GB2524294A

GB2524294A - A materials processing device

Info

Publication number: GB2524294A
Application number: GB1404941.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Vallelly
Original assignee: CDE Global Ltd
Current assignee: CDE Global Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-19
Filing date: 2014-03-19
Publication date: 2015-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-19
Also published as: GB2524294B; GB201404941D0

Abstract

A materials processing apparatus 2 comprises a base frame having at least one materials processing stage provided thereon and a pump 22 for pumping a liquid or slurry from or to the at least one material processing stage. The pump is coupled to the materials processing stage via a coupling means and is mounted on a pump support subframe. The pump support subframe is pivotally mounted on said base frame to be moveable between an operative position wherein the pump is coupled to the at least one materials processing stage via the coupling means, and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations. The coupling means comprises first and second cooperating coupling flanges 25,28, the coupling flanges being separable from one another along a plane coincident with the pivot axis of the pump support subframe such that the two parts of the coupling flange separate from one another as the pump support subframe is swung through an arc from its operative position to its maintenance position.

Description

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

After extraction, sand and other particulate materials are typically contaminated with solid impurities, such as finely divided clay and other fines, and require washing to remove contaminants from therefrom. Such impurities are removed from the material by a washing process using water. 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 parts. However, access to the pump is often difficult and time consuming.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a materials processing apparatus including a base frame having at least one materials processing stage provided thereon, such as a grading and/or dewatering screen and/or a cyclone separator, and a pump for pumping a liquid or slurry from or to the at least one material processing stage, the pump being coupled to the materials processing stage via a coupling means, wherein the pump is mounted on a pump support subframe, the pump support subframe being pivotally mounted on said base frame to be nioveable between an operative position, wherein the pump is coupled to the at least one materials processing stage via the coupling means, and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations, wherein the coupling means comprises first and second cooperating coupling flanges, the coupling flanges being separable from one another along a plane coincident with the pivot axis of the pump support subframe such that the two parts of the coupling flange separate from one another as the pump support subframe is swung through an arc from its operative position to its maintenance position.

Preferably said pump support subframe is pivotally mounted on the base frame by means of a hinge assembly to be swung about a vertical or substantially vertical axis located on one side of the base frame to enable the pump support subframe be swung between said operative and maintenance positions. Preferably the pump support subframe is pivotally mounted on the base frame such that the pump is located outside of the base frame on said one side of the base frame when the pump support subframe is in its maintenance position.

The pump support subframe may arranged to be swung through at least 45° between said operative and maintenance positions. Preferably the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 900, more preferably at least 120° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis. In a preferred embodiment the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 180°.

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.

The pump may be provided with an inlet and an outlet, one of said inlet and outlet being coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.

In one embodiment the pump comprises a centrifugal pump having an axially arranged inlet and a tangentially arranged outlet. In one embodiment said axially arranged inlet is coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.

Alternatively the tangentially arranged outlet may be coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.

In one embodiment the base frame comprises a pair of side members, the pump support subframe being located between said side members when in its operative position and being located at a position outside of said base frame when in its maintenance position, said pivot axis of the pump support subframe being positioned on an outer side of one of said side members. Preferably an opening is provided in at least one of said side members of the base frame, through which opening the pump support subframe passes during movement between its operative and maintenance positions.

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 side view of part of a materials processing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with the pump support subframe in its operative position; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the pump support subframe in its maintenance position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the pump support subframe in its operative position; Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the pump support subframe in its maintenance position; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the pump support subframe in its operative position; and Figure 6 is a further perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the pump support subframe in its maintenance position.

The drawings illustrate part of a materials processing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus may comprise a sand washing and dewatering apparatus and/or a grading apparatus. 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, or any materials processing system wherein a flow of water and/or slurry is transferred to, between or from different stages of the process and 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 assembly for maintenance operations.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the materials processing apparatus 2 comprises a frame 10 having a pair of side walls 12,14 between which is mounted a pump assembly 20 for pumping slurry (water having sand and/or solid impurities entrained or suspended therein), typically between a sump of a dewatering screen and a cyclone separator (not shown). Typically the pump assembly is mounted beneath a processing stage of the materials processing apparatus, and thus may be located in a particularly inaccessible location.

The pump assembly 20 comprises a centrifugal pump 22 and a motor 24 for driving the pump 22. The pump 22 has an axially arranged intake 25 connectable to a feed pipe 26 leading from a processing stage of the materials handling apparatus, for example from a sump of a dewatering screen (not shown), and a tangentially directed outlet 27 typically directed to one side of the apparatus to be connectable to a discharge pipe (not shown), preferably leading to a further process. The intake and outlet 27 are provided with detachable pipe couplings in the form of mating pairs of radially projecting mounting flanges 28, to allow the feed pipe 26 and discharge pipe to be detached from the pump during maintenance operations.

The casing of the pump 22 may be 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 which may be mounted within the casing of the pump 22.

Due to the highly abrasive nature of the working material that typically passes through the pump 22 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 out of the frame.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the drawings, the pump assembly 20 is mounted between the side walls 12,14 of the frame 10, when in its operative position, upon a pump support subframe 30. The pump support subframe is mounted on one side wall 12 of the frame 10 via hinges 32,34, permitting the pump support subframe 30 to be swung out of its operative position between the side walls 12,14, through an opening 16 in the side of side wall 12, to a maintenance position outside of the frame, about a vertical pivot axis defined by the hinges 32,34.

When the pump support subframe 30 is in its maintenance position, the casing of the pump 22 is exposed to one side of the frame 10, permitting the casing to be split and the pump 22 to be repaired or replaced in situ, greatly facilitating and speeding up maintenance operations.

To facilitate movement of the pump support subframe 30 between its operative and maintenance positions, and in particular to facilitate decoupling and reconnection of the intake 25 with the feed pipe 26, the pivot axis of the pump support subframe is aligned with a plane defined by the mating faces of the cooperating radially extending mounting flanges 28 of the intake 25 and feed pipe 26. This ensures reliable coupling of the pump 22 to the intake pipe 25 and avoids movement or damage to the feed pipe 26 as the pump support subframe 30 is swung in and out of the base frame 12 to move the pump assembly 20 between its operative and maintenance positions.

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 base frame having at least one materials processing stage provided thereon and a pump for pumping a liquid or slurry from or to the at least one material processing stage, the pump being coupled to the materials processing stage via a coupling means, wherein the pump is mounted on a pump support subframe, the pump support subframe being pivotally mounted on said base frame to be moveable between an operative position, wherein the pump is coupled to the at least one materials processing stage via the coupling means, and a maintenance position to facilitate access to the pump for maintenance operations, wherein the coupling means comprises first and second cooperating coupling flanges, the coupling flanges being separable from one another along a plane coincident with the pivot axis of the pump support subframe such that the two parts of the coupling flange separate from one another as the pump support subframe is swung through an arc from its operative position to its maintenance position.
2. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pump support subframe is pivotally mounted on the base frame to be swung about a vertical or substantially vertical axis located on one side of the base frame to enable the pump support subframe be swung between said operative and maintenance positions.
3. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pump support subframe is pivotally mounted on the base frame by means of a hinge assembly such that the pump is located outside of the base frame on said one side of the base frame when the pump support subframe is in its maintenance position.
4. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pump support subframe may arranged to be swung through at least 45° between said operative and maintenance positions.
5. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 90° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.
6. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 120° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.
7. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump assembly is rotatable through at least 180° about said vertical or substantially vertical axis.
8. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said pump comprises a pump housing containing a replaceable wear liner.
9. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pump housing is arranged to be split vertically into two parts to permit access to and replacement of the wear liner.
10. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pump is provided with an inlet and an outlet, one of said inlet and outlet being coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.
11. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pump comprises a centrifugal pump having an axially arranged inlet and a tangentially arranged outlet.
12. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said axially arranged inlet is coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.
13. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tangentially arranged outlet is coupled to the processing stage via said coupling means.
14. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base frame comprises a pair of side members, the pump support subframe being located between said side members when in its operative position and being located at a position outside of the base frame when in its maintenance position, said pivot axis of the pump support subframe being positioned on an outer side of one of said side members.
15. A materials processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein an opening is provided in at least one of said side members of the base frame, through which opening the pump support subframe passes during movement between its operative and maintenance positions.
16. A materials processing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.