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Method and apparatus for determining the instantaneous operation conditions of a centrifugal pump

  • US 5,649,449 A
  • Filed: 04/25/1996
  • Issued: 07/22/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for determining a current operating condition of an operating centrifugal pump having a rotatable impeller, an impeller shaft carrying the impeller, a bearing supporting the shaft, and a characteristic curve defining a first relationship between lifting height of the pump and volumetric liquid flow through the pump, comprising the steps of:

  • (a) measuring radial forces impressed on the impeller shaft by the rotating impeller at a plurality of volumetric liquid flow rates during a testing operation of the pump to define a second relationship for the pump between the impressed radial forces and the volumetric flow rate;

    (b) measuring the radial forces impressed on the impeller shaft by the rotating impeller at a particular current instant during normal operation of the pump; and

    (c) comparing the measured radial forces measured at the particular instant to the second relationship measurements to determine the instantaneous operating conditions of the pump.

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