FR3073259A1 - PROPELLER PUMP WITH GUIDE BEARINGS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid pump (1) comprising: a pump body (2) composed of: a suction part (21), an ejection part (22), ), and at least one intermediate part (23) interposed between the suction part (21) and the ejection part (22), a pump-motor device (3) comprising at least one shaft passing through each part of the body (2), the suction part (21), the ejection part (22) and the intermediate part or parts (23) each having flanges adapted to allow their joining in pairs, characterized in that the pump ( 1) also comprises at least one first guide element interposed between the suction part (21) and the intermediate part (23) and a second guide element interposed between the intermediate part (23) and the ejection part (22). ), for the rotational guidance of the shaft.

Description

Propeller pump with guide bearings

The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of pumping equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to the design and manufacture of a propeller pump.

Propeller pumps allow the suction of a liquid, in particular to raise it from a first level to a second level higher than the first.

Conventionally, these pumps include a tubular pump body made of a metallic material or, for several years, of a composite material which offers more lightness compared to the metallic material.

These pump bodies include a suction part and an ejection part, connected to each other by an intermediate part. The parts of the pump body are independent of each other and connected to each other by bolting for example.

The pump body, thus formed, is crossed by a shaft at the end of which is mounted at least one propeller which is positioned in or in the vicinity of the suction part.

During operation of the pump, the shaft is subjected to the forces generated by the flow of aspirated liquid which passes through the pump body from the suction part to the ejection part.

These forces generate vibrations in the tree which can ultimately weaken it until it breaks. Likewise, these forces generate a compressive force on the tree which can cause it to buckle or even break.

To avoid breakage, it is known to increase the section of the shaft to make it more resistant.

However, an increase in the cross-section of the tree actually results in an increase in the weight of the tree. Such an increase in weight is particularly harmful for the mounting of the pump. In addition, the increase in weight of the shaft requires suitable motor means for the rotation of the shaft.

To prevent the shaft from breaking, preventive maintenance operations may also be provided to replace the shaft before it breaks.

Such preventive maintenance operations are long and require stopping the pump, which reduces its performance and therefore its profitability.

In addition, these operations are based on estimates of the wear of the tree which, by definition, do not reflect the actual wear of the tree. Thus, a tree can be replaced when it has little wear or, on the contrary, break before its replacement has been made.

To reduce the recurrence of preventive maintenance, it is known to use means for guiding the shaft in rotation.

Such guide means are generally integrated into the intermediate part of the pump body. The intermediate part is then in the form of a tube, generally of circular section, inside which extends a partition provided with a hole for the passage of the shaft. The partition extends over the entire width, that is to say over the diameter of the tube, and over the entire height of the tube.

The partition then delimits two channels in which the aspirated liquid flows.

This intermediate part nevertheless has certain drawbacks.

First, the forces transmitted to the shaft are detrimental to the operation of the pump.

In addition, the intermediate part reduces the useful section through which the liquid can flow in the pump body.

Then, in the case of a vortex flow of the liquid, it is necessary that the channels extend in a helical profile so as not to disturb the vortex flow, which induces complex and costly manufacturing.

Finally, the presence of the wall implies an increase in the weight of the intermediate part. Thus, during the installation of the pump or its maintenance operations, the manipulation of the intermediate part requires either the use of great force on the part of the operator, or the use of lifting machines and / or displacement.

The object of the invention is in particular to respond to the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a propeller liquid pump, which limits wear on the shaft.

The invention also aims to provide such a liquid pump whose guiding in rotation of the shaft has little effect on the flow of liquid inside the pump.

Finally, the invention aims to propose such a liquid pump which is:

simple to manufacture;

simple to install and maintain, and inexpensive.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which relates to a liquid pump comprising:

a pump body composed of:

a suction part, an ejection part, and at least one intermediate part interposed between the suction part and the ejection part, a motor-pump device comprising:

at least one shaft passing through each of the parts of the body, motor means connected to a first end of the shaft, and at least one propeller mounted at a second end of the shaft and located in the suction part, the part d suction, the ejection part and the intermediate part or parts each comprising flanges capable of allowing their joining two by two, characterized in that the pump also comprises at least one first guide element interposed between the suction part and the intermediate part and a second guide element interposed between the intermediate part and the ejection part, the bearings each comprising:

a bearing, a crown capable of being housed between two of the flanges, at least two arms connecting the bearing to the crown.

Such a pump thus makes it possible to ensure good guiding of the shaft of the motor-pump device without generating significant disturbances in the flow of liquid in the pump.

In fact, the shaft cannot vibrate or buckle since it is guided in rotation by the different guide elements.

Advantageously, the crown has a first surface capable of coming into contact with a first flange, and a second opposite surface, capable of coming into contact with a second flange, the bearing of the guide element protruding at least one of the surfaces of the crown.

Thus, the guiding of the shaft can be carried out over a height greater than the height over which the crown extends. This results in effective guiding of the shaft.

According to a particular embodiment, the pump comprises a frame mounted on the ejection part of the pump, to support the motor means.

The chassis makes it possible to correctly position the drive means so that they are axially aligned with the shaft, this for the benefit of the life of the shaft.

Preferably, the ejection part of the pump body has an angled shape.

The angled shape makes it possible to orient the flow of liquid at the outlet of the pump, in particular for connection to a pipe for example.

According to a preferred embodiment, the ejection part of the pump body comprises a nozzle for the passage of the shaft.

In addition to the passage of the tree, the tapping also helps guide the tree during its rotation.

In an advantageous embodiment, the pump comprises several intermediate abutting parts.

It is thus possible to adapt the position of the ejection part relative to the suction part according to the need.

Advantageously, the pump comprises a guide element between each intermediate part.

The multiplication of the guiding elements ensures good guiding of the shaft in the pump body, to the further benefit of its service life.

Therefore, it should be noted that the modularity of the pump, that is to say the addition or removal of intermediate parts, does not affect the guiding of the shaft since a bearing will be inserted between the parts intermediate.

Preferably, at least one of the parts of the pump body is made of a composite material.

The use of a composite material makes it easier to assemble and maintain the pump. Indeed, a composite material can be just as strong as a metallic material while having a weight much lower than that of steel.

In addition, the use of a composite material makes it possible to overcome the corrosion stresses of the pump body.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings among which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a pump according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the pump according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the pump according to the invention; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a guide bearing of the pump according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the bearing, along the axis V-V of Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a sectional view of a bearing housing of the pump according to the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid pump 1 according to the invention comprises a pump body 2 extending along an axis A of flow of the liquid in the pump 1, and a motor-pump device 3 mounted on the pump body 2.

For convenience, the description of the pump 1 is made when the pump 1 is in its position of use, that is to say to suck a liquid at a first level and eject it at a second level higher than the first level .

Thus, the term "vertical" means an orientation parallel to the movement of the liquid sucked into the pump 1, from the first level to the second level, parallel to the axis A. Similarly, the term "horizontal" s' means an orientation perpendicular to the vertical direction as defined above.

The pump body 2, visible in FIGS. 1 to 3, is tubular and is made up of:

a suction part 21, an ejection part 22, and at least one intermediate part 23 interposed between the suction part 21 and the ejection part 22.

According to the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the pump 1 comprises two intermediate parts 23 abutted.

At least one of the parts 21, 22, 23 of the body 2 is made of a composite material. Preferably, all the parts 21, 22, 23 of the body 2 are made of composite material.

The suction part 21 has a frustoconical shape, a first end, having the largest diameter, is intended to come to rest on a floor, and forms an inlet 211. The second end, opposite the first end, comprises a flange annular 212 which extends substantially perpendicular to the axis A and includes openings extending parallel to the axis A.

The ejection portion 22 has a 90 ° bent shape. A first end of the ejection part 22 comprises a flange 221 which extends perpendicular to the axis A and includes openings extending parallel to the axis 1. A second end of the ejection part 22, opposite at the first end, comprises a flange 222 which extends substantially parallel to the axis A and comprises lights which settle perpendicular to the axis A.

As illustrated, the ejection portion 22 comprises, near the flange 221, a portion which extends vertically, and, near the flange 222, a portion which extends horizontally.

At the junction between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion, the ejection portion 22 has a curved portion in which a stitching is carried out. The tapping is in the form of a vertical tube 223 opening into the ejection part 22 to put the interior of the ejection part 22 into communication with the outside.

The tapping comprises, at an end opposite to that by which it opens into the ejection part 22, a plate 224 which extends horizontally.

The role of the stitching will be detailed below.

Each intermediate part 23 extends linearly and has a first end which comprises a flange 231 extending perpendicular to the axis A and comprising openings extending parallel to the axis 1. A second end of the intermediate part, opposite at the first end, includes a flange 232 which extends perpendicular to the axis A and includes lights that run parallel to the axis A.

The intermediate parts 23 extend vertically and join the suction part 21 and the ejection part 22.

The assembly of an intermediate part 23 on the suction part 21, of the two intermediate parts 23 between them, and of the ejection part 22 on the other intermediate part 23 is carried out by bolting, that is to say - say by means of a nut and a screw passing through each light of the flanges 212, 221, 222, 231,232.

The pump unit 3 includes:

a shaft 31 passing through each of the parts of the body 2, motor means 32 connected to a first end of the shaft 31, a propeller 33 mounted at a second end of the shaft 31 and located in the suction part 21, and a bearing housing 34 interposed between the motor means 32 and the shaft 31.

Although FIGS. 2 and 3 represent a pump 1 having a single propeller 33, the motor-pump device 3 can comprise several propellers 33.

The tree 31 is here a tree composed of two sections 311, 312 abutted. A first section 311 secured to the drive means 32 and passes through the bearing housing 34. A second section 312 extends in the extension of the first section 311 and carries the propeller 33 (or the propellers 33 if necessary).

The two sections 311, 312 are connected to each other by a keyed coupling 313 to make them together in rotation.

The bearing housing 34, particularly visible in FIG. 6, includes roller bearings 341 crossed by the first section 311 of the shaft 31. This allows in particular good guidance of the shaft 31 at the output of the motor means 32.

When the motor-pump device 3 is mounted on the pump 1, the shaft 31, and more particularly the first section 311, passes through the nozzle tube 223 so that the motor means 32 are outside the pump body 2 and that the propeller 33 is inside the pump body 2, in the suction part 21.

In order to avoid a leak of the liquid sucked in by the pump 1, the motor-pump device 3 comprises a cable gland 35 mounted on the plate 224 of the nozzle.

The pump 1 also comprises a chassis 4 mounted on the ejection part 22 of the pump 1, to support the motor means 32.

The chassis 4 comprises a frame 41 on which is mounted a chair 42 carrying the motor means 32.

The frame 41 comprises a bottom wall 411 and a top wall 412 connected to each other by four side walls 413.

The frame 41 thus forms a protective box inside which the nozzle and the bearing housing 34 are housed and protected from external elements such as rain, sunlight and dust.

One of the side walls 413 and the bottom wall 411 each have an opening through which the ejection part 22 of the pump body 2 passes.

The side wall 413 and the bottom wall 411 having the opening are also produced in two butted sections, to allow mounting of the frame 41 on the ejection part 22.

The bottom wall 411 rests on the flange 221 of the ejection part and is fixed to the latter by bolting, for example.

The chair 42 is in the form of a tube comprising windows allowing access to the interior of the tube. The chair 42 is mounted on the top wall 412 and leaves, through its windows, access to the junction between the shaft 31 and the drive means 32 or between the first section 311 and the second section 312 of the tree 31, to join them together or separate them in rotation.

When driven by the motor means 32, the shaft 31 requires guiding in rotation.

For this, the pump 1 comprises bearings 5 interposed between two parts 21, 22, 23 assembled in pairs.

More specifically, a first guide element 5 is interposed between the suction part 21 and the first intermediate part 23, a second guide element 5 is interposed between the two intermediate parts 23, and a third guide element 5 is interposed between the second intermediate part 23 and the ejection part 22.

Each guide element 5 comprises:

a hollow tube 51, a bearing 52, in this case a friction ring, integral with the tube 51, a crown 53 capable of being housed between two of the flanges 212, 221, 222, 231,232, and at least two arms 54 connecting the tube 51 at the crown 53.

According to a variant illustrated in FIG. 5, the bearing is a friction ring 52 comprising an outer ring 521 secured to the tube 51 and an inner ring 522 secured to the shaft 31.

During manufacture, the friction ring 522 is force-fitted by pressing in the outer ring 521 and the outer ring 521 is screwed into the tube 51.

As shown in the figures, the tube 51 extends parallel to the axis A and the ring 53, of annular shape, extends perpendicular to the axis A.

The crown 53 has a first surface 531 capable of coming into contact with a first flange 212, 221,222, 231, 232, and a second opposite surface 532, capable of coming into contact with a second flange 212, 221, 222, 231,232 .

The crown 53 also has openings 55 extending parallel to the axis A and each opening on the first surface 531 and on the second surface 532.

As illustrated in the figures, the tube 51 of the guide element 5 projects from each of the surfaces 531, 532 of the crown 53.

However, according to an embodiment not shown, the tube 51, or the bearing 52, could only protrude from one of the surfaces 531, 532 of the crown 53.

The guide elements 5 comprise three arms 54 connecting the tube 51, or the bearing 52, to the crown 53, the arms 54 extending in a plane parallel to that of the crown 53.

The arms 54 have a low height relative to the height of the tube 51 and of the bearing 52. The height is in this case measured vertically along the axis A.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, each arm 54 has the shape of a disc portion delimited transversely by the crown 53 and the tube 51 or the bearing 52, and circumferentially by two edges 541.

In addition, each arm 54 extends over a small angular range. For example, each arm extends circumferentially, that is to say between its two edges 541, at an angle between 110 ° and 120 °.

Thus, the three arms 54 together form an angular sector preventing the passage of liquid, at most 10 °.

The guide elements 5 are secured to the parts 21, 22, 23 of the body 2 by the bolts used to assemble two parts together, the bolts then passing through the slots 55 of the crown 53.

By this assembly, the guide element 5 is locked in rotation about the axis A.

During operation of the pump 1, the motor means 32 of the motor-pump device 3 rotate the shaft 31 which drives the propeller 33 so as to create a vacuum in the suction part 21, allowing the suction of the liquid.

The liquid then flows from the suction part 21 to the ejection part 5 22 via the intermediate parts 23, this path being represented by the arrow F in FIG. 3.

During its rotation, the shaft 31 is kept vertical by the guide elements 5 which prevent it from twisting and prevent it from being damaged in advance.

Thanks to the pump 1 according to the invention, the flow of liquid obtained at the outlet of the pump 1 is little disturbed. Indeed, by their configuration, the guide elements 5 ensure good guidance of the shaft 31 without hindering the flow of the liquid since the three arms 54 each have a low height and, together, a low angular cover preventing the passage of the liquid sucked.

Claims (8)

1. Liquid pump (1) comprising: a pump body (2) composed: a suction part (21), an ejection part (22), and at least one intermediate part (23) interposed between the suction part (21) and the ejection part ( 22), a motor pump device (3) comprising: a shaft (31) passing through each of the parts of the body (2), motor means (32) connected to a first end of the shaft (31), and a propeller (33) mounted at a second end of the shaft ( 31) and located in the suction part (21), the suction part (21), the ejection part (22) and the intermediate part or parts (23) each comprising flanges (212, 221, 222 , 231,232) able to allow their joining two by two, characterized in that the pump (1) also comprises at least a first guide element (5) interposed between the suction part (21) and the intermediate part (23) and a second guide element (5) interposed between the intermediate part (23) and the ejection part (22), the guide elements (5) each comprising: a bearing (52), a crown (53) able to be received between two of the flanges (212, 221, 222, 231,232), at least two arms (54) connecting the tube (51) to the crown (53). 2. Pump (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the crown (53) has a first surface (531) capable of coming into contact with a first flange (212, 221,222, 231,232), and a second surface ( 532) opposite, capable of coming into contact with a second flange (212, 221, 222, 231, 232), the tube (51) of the guide element (5) projecting from at least one of the surfaces ( 531, 532) of the crown (53). 3. Pump (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a frame (4) mounted on the ejection part (22) of the pump (1), to support the motor means ( 32). 4. Pump (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ejection part (21) of the pump body (2) has an angled shape. 5. Pump (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ejection part (22) of the pump body (2) comprises a nozzle (223) for the passage of the shaft (31) . 6. Pump (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises several intermediate parts (23) abutted. 7. Pump (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a guide element (5) between each intermediate part (23). 8. Pump (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the parts (21, 22, 23) of the pump body (2) is made of a composite material.