GB2513107A

GB2513107A - Materials processing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2513107A
Application number: GB1305959.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Vallelly; Neil Mullan
Original assignee: CDE Global Ltd
Current assignee: CDE Global Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-03
Filing date: 2013-04-03
Publication date: 2014-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-03
Also published as: GB201305959D0; GB2513107B

Abstract

Disclosed is a materials processing apparatus comprising a frame 10 upon which a pump assembly 40 including a pump 42 for pumping an abrasive liquid is pivotably mounted. The pump assembly is pivotably mounted on the frame to be moveable between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations. The mounting may be by means of rotating turntable 60 whcih may comprise a ball bearing. The casing of the pump 42 may be split vertically to allow access to an impellor of the pump and its drive shaft.

Description

Materials Processing Apparatus This invention relates to a materials processing apparatus and in particular to a materials processing apparatus having a pump for pumping an abrasive liquid or slurry downstream and/or upstream of a processing stage of the apparatus.

Sand and other particulate materials are typically contaminated with solid impurities, such as finely divided clay and other fines, after extraction and require washing to remove contaminants from therefrom. Such impurities are removed from the material by a washing process using water and the waste water, containing the impurities, is removed from the material, typically in a cyclone separator or similar dewatering apparatus. The waste water carries the impurities from the material in suspension.

Furthermore, such particulate material often requires grading to provide a product of a consistent and specified grain size. The material is typically graded by passing over a mesh screen mounted on vibratory frame for separating the particulate material by size, a feed device being provided for delivering material, typically entrained or suspended in a flow of water, onto the screen, whereby fine solids, having a grain size smaller than the aperture size of the screen (known as undersize material), pass through the screen for collection/passage onto further processing steps, while solids having a grain size greater than the aperture size of the screen (known as oversize material) are conveyed over the screen to be collected from a downstream end of the screen.

During such processes water or slurry containing abrasive particulate material and/or impurities in suspension or entrained therein is pumped between different stages of the process. The materials entrained in the water may be very abrasive, leading to rapid wear of the internal surfaces of the pump and damage to seals. To mitigate such problems such pumps, typically comprising centrifugal pumps, are provided with replaceable wear liners. However, such pumps inevitably require frequent maintenance for the clearance of blockages and the replacement of worn pa rts.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a materials processing apparatus comprising a frame upon which is mounted a pump assembly including a pump for pumping an abrasive liquid, wherein said pump assembly is pivotally mounted on said frame to be moveable between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations.

Preferably said pump assembly is pivotably mounted on the frame for rotation about a vertical or substantially axis between said operative and maintenance positions.

The pump assembly may be rotatable through at least 900 between said operative and maintenance positions. Preferably the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 360° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.

Preferably the pump assembly is mounted upon a turntable provided on said frame to permit the pump assembly to be rotated about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.

The pump assembly may include a motor arranged to drive said pump.

In one embodiment said pump comprises a pump housing containing a replaceable wear liner. Preferably said pump housing is arranged to be split vertically into two parts to permit access to and replacement of the wear liner.

In one embodiment the pump comprises a centrifugal pump having an axially arranged inlet and a tangentially arranged outlet.

Supply and discharge pipes may be provided for respectively delivering liquid to and from the pump, the supply and discharge pipes preferably being provided with detachable pipe couplings enabling the supply and discharge pipes to be detached from the pump to permit the pump to be moved between its operative to its maintenance positions.

A lifting device or hoist may be provided on the frame adjacent the pump assembly during maintenance operations.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a pump assembly for pumping an abrasive liquid in a materials processing apparatus, said pump assembly comprising a pump mounted upon a base, wherein the pump is pivotally mounted on said base to be rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations.

Preferably the pump is mounted on said base via a turntable permitting rotation of said pump about said vertical or substantially vertical axis through at least 900, more preferably through at least 360°.

The pump may be provided with an inlet and an outlet, each of said inlet and outlet being provided with detachable pipe couplings to enable the pump to be detachably coupled to supply and discharge pipes of a materials processing apparatus.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a materials processing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the pump assembly in its maintenance position; and Figure 5 is a further perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the pump assembly in its maintenance position.

The drawings illustrate a sand washing and dewatering apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. While the invention has been exemplified in respect of a sand washing and dewatering apparatus, it should be noted that the scope of the invention is not limited to such apparatus and also encompasses any other materials processing apparatus, such as a screening apparatus, washing apparatus, dewatering apparatus or the like or a combination thereof, where such apparatus incorporates a pump assembly mounted to be moveable between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations, as defined in claim 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a sand washing and dewatering apparatus 2 comprises a frame 10 having a dewatering screen 20 mounted thereon, above which is mounted a cyclone separator 30. A pump assembly 40 is mounted on a base of the frame 10 for pumping slurry (water having sand and/or solid impurities entrained or suspended therein) between the sump 50 of the dewatering screen 20 and the cyclone separator 30.

The pump assembly 40 comprises a centrifugal pump 42 and a motor 43 for driving the pump 42. The pump 42 has an axially arranged intake 44 connectable to a feed pipe 52 leading from the sump 50 of the dewatering screen 20, and an upwardly directed outlet 45 connectable to a vertically arranged discharge pipe 32 leading to the cyclone separator 30. The intake 44 and outlet 45 are provided with detachable pipe couplings to allow the feed pipe 52 and discharge pipe 32 to be detached from the pump during maintenance operations.

The casing of the pump 42 is split vertically to allow the casing to be opened for access to an impeller of the pump and its drive shaft and associated seals and for replacement of a wear liner mounted within the casing of the pump 42.

Due to the highly abrasive nature of the working material that typically passes through the pump 42 during operation of the apparatus, the components of the pump, in particular the impeller, seals and wear liner, are prone to high rates of wear, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement. Furthermore, the pump may be prone to blockage from foreign bodies.

With known arrangements it is necessary to remove the pump assembly from the frame in order to carry out maintenance on the pump due to a lack of access around the pump and associated components when it is in situ. This is a time consuming process, requiring heavy lifting equipment in order to lift the pump assembly off the frame.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the drawings, the pump assembly 40 is mounted on the frame 10 via a turntable 60, permitting rotation of the pump assembly 40 with respect to the frame 10 about a vertical axis. Thus the pump assembly 40 can be rotated between an operative position, shown in Figures 1 to 3, and a maintenance position, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. When in the maintenance position, the casing of the pump 42 is exposed to one side of the frame 10, permitting the casing to be split and the pump 42 to be repaired or replaced in situ, greatly facilitating and speeding up maintenance operations.

The turntable 60 may comprise a ball bearing of the type used to support the fifth wheel coupling on the tractor unit of an articulated lorry, a lower pad of the bearing being mounted on the frame 10 of the apparatus and an upper part of the bearing being attached to the pump assembly 40.

A hoist (not shown) may be mounted on the frame 10 adjacent the pump assembly for use during maintenance operations, for example during maintenance operations, for example during splitting of the pump housing or removal of the pump drive shaft.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A materials processing apparatus comprising a frame upon which is mounted a pump assembly including a pump for pumping an abrasive liquid, wherein said pump assembly is pivotally mounted on said frame to be moveable between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations.
2. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said pump assembly is pivotably mounted on the frame for rotation about a vertical or substantially axis between said operative and maintenance positions.
3. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pump assembly is rotatable through at least 900 between said operative and maintenance positions.
4. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 360° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.
5. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein said pump assembly is mounted upon a turntable provided on said frame to permit the pump assembly to be rotated about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.
6. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said pump assembly includes a motor arranged to drive said pump.
7. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said pump comprises a pump housing containing a replaceable wear liner.
8. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pump housing is arranged to be split vertically into two parts to permit access to and replacement of the wear liner.
9. A materials processing apparatus as claimed any preceding claim, wherein said pump comprises a centrifugal pump having an axially arranged inlet and a tangentially arranged outlet.
10. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising supply and discharge pipes for respectively delivering liquid to and from the pump, the supply and discharge pipes being provided with detachable pipe couplings enabling the supply and discharge pipes to be detached from the pump to permit the pump to be moved between its operative to its maintenance positions.
11. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a lifting device or hoist is provided on the frame adjacent the pump assembly during maintenance operations.
12. A pump assembly for pumping an abrasive liquid in a materials processing apparatus, said pump assembly comprising a pump mounted upon a base, wherein the pump is pivotally mounted on said base to be rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis between an operative position and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations.
13. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pump is mounted on said base via a turntable permitting rotation of said pump about said vertical or substantially vertical axis through at least 90°.
14. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said pump is rotatable about said vertical or substantially vertical axis through at least 360°.
15. A pump assembly as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, wherein said pump is provided with an inlet and an outlet, each of said inlet and outlet being provided with detachable pipe couplings to enable the pump to be detachably coupled to supply and discharge pipes of a materials processing apparatus.
16. A materials processing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
17. A pump assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.