US2670692A - Pumping system - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1954 E. J. GRACEQJR 7 2,670,692

PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 20, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

EDWARD J. GRACE JR. BY

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1954 ant molteIPaa a sign Li -Sun tail-d main fil iihiai a,i lc

porationpfiNewJersey smiiicajacii neeeifiber 20, 1949, Serial No. 133,984 a eiaims. (01.- 103- 228) The inveiition rlat'esto bumping teins and "particularly to" theccmciiiaticn and r ran'gement of parts' for liftingor transferring liquid cdr itaining solig particles 1 Efrem a sump or-vessel to a pressured line or vessel.

The objectof this invention is to provide means for' piiinpin'g liquids containing debris from e01- lecting areas which are' coiiimfiniiianufacturlng installations such as refineries and chemical plants where constructionand' alterations as l'd' ll ssessing operations are constantly inip Jess. "Manufacturingaccesses invvhich a slums containing lumpy material is used will find the disclosed device an excellent means for transferring this slurry to pressure vessels as a step in the process. The usual suction line operated by a piston type pump and including check valves is objectionable as it clogs with pieces of weed, cinders, stones and miscellaneous solid materials present under such conditions. These objects in the liquid pumped through the system prevent the check valves from operating and cause rapid wear and constant replacement of bearings and shafts.

A transfer problem of this nature requires that the collecting pool, sump or other vessel be emptied by lifting the liquid to a pressure line or vessel. The pumping system of this invention includes the means for passing the contents of the collecting areas to such a pressure disposal pipe or vessel and includes a reciprocating piston or diaphragm pumping means for lifting the liquid and non-clogging check valves to keep the liquid moving against the pressure of the disposal locus. In the drawing, a schematic arrangement of the elements of the system is shown in elevation.

The numeral I indicates a collecting pool which contains liquid II and pieces of wood, stones and other debris, generally indicated at I2, as a typical example. A conduit I3 connects the pumping system with the liquid II and through the elements of the system to a pressure disposal line I4. A diaphragm or reciprocating piston pumping means I5 of commercial type is coupled to the conduit I3 at point I6 and furnishes the suction by which liquid II is lifted.

Between the pumping means I5 and the liquid source I I, a sealed chamber I1 containing a quantity of mercury I8, thereby forming a mercury check valve, is mounted. Considering the sections of the conduit I3 which connect the mercury check valve IT as the induction section I3a and the eduction section I3b, it will be noted that the section I3a rises above the chamber I1 and enters it to sufiicient depth to penetrate the mer- 4 9 which is similar an ccnstiuctiem valve l 1.

2 cu'r-y 'body' l 8. 'The-sheight-ito' which ith'e rindu'ction secti'o'n 13a rises above the ichamberdependsfupbn the force whih the pumping 'm'eans eiierts ai'id rmu'st abeisuificient tolretain "the mercury I8 inthe chamber 121. "Thefeduction section I flb icoiin'e'cts the mercury elieck valvgfto thefpunip lswl'eading -'d'i're'ct1y from :the top of' the seaied chamber cf t he waive tT withcutipenetrating the merc conduit. heri eirtended to amer Considering the mercury check valve I9 which, like the valve I1, is a sealed chamber with a quantity of mercury 28] therein, an induction section I30 of the conduit line I3 enters the top of the chamber and penetrates the mercury surface, as explained above, for valve Il'. As this valve is placed to protect the pumping system from the back pressure of the disposal line I l, the length of the vertical leg I30 must be of sufficient height to prevent the mercury 28 from :being forced out of the chamber I9 and up into the system against the flow of liquid and in response to the reciprocating suction action of the pump I5. An eduction section I3d connects the valve I9 to the line I4, as shown, and carries the efiiuent into that line for disposal.

An example of the operation of this system is given to clarify the application of the device in a particular problem and indicate the method for determining the dimensions of the induction sections I3a and I30 under actual conditions. Referring to the drawing, numeral 2I represents a platform or elevated surface, in general, above a liquid body carrying silt, sand, pieces of mud, etc., as indicated at Ill. The pump unit I5 is placed on the platform approximately twenty feet above the liquid to be lifted. It is required that the delivery be one gallon per minute at a discharge pressure of 45 pounds absolute pressure with a speed of 30 strokes per minute. the conduit I30 delivering to the discharge line I I, is taken as .6 inch. The height of the seal legs I31: and I30 are dictated by the absolute discharge pressure. The displacement of the pumping chamber in pump I5 must be greater than the volume required for the suction and discharge seals by a volume equal to the required pumping rate per stroke. As 2 inches of mercury equals one pound pressure with an absolute pressure of 45 lbs. assumed, the seal legs I3a and I30 must be inches in height. From this dimension the mercury seal valves in which a two inch displacement of mercury is allowed, can readily be determined as 4 inches in diameter with a volume of The diameter of mercury approximately 50 cubic inches. The final step of determining the pump stroke displacement to properly operate this volume of mercury and cause the necessary lift and operation of the device gives a stroke volume of approximately 61 cubic inches.

The abov example includes the complete analysis of the problem for determining the apparatus for the disclosed pumping system. This has been included in order to clearly describe the design of the induction and eduction conduits of the mercury check valves. It will be apparent to those versed in the art that the invention is applicable to any problem of pumping, in general, and may include gaseous as well as liquid fluids containing foreign and bulky material.

I claim:

1. In a pumping system the combination comprising a pump; a flow line cooperating with said pump; a flow check means upstream and above said pump in elevation consisting of a seaied chamber, a quantity of mercury therein, induction and eduction sections of said flow line con- .nected to said chamber, the induction section vertically arranged to enter the mercury in said chamber and extending upwardly therefrom a distance sufficient to restrain the mercury to the .-locus of the sealed chamber; similar flow check means including a second sealed mercury-containing chamber downstream of said pump placed below the level of the pump a distance sumcient to prevent the withdrawal of the mercury from said second chamber by the pumping action, the induction section of the second flow means arranged to enter the mercury in. said second chamber and the eduction section thereof connected to said second chamber to conduct the efi'iuent therefrom.

2. A system for lifting fluid from a source to a disposal point comprising a conduit having one end in communication with said source and the other end emptying into a disposal point above the level of the source, reciprocating pumping means positioned to operably engage said conduit between the source and the disposal point dividing it into an inlet and outlet section respectively, a mercury seal in the inlet section above the pumping means in elevation, a like seal in the outlet section below said pumping means in elevation, the conduit delivering the source material to the mercury seals having the end thereof immersed in the mercury and being vertically extended above said seals a sufficient distance to restrain the mercury to the seals during the pumping operation.

EDWARD J. GRACE, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,107,887 Bowser Aug. 18, 1914 1,630,943 Hutton May 31, 1921

Images