Encapsulated submersible pump

• US 8,633,623 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xylem Ip Holdings LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xylem Ip Holdings LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bingler, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/858,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 310/43, 310/58, 310/60.R, 310/60.A, 310/64, 310/68.R, 310/71, 310/87
• US Class Current: 310/87
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/08 for submerged use
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/12 Impregnating, heating or drying of windings, stators, rotors or machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/132 Submersible electric motors H02K5/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for use in a submersible pump, comprising; a stator having electrical windings and configured with a cavity to receive a rotor of a motor and to provide an electromotive force to drive the rotor arranged inside the cavity; a switch having circuitry configured to response to a level of fluid and control the operation of the stator; and electrical leads and connections configured to electrically couple the stator and the switch, and to provide power to operate the stator and the switch to drive the stator and to turn the electromotive force on and off to control the pumping of the fluid by submersible pump; the stator, the switch and electrical leads and connections being at least partly encapsulated in a material so as to form an encapsulated stator assembly with a watertight seal to prevent fluid from contacting the electrical windings, the circuitry of the switch and the electrical leads and connections.

Claims

1. A submersible waste water and sump pump configured to be immersed in a fluid, comprising:

a motor rotor configured to pump of the fluid surrounding the submersible waste water and sump pump; and

an encapsulated stator assembly comprising;

a stator configured with electrical windings to form a cavity to receive the motor rotor and to provide an electromotive force to drive the motor rotor arranged inside the cavity;

a solid state switch having a low water sensor, a high water sensor and switching circuitry, the low water sensor and the high water sensor configured to respond to low and high water levels of the fluid and to provide signaling containing information about the low and high water levels of the fluid, and the switching circuitry configured to receive the signaling and provide corresponding signaling to control the operation of the stator by turning the electromotive force on and off to drive the motor rotor to control the pumping of the fluid by the submersible waste water and sump pump, based at least partly on a sensed level of fluid surrounding the submersible waste water and sump pump;

electrical leads and connections configured to electrically couple the stator and the solid state switch, and to provide power to operate the stator and the solid state switch to drive the stator and to turn the electromotive force on and off to control the pumping of the fluid by the submersible waste water and sump pump; and

a thermoplastic material configured to at least partially encapsulate the stator, the solid state switch and electrical leads and connections so as to form the encapsulated stator assembly with a watertight electrical seal to prevent the fluid from contacting the electrical windings, the switching circuitry of the solid state switch and the electrical leads and connections when the submersible waste water and sump pump is immersed in the fluid; and

the encapsulated stator assembly being configured as an integrated watertight manufactured unit so as to receive the motor rotor when the submersible waste water and sump pump is assembled.

2. A submersible waste water and sump pump according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulated stator assembly further comprises one or more water passageways configured to allow fluid to pass through and cool the encapsulated stator assembly.

3. A submersible waste water and sump pump according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulated stator assembly further comprises metallic inserts formed in the thermoplastic material configured to wick heat from the encapsulated stator assembly to the fluid.

4. The encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 3, wherein the metallic inserts are configured as a continuous ring about the stator assembly.

5. The submersible waste water and sump pump according to claim 1, wherein the submersible waste water and sump pump comprises a first, upper casing portion configured with a handle for carrying said submersible waste water and sump pump and a second, lower casing portion is configured to form a pump inlet, an impeller cavity and a pump discharge.

6. The submersible waste water and sump pump according to claim 5, wherein the first, upper casing portion, the second, lower casing portion and the thermoplastic material are formed as an integral unit.

7. An encapsulated stator assembly configured for use in a submersible waste water and sump pump that is immersed in a fluid, wherein the encapsulated stator assembly comprises:

a stator configured with electrical windings to form a cavity to receive a motor rotor that is configured to pump of the fluid in which the submersible waste water and sump pump is immersed, the stator also configured to provide an electromotive force to drive the motor rotor arranged inside the cavity;

a solid state switch having a low water sensor, a high water sensor and switching circuitry, the low water sensor and the high water sensor configured to respond to low and high water levels of the fluid and to provide signaling containing information about the low and high water levels of the fluid, and the switching circuitry configured to receive the signaling and provide corresponding signaling to control the operation of the stator by turning the electromotive force on and off to drive the motor rotor to control the pumping of the fluid by the submersible waste water and sump pump, based at least partly on a sensed level of fluid surrounding the submersible waste water and sump pump;

electrical leads and connections configured to electrically couple the stator and the solid state switch, and to provide power to operate the stator and the solid state switch to drive the stator and to turn the electromotive force on and off to control the pumping of the fluid by the submersible waste water and sump pump; and

a thermoplastic material configured to at least partially encapsulate the stator, the solid state switch and electrical leads and connections so as to form the encapsulated stator assembly with a watertight electrical seal to prevent the fluid from contacting the electrical windings, the switching circuitry of the solid state switch and the electrical leads and connections when the submersible waste water and sump pump is immersed in the fluid; and

the encapsulated stator assembly being configured as an integrated watertight manufactured unit so as to receive the motor rotor when the submersible waste water and sump pump is assembled.

8. An encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 7, wherein the encapsulated stator assembly further comprises one or more water passageways configured to allow fluid to pass through and cool the encapsulated stator assembly.

9. An encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 7, wherein the encapsulated stator assembly further comprises metallic inserts formed in the thermoplastic material configured to wick heat from the encapsulated stator assembly to the fluid.

10. An encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 9, wherein the metallic inserts are configured as a continuous ring about the stator assembly.

11. An encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 8, wherein the submersible waste water and sump pump comprises a first, upper casing portion configured with a handle for carrying said submersible waste water and sump pump and a second, lower casing portion is configured to form a pump inlet, an impeller cavity and a pump discharge.

12. An encapsulated stator assembly according to claim 11, wherein the first, upper casing portion, the second, lower casing portion and the thermoplastic material are formed as an integral unit.