CA1153622A CA 1153622 A CA1153622 A CA 1153622A CA 000360887 A CA000360887 A CA 000360887A CA 360887 A CA360887 A CA 360887A CA 1153622 A CA1153622 A CA 1153622A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
rotor
housing
inlet
chamber
vortex
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000360887A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Andrew C. Harvey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vencore Services and Solutions Inc
Original Assignee
Foster Miller Associates Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Foster Miller Associates Inc filed Critical Foster Miller Associates Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1153622A publication Critical patent/CA1153622A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04DNON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D7/00Pumps adapted for handling specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts
    • F04D7/02Pumps adapted for handling specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts of centrifugal type
    • F04D7/04Pumps adapted for handling specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts of centrifugal type the fluids being viscous or non-homogenous

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A material transport system for transporting coarse and fine solids with a pressure compensating centrifugal boost pump connected in a transport line. The pump has a helical bladed rotor that is mounted within an atmospherically vented housing. The bladed rotor creates a fluid vortex with a central air core, the diameter of the core varies for equalizing the pressure in the housing with the back pressure in the line. The material transported in the line is fed into an inlet port of the boost pump, carried by the fluid vortex to a pump outlet port and transmitted through the line.

Description

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Bac~ground of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to materlal transport systems and, more particularly, is directed towards a hydro-transport system for coarse and fine sollds.
2. Description o the Prior Art:
Delivery of solids to a haulage system often has many variables such as flow rate, density and product size. Ideally, bulk solids transport systems would be continuous, never changing in flow rate or consistency.
For most situations this is not the case. Accordingly, conventional haulage systems must be capable of handllng random flows and variable flow rates.
Hydraulic transport of solids has succeeded primarily where relatively steady-state flow conditions can be maintained, for example, overland transport of coal and other fine slurries. For hydraulic haulage to be competitive with other mgans of transport, such as conveyor belts, rail cars, or trucks, it must be capable of handling random flows and variable flow rates. Hydraulic transport of solids under continually varying rates, concentration and densi*y presents a monumental control problem for a system using conventional state-of-the-art pumps. Hydraulic transport lines several thousand meters long with centrifugal pumps appropriately located along the line are subject to severe water hammer and pump cavltation if the input conditions ~solids ; concentration, solids density and solids or 1uid flow rate) change. Cav-itation and water hammer can occur when the system contains some sections with high concentra~ions of solids and others with little or no solids. These sections of fluid tend to move at different velocities due to inertia effects causlng sepa~ation of the column and potential pump failure. In addition, transient effects can be particularly disastrous if the pump at the input point ventilates or cavitates due to inadequate controi of sump conditions.

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There are many control schemes which can or have been davised to reduce these problems. Variable speed drives on the pumps and/or intermediate sumps at each pump location have been used. Both, howeverl require elaborate control s~ystems to insure that the line dynamics remain within the systems' capability.
Summary of the Inventlon An object of the present invention is to provide a material trans-port system which does not suffer from the heretofore mentioned disadvantages and limitations.
The invention provides a material transport system comprising; ~a) transport line means; ~b) input station means connected to said transport line means and conigured to feed a fluid mixture into said transport line means; ~c) receiving station means connected to said transport line means and configured to receive said fluid mixture; and ~d) at least one pump means operatively connected to said transport line means intermediate said input station means and said receiving station means, said pump means in-cluding a housing with an internal chamber, said housing including inlet means, outlet means and vent means that communicate with said chamber, said înlet means configured to direct a material carried in a fluid external of said housing into said chamber, rotor means mounted in said housing and con-strained for rotation within said chamber, said rotor means including blade means configured to create a 1uid vortex having a ventilated c-ore from said fluid directed into said chamber through said inlet means when said rotor is rotated, a mouth o said vortex adjacent said inlet means, and drive means operatively connected to said rotor means for rotating said rotor at a sufficiently high rate to create said vortex, said inlet means and said out-let means connected to said transport line, said material carried by said ventilated vortex from said inlet means to said outlet means.
From another aspect, the invention provides a pumping device com-.. . .. . .

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(a) a housing with an internal chamber, said housing including inlet means, outlet means and vent means that communi-cate with said chamber, said inlet means configured to direct a material carried in a fluid external of said housing into said chamber; and (b) rotor means mounted in said housing for rotation in said chamber, said vent means communicating with a central portion of said rotor means and providing free passage of air into and out of said housing, said rotor means lncluding blade means configured to create a fluid vortex from said fluid directed into said chamber through said inlet means, said vortex having a central air core that is ventilated through said vent means;
(c) said vortex transporting said material at said inlet means to said outlet means, said fluid constituting a carrier for said material being transported.
The pumping device is suitable for use as a ventilated boost pump for a hydraulic transport s~stem which operates at con-stant speed under variable conditions of transient flow rates and varying material concentrations. The bladed rotor creates a fluid vortex with an air core vented to the atmosphere at the center of the rotor. The diameter of the air core is dependent upon the back pressure on the pump and varies in order to equalize the pressure in the housing with the back pressure. The material trans-ported in the hydraulic transport line is fed into the inlet port, carried by the fluid vortex to the discharge port and passed into the transport line.
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Brief Description of the Drawings , .
A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

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1~53622 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pumping devicc embodying the in-vention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the pump of Figure l; and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a material transport system embodying the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a pumping device 10 embodying the present invention. In the illus-trated embodiment, by way of example, pumping device 10 is utilized as a boost pump in a material transport system 12 in which particulate solids are carried from an input statlon 14 to a receiving station 16 via a trans-por~ line 18.
Pump lO includes a housing 20 having a frusto-conical nose 22 and an internal chamber 24. Nose 22 terminates in an inlet port 26 which com-municates with transport line 18. Housing 20 is also provided with an out-let port 28 which communicates with transport line 18. A rotor 30 with one or more helical blades 32 is mounted in housing and constrained for rotation within chamber 24 at nose 22. Rotor 30 has a generally conical shape that tapers inwardly towards inlet port 26. Rotor 30 is mounted on a shaft 34 that is journaled in bearings 36, for example tapered roller bearings, which provide maximum stiffness. Helical bladc 32 has a gradually expanding diameter from inlet port 26 towards outlet port 28. A vent 38~ for example a conduit which is open to the atmosphere, leads to the center of rotor 30.
In an alternative embodiment, housing 20 is vented throl~gh rotor 30.
Blade 32 is configured to create a 1uid vortex 40 having a ven-tilated core 42. In the illustrated embodiment, by way of example, a slurry 41 en~ering inlet port 26 flows towards chamber 24 at the leading edge of .

~S~ 2 blade 32. When rotor 30 is rotated by a driver 44, blade 32 maintains 1uid vortex 40 and pressurizes housing 20 at outlet port 28. Particulate solids 41 that are fed into inlet port 30 are picked up by blades 32, flung out-wardly and submerged in vortex 40. The 1uid level in pump lO adjusts automatically in response to applied downstream pressure in line 18. The inner radius of vortex 40 contracts when line pressure increases. The maximum pressure occurs when core 42 of vortex 40 has contracted to the size of atmospheric vent 38. In response to an increase in back pressure, ven-tila~ed core 42 contracts or decreases until the pressure in housing 20 is equalized to the back pressure without any decrease in flow. That is, as the back pressure increases, core 42 contracts and fluid vortex 40 expands.
Blade 32 engages a greater portion of slurry 41, whereby the pressure within housing 20 increases until it balances the back pressure. Similarly, in response to a decrease in back pressure, core 42 expands and the pressure in housing 20 decreases until the pressures are equalized. The centrifugal action of slurry 41 prevents introduction of air into transport line 18 as long as vortex 40 is maintained within housing 20.
Rotor 30 is driven by driver 44 through a gear assembly 46 which includes a gear train 48 having three hel-ical gears 50 mounted in a gear box 52. A shaft 54 of driver 44 is connected to gears 50 through a flexible coupling 56 and shaft 34 is connected directly to gears 50. In the illustrated embodi~ent, by way of exampleJ driver 44 is an 1800 rpm, 400 horsepower motor and rotor 30 has a diameter of 31.5 inches and rotates at lO00 rpm.
Solids enter rotor inlet 26 at a very low axial velocity and swirl compared to the peripheral velocity of the rotor inlet at its maximum diameter. The blade tip speed is approximately 1.8 m/sec. The blade 32 leading edge is sickle-shaped, with the tip at the orward outermost inlet diameter and the shank o the sickle attached to the rearward inner most hub o rotor 30.

, ~S3 E;~2 Blade 32 is helical and pitched at a shallow angle from a radial plane of shaft 34. The helical pitch gives a small ratlo or axial flow velocity to rotor speed, so that over the entire range of flow rates, the solids have initial trajectories that hit the blade pressure surface at a shallow glanc-ing angle. Axial impact velocity ls consequently small and thus wear of the blade surface is min;mized. The sickle-shaped blade 32 reduces the effect of thc h.igh relative velocity of solids to the blade leading edge.
Impact near the tip is with an edge angled approximately 60 degrees from the relative velocity and thus impact velocity is half of that for the normal impact in a typical pump. Bounce energy is approximately 25 percent of that for normal impact.
Reerring now to Fig. 3, there is shown material transport system 12 in which particulate solids are carried from input station 14 to receiving station 16. Particulate solids enter input station 14, for example a helical inducer or a slurry pump, through a line 62 and valve 64. A fluid, for ex-ample water, is fed into helical inducer 14 via a line 66 and a valve 68.
The slurry discharged from helical inducer 14 is fed through a pair of ven-tilated boost pumps 10 to receiving station 16. Pumps 10 operate at a con-stant speed with a constant water flow rate and with varlabLe solid flow rate. Ventilation of pumps 10 isolates each line section from the next.
~lso, it has been found that transport system 10 handles flows of at least thirty-five percent change in rate.
Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosures without departing rom the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims (10)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A pumping device comprising: (a) a housing with an internal chamber, said housing including inlet means, outlet means and vent means that communicate with said chamber, said inlet means configured to direct a material carried in a fluid external of said housing into said chamber; and (b) rotor means mounted in said housing for rotation in said chamber, said vent means communicating with a central portion of said rotor means and providing free pass-age of air into and out of said housing, said rotor means including blade means configured to create a fluid vortex from said fluid directed into said chamber through said inlet means, said vortex having a central air core that is ventilated through said vent means; (c) said vortex transporting said material at said inlet means to said outlet means, said fluid constituting a carrier for said material being transported.
2. The pumping device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade means includes at least one helical blade.
3. The pumping device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said helical blade has a gradually expanding diameter from said inlet means to said outlet means.
4. The pumping device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said blade has a sickle-shaped leading edge.
5. The pumping device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vent means is a conduit which leads from the center of said rotor to the atmosphere about said pumping device.
6. A material transport system comprising:

(a) transport line means;
(b) input station means connected to said transport line means and configured to feed a fluid mixture into said transport line means;
(c) receiving station means connected to said transport line means and configured to receive said fluid mixture; and (d) at least one pump means operatively connected to said trans-port line means intermediate said input station means and receiving station means, said pump means including a housing with an internal chamber, said housing including inlet means, outlet means and vent means that communicate with said chamber said inlet means configured to direct a material carried in a fluid external of said housing into said chamber, rotor means mounted in said housing and constrained for rotation within said chamber, said rotor means including blade means configured to create a fluid vortex having a ventilated core from said fluid directed into said chamber through said inlet means when said rotor is rotated, a mouth of said vortex adjacent said inlet means, and drive means operatively connected to said rotor means for rotating said rotor at a sufficiently high rate to create said vortex, said inlet means and said outlet means connected to said transport line, said material carried by said ventilated vortex from said inlet means to said outlet means.
7. The material transport system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said vent means is a conduit extending from the center of said rotor to the atmosphere about said pump means.
8. The material transport system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said blade means includes at least one helical blade.
9. The material transport system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said helical blade has a gradually expanding diameter from said inlet means to said outlet means.
10. The material transport system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said blade means is a helical blade wrapped about a cone shaped base that tapers inwardly toward said inlet means, said helical blade having a gradually expanding diameter that increases from said inlet means towards said outlet means, said vent means extending from the center of said rotor to the atmo-sphere about said pump means.
CA000360887A 1979-09-24 1980-09-23 Material transport system and boost pump therefor Expired CA1153622A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US7838479A 1979-09-24 1979-09-24
US078,384 1979-09-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1153622A true CA1153622A (en) 1983-09-13

Family

ID=22143708

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000360887A Expired CA1153622A (en) 1979-09-24 1980-09-23 Material transport system and boost pump therefor

Country Status (5)

Country Link
AU (1) AU536349B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1153622A (en)
DE (1) DE3035257A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2059505B (en)
ZA (1) ZA805373B (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115434917B (en) * 2022-10-09 2023-06-16 三联泵业股份有限公司 Device for delivering multiphase fluid

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6207480A (en) 1981-04-02
GB2059505B (en) 1983-12-14
AU536349B2 (en) 1984-05-03
GB2059505A (en) 1981-04-23
ZA805373B (en) 1981-09-30
DE3035257A1 (en) 1981-04-09

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