Pump system with vacuum source

• US 8,662,862 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Management Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Water Management Systems LLC
• Inventors: Muhs, David
• Primary Examiner(s): FREAY, CHARLES GRANT
• Application Number:
  US13/589,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20120312392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 417/200, 417/199.1, 417/68, 417/69
• US Class Current: 417/200
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0012 Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0018 provided with a pump mounted in or on a settling tank
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0039 Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0042 Baffles or guide plates
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/225 Adaptations for pumps or valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/006 Pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 11/005 of dissimilar working principle
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 19/001 General arrangements, plants, flowsheets
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0092 Removing solid or liquid contaminants from the gas under pumping, e.g. by filtering or deposition; Purging; Scrubbing; Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/02 Units comprising pumps and their driving means
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/2288 for comminuting, mixing or separating
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/708 specially for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 7/04 the fluids being viscous or non-homogenous
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 7/045 with means for comminuting, mixing stirring or otherwise treating
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 9/041 the priming pump having evacuating action F04D9/043 and F04D9/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 9/042 and means for rendering its in operative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6416 With heating or cooling of the system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86043 Reserve or surge receiver

Abstract

A self priming pump system that includes a motor coupled to a centrifugal pump for driving the centrifugal pump. A separator having a reservoir is provided for storing a limited amount of pumped fluid in advance of the centrifugal pump. A vacuum source provides a vacuum suction to the reservoir to draw pumped fluid into the reservoir to prime the pump. To increase the reliability of the vacuum pump system, a deflector and/or extension may be provided in the reservoir to help prevent pumped fluid from entering the vacuum pump input. Also, the configuration of a tank used to store liquid for the vacuum pump system may be configured to separate and collect sediments near a drain port, which then can be easily drained. For positive head pressures, one or more valves may be used to prevent pumped fluid from escaping the reservoir, if desired.

Claims

1. A pump for pumping a fluid, the pump comprising:

a motor;

a centrifugal pump having a main inlet and a main outlet, the centrifugal pump having an impeller that is driven by the motor, the centrifugal pump pumps a fluid;

a separator tank having an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to a separator tank interior, wherein the outlet of the separator tank is fluidly coupled to the main inlet of the centrifugal pump;

a liquid ring vacuum pump fluidly coupled to the separator tank for creating a reduced pressure in the separator tank to help draw fluid through the inlet of the separator tank to prime the centrifugal pump;

a reservoir for holding and feeding a liquid to the liquid ring vacuum pump, the reservoir and the vacuum pump forming a substantially closed loop system for the liquid such that the liquid is maintained separate from and not substantially intermixed with the fluid being pumped by the centrifugal pump; and

the reservoir is situated outside of the separator tank interior, and thermally coupled to the fluid being pumped by the centrifugal pump such that the fluid being pumped removes heat from the liquid in the reservoir during operation of the liquid ring vacuum pump.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes one or more fins.

3. The pump of claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes a coiled tube.

4. The pump of claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes a radiator.

5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with air.

6. The pump of claim 4, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with water.

7. A pump for pumping a fluid, the pump comprising:

a centrifugal pump having a main inlet and a main outlet, the centrifugal pump having an impeller that pumps a fluid from the main inlet to the main outlet;

a separator tank having an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to a separator tank interior, wherein the outlet of the separator tank is fluidly coupled to the main inlet of the centrifugal pump;

a liquid ring vacuum pump fluidly coupled to the separator tank for creating a reduced pressure in the separator tank to help draw fluid through the inlet of the separator tank to prime the centrifugal pump;

the liquid ring vacuum pump having a substantially closed loop system for a liquid that forms a seal for the liquid ring vacuum pump during operation of the liquid ring vacuum pump, the liquid is maintained separate from and not substantially intermixed with the fluid being pumped by the centrifugal pump; and

the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump is thermally coupled outside of the separator tank to the fluid being pumped by the centrifugal pump, such that the fluid being pumped removes heat from the liquid in the substantially closed loop system during operation of the liquid ring vacuum pump.

8. The pump of claim 7, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes one or more fins.

9. The pump of claim 7, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes a coiled tube.

10. The pump of claim 7, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes a radiator.

11. The pump of claim 10, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with air.

12. The pump of claim 10, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with a fluid.

13. A method for pumping a fluid, comprising:

pumping a fluid using a main pump from a separator tank, through a main pump inlet and to a main pump outlet;

creating a suction in the separator tank using a liquid ring vacuum pump, wherein the liquid ring vacuum pump has a substantially closed loop system for a liquid that is used to form a seal for the liquid ring vacuum pump during operation of the liquid ring vacuum pump, and wherein the liquid is maintained separate from and not substantially intermixed with the fluid being pumped by the main pump;

cooling the liquid in the substantially closed loop system of the liquid ring vacuum pump outside of the separator tank using the fluid being pumped by the main pump.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the cooling step includes cooling the liquid in the substantially closed loop system of the liquid ring vacuum pump in a reservoir tank that is located outside of the separator tank but is thermally coupled to the separator tank.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes one or more fins.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes a coiled tube.

17. The pump of claim 13, wherein the substantially closed loop system for the liquid of the liquid ring vacuum pump includes a radiator.

18. The pump of claim 13, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with air.

19. The pump of claim 13, wherein the radiator is at least partially cooled with a fluid.