Abstract: A hybrid inducer/crusher pressurizes a slurry and crushes solid fragments therein. An inner passage of uniform diameter extending through a substantially cylindrical housing comprises an inducer segment, and a crusher segment in which stationary vanes extend radially inward. A first plurality of rotating vanes extending through both segments are thinner and larger in diameter in the inducer segment than in the crusher segment. A second plurality of rotating vanes are interspersed with the first plurality in the crusher segment, thereby reducing the inter-vane spacing. In embodiments, a third plurality of rotating vanes is interspersed in the crusher segment between the first and second pluralities of vanes. The rotating vanes in the crusher segment are of equal thickness, and pass in close cooperation with the stationary vanes. The slurry is thereby pressurized in the inducer segment, and fragments are crushed in the crusher segment between the rotating and stationary vanes.

Abstract: A shroudless vertical turbine pump (VTC) impeller and method of design thereof minimizes or eliminates discharge recirculation on the shroud sides of the impeller blades, thereby providing a monotonically decreasing head as a function of flow rate from zero flow to a flow rate that is beyond a best efficiency point (BEP) flow rate, and in embodiments beyond 120% of the BEP. Each blade of the impeller has S-shaped mean and shroud streamlines having inflection points located between the exit gate and the terminating edge. The disclosed method comprises varying locations of the inflections points for candidate designs and applying computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to determine successful candidates that meet all application requirements while providing a monotonic head/flow curve. In embodiments, this process is continued until an optimal impeller design is identified, for example a design that optimizes power, energy efficiency, and/or NPSHR.