Overflow vortex transfer system
First Claim
1. A molten metal pump comprising an elongated tube having a base end, a top end and a longitudinal axis, said tube defining a pumping chamber, a shaft disposed within said tube and a centrifugal impeller rotatable by said shaft, said impeller including a bearing ring portion, said impeller disposed in said pumping chamber proximate said base end, the bearing ring portion of said impeller forming a bearing surface with said tube, said pumping chamber adjacent said impeller having a diameter at least 1.1 times a diameter of the impeller, said base end including an inlet and said top end including an outlet, a distance between said inlet and said outlet being at least three times a height of said impeller and less than 14 feet, and wherein said top end includes a chamber directing a flow of molten metal radially to said outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a molten metal pump comprising an elongated pumping chamber tube with a base end and an open top end. A shaft extends into the tube and rotates an impeller therein, the impeller rotates proximate the base end. The tube has a diameter at least 1.1 times the diameter of the impeller. The pumping chamber tube preferably has a length at least three times the height of the impeller. The base end includes an inlet and the top end includes a tangential outlet. Rotation of the impeller draws molten metal into the pumping chamber and creates a rotating equilibrium vortex that rises up the walls of the pumping chamber. The rotating vortex adjacent the top end exists the device cia the tangential outlet.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A molten metal pump comprising an elongated tube having a base end, a top end and a longitudinal axis, said tube defining a pumping chamber, a shaft disposed within said tube and a centrifugal impeller rotatable by said shaft, said impeller including a bearing ring portion, said impeller disposed in said pumping chamber proximate said base end, the bearing ring portion of said impeller forming a bearing surface with said tube, said pumping chamber adjacent said impeller having a diameter at least 1.1 times a diameter of the impeller, said base end including an inlet and said top end including an outlet, a distance between said inlet and said outlet being at least three times a height of said impeller and less than 14 feet, and wherein said top end includes a chamber directing a flow of molten metal radially to said outlet.
- 16. A molten metal pump comprised of an elongated refractory body, said refractory body having an inlet region having an inlet diameter, a vortex region having a vortex region diameter, and an outlet region having an outlet region diameter, wherein said outlet region diameter is greater than said vortex region diameter, and said vortex region diameter is greater than said inlet region diameter, an impeller having at least a bearing ring portion disposed in said inlet and forming a bearing surface therewith, said impeller relative to the refractory body having a bottom inlet and side outlets, a shaft comprised of a refractory material extending through said vortex region and said outlet region and including a first end engaging the impeller and a second end adapted to engage a motor via a coupling.
Specification