Including Means For Handling Portion Separated From Working Fluid Patents (Class 415/169.1)
  • Patent number: 6669437
    Abstract: An electric-operated fuel pump has a vaned impeller that is disposed within a pumping chamber for rotation about an axis. The pumping chamber has a main channel extending arcuately about the axis to one axial side of the impeller. The main channel has a radially outer margin that opens along at least a portion of the channel's arcuate extent to an adjoining contaminant collection channel which extends arcuately about the axis and which is effective, as the pumping element rotates, to collect certain fluid-entrained particulates expelled from the main channel and to convey such collected particulates toward the pump outlet. A sump is disposed at the end of the contaminant collection channel proximate the outlet. Several grooves in the seal surface between inlet and outlet, which is called “strip area.” The grooves are extended radially outward, the angles match the impeller vane angles and these grooves prevent leakage of the contaminations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: DeQuan Yu, Paul E. Fisher
  • Patent number: 6655909
    Abstract: A fuel pump includes a pump housing with a motor which is adapted to rotate a shaft with a ring impeller mounted thereon. A bottom is mounted to the housing and has an outlet. A cover is mounted on an end of the housing and is attached to the bottom with the ring impeller enclosed between the cover and the bottom. The cover includes a first side having a fuel inlet orifice and a second side having a flow channel formed therein. The inlet orifice extends through the cover in fluid communication with the flow channel. The flow channel includes an inlet, a ramp, a ramp end and a main channel. The inlet includes a smooth curved profile. The ramp connects the inlet to the ramp end. The ramp end connects the ramp to the main channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: DeQuan Yu, Sheven Sharp
  • Patent number: 6626639
    Abstract: A compound vacuum pump includes a regenerative section and a Holweck section. An annular abutment is formed on the radially innermost rotating cylinder of the Holweck section. The abutment acts to cause dust and foreign particles entering an inlet of the pump to be trapped before entering an inlet of the regenerative section. A circular barrier may be used with the abutment to assist with trapping the dust and foreign particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: Nigel Paul Schofield
  • Patent number: 6612805
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic machine such as an agitator or a pump has a seal at the fluid medium side in the form of a sliding ring in a coaxial opening in the impeller wheel hub. To prevent particle deposits and blockages in the region of the seal the hub engages into a pot-shaped opening in the housing, forming a conical outwardly enlarging annular gap. Formed on the outside of the hub is a spiral means which when the hub rotates produces a fluid flow outwardly of the annular gap to counteract a deposit of contaminating matter such as particles and fibers from the fluid in the annular gap and thus also at the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: EMU Unterwasserpumpen GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Rietsch
  • Patent number: 6585492
    Abstract: A pumping system is disclosed that includes a vacuum source. The pumping system includes a motor coupled to a centrifugal pump and a separator defining a reservoir in fluid communication with an inlet of the centrifugal pump. A water liquid ring vacuum pump having an inlet is provided in fluid communication with the reservoir of the separator. Accordingly, the vacuum pump may provide the required vacuum to prime the pump. To backflush that pumping system, the pumping system may include a first valve provided between the discharge port of the vacuum pump and the reservoir of the separator. A second valve may be provided between the reservoir of the separator and the inlet of the water liquid ring vacuum pump. During normal operation, the first valve fluidly connects the discharge of the vacuum pump to the atmosphere and the second valve fluidly connects the inlet of the vacuum pump to the reservoir of the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Inventors: David Muhs, Gianfranco Parma
  • Patent number: 6554565
    Abstract: In a fluid pump device, a filter is secured to a housing. A meshed portion of the filter substantially covers an inlet opening of the housing. Each engaging projection of the filter is engaged with a corresponding engaging recess of the housing in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of an impeller. Arm portions of the filter substantially perpendicularly extend with respect to a meshed portion of the filter and are resiliently flexible in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the impeller. Each coupling projection of the filter is provided between adjacent two arm portions of the filter and is engaged with a corresponding coupling recess of the housing in the axial direction of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Yasuhiro Harita
  • Patent number: 6551054
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for pumping a material, especially thick, gas-containing, fiber suspensions for wood processing. The apparatus includes a centrifugal pump with a rotor having blades twisted such that the pitch of the blade changes along the length of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Pumpen AG
    Inventors: Kari Peltonen, Reijo Vesala, Vesa Vikman
  • Patent number: 6499940
    Abstract: The cylindrical compressor casing of a gas turbine engine has a plurality of radially inwardly and axially rearwardly opening anti-surge grooves disposed on a radially inner surface thereof whereby foreign objects ingested into the engine and entering the grooves are free to move axially rearwardly of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Williams International Co., L.L.C.
    Inventor: Paul R. Adams
  • Publication number: 20020192073
    Abstract: The present invention is a device (100) for at least partially stabilizing an unstable fluid flow within a flow channel (103) by capturing at least a portion of the unstable fluid within a vaneless diffuser having a diffuser slot (104). The present invention also includes maintaining and harnessing a substantial portion of the energy contained in the fluid as it flows through the diffuser in order to utilize the fluid to improve the condition of the flow field. An example of a beneficial use includes discharging the diffuser effluent into the flow at other points critical to instability, hence reducing the overall instability of the flow channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Concepts ETI, Inc.
    Inventor: David Japikse
  • Patent number: 6464455
    Abstract: In a turbine having a rotor and a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a row of buckets mounted on the rotor for rotation therewith; and wherein the buckets of at least one of the stages are cooled by steam, the improvement comprising at least one axially extending cooling steam supply conduit communicating with an at least partially annular steam supply manifold; one or more axially extending cooling steam feed tubes connected to the manifold at a location radially outwardly of the cooling steam supply conduit, the feed tubes arranged to supply cooling steam to the buckets of at least one of the plurality of stages; the manifold extending radially beyond the feed tubes to thereby create a debris trap region for collecting debris under centrifugal loading caused by rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ian David Wilson
  • Publication number: 20020131858
    Abstract: The cylindrical compressor casing of a gas turbine engine has a plurality of radially inwardly and axially rearwardly opening anti-surge grooves disposed on a radially inner surface thereof whereby foreign objects ingested into said engine and entering said grooves are free to move axially rearwardly of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventor: Paul R. Adams
  • Patent number: 6450764
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for pumping a pulp suspension including a housing and an impeller including a central hub, a wheel disk surrounding the central hub, and pump blades extending radially from the central hub along the wheel disk, which includes at least one opening for discharge of an entrained gas from the pump suspension, a vacuum pump at the rear face of the impeller, and vacuum pump blades mounted for rotation within the vacuum pump housing, which includes an outer wall which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the vacuum pump blade, and a rear wall which includes a suction port for receiving the entrained gas, and with the vacuum pump housing mounted adjacent to the central hub to provide a gap therebetween, so that vacuum pump housing is axially adjustable so that the gap can be altered by axial adjustment of the vacuum pump housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Fibertech AB
    Inventors: Peter Danielsson, Kjell Forslund
  • Patent number: 6446699
    Abstract: A cooling water pump, for an internal-combustion engine in particular, with a casing provided with at least one bearing designed to support a pump shaft, with a sealing element devised to seal the bearing against a working space containing the cooling agent as well as with a leakage chamber arranged in the casing and receiving the cooling agent that leaks through the sealing element. A particularly simple way of production is achieved by the fact that the leakage chamber may be brought out of shape by a slider pulled in an essentially transverse direction and preferably normal to the plane on the axis of the pump shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: TCG Unitech Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Schober
  • Publication number: 20020115036
    Abstract: An apparatus for evacuating liquid condensation from pipe systems which is particularly applicable to exhaust pipe systems in high efficiency furnaces. The apparatus forms a junction sleeve between two pipes and has drainage channels which prevent condensate liquid from flowing from one pipe into the other pipe. A thermoplastic rubber composition of the apparatus dampens noise and vibration in the pipe system. External grooves provide locating features for mounting clamps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventor: Leslie Alan Lyons
  • Patent number: 6428271
    Abstract: A compression system endwall bleed system having a plurality of bleed slots formed in a mechanical housing downstream of a rotating shrouded rotor. In one embodiment, the plurality of bleed slots bleed off a separated tip boundary layer to relieve back pressure associated with this blockage. A sealing structure downstream of the shrouded rotor is utilized to minimize working fluid leakage ahead of the plurality of bleed slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Allison Advanced Development Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Ress, Jr., Jeffrey L. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20020090292
    Abstract: A regenerative type electric motor fuel pump has a vapor vent passage disposed outside of a fuel pumping channel and communicating the fuel pumping channel with the exterior of the fuel pump to vent fuel vapor from the fuel pumping channel. The vapor vent passage extends through one of a pair of end plates between which a pump impeller is received for rotation. Preferably, the vapor vent passage communicates with the fuel-pumping channel through a connecting slot in the end plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventor: Joseph M. Ross
  • Publication number: 20020090296
    Abstract: The division wall is made up of a plurality of division wall sections forming a passage wall of high temperature gas which are connected in the direction of arrangement of blades to form a wall surface having a roughly circular cross section as a whole, a gas flow restricting structure for preventing high temperature gas from passing through a gap formed at a connecting portion between the division wall sections in the flow direction of the high temperature gas from the opening on the upstream side of the high temperature gas in the gap, or a gas flow restricting structure for preventing the high temperature gas from being embraced in the gap, for example, a sealing member formed into a prism having a T-shape cross section as a whole composed of a plane portion as a sealing portion and a projected portion for filling the gap is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Kuwabara, Yoshiyuki Morii, Yasuoki Tomita, Shunsuke Torii, Shigehiro Shiozaki, Kotaro Ohshima, Tatsuaki Fujikawa, Ryotaro Magoshi, Shinichi Inoue
  • Patent number: 6413044
    Abstract: A gas turbine whose blades are cooled with cooling air has in its turbine part a device for the removal of dirt particles from the cooling air. The device consists of a first chamber in which the cooling air is collected, and a second chamber into which the cooling air from the first chamber is fed through conduit, and in which the dirt particles are removed from the cooling air. The conduit, above which a drop in pressure occurs, are oriented at an angle (&phgr;) in relation to the rotor axis so that the cooling air is accelerated in the tangential direction in relation to the rotor and moves in the circumferential direction of the rotor within the second chamber. Dirt particles are removed in the second chamber by centrifugal force from the cooling air in that they are driven outward and pass through the outlet openings into the gas stream of the turbine. The clean cooling air exits through radially further inward outlet openings into the cooling channels of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Alstom Power N.V.
    Inventors: Norman Roeloffs, Wesley D. Brown
  • Patent number: 6413039
    Abstract: A cooling water pump for internal combustion engine includes a base and an outer cover forming a water input chamber, an impeller supported on a shaft within said chamber, fed shaft includes a bearing/seal unit mounted within the base and the shaft extended outwardly for connection to the engine. A one-piece, fully enclosed and double shrouded impeller is secured to the shaft. Impeller has a central hub with an outer peripheral concave surface, a bottom convex end wall, vanes are secured to the central portion of the concave wall in the bottom wall and project outwardly therefrom with an outer top shroud. The base has a recess within which the bearing/seal unit is mounted. The recess extends outwardly beyond the outer edge convex wall of the hub from a cooling chamber. The vanes direct a portion of the water flowing through the passageway into the recess for cooling purposes and then back into the radially outer portion of the passageway for discharge with the flowing water into the outlet passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: UIS, Inc
    Inventors: R. David Morris, John Boyer, Curtis Ulm, George Tomlinson
  • Publication number: 20020071759
    Abstract: A fuel pump for pumping fuel from an inlet port to an outlet port. In one embodiment, a housing made up of a body piece and a cover piece encloses an impeller. The impeller has a vaned periphery and an outer ring connected by spokes. An inlet hole is defined within the cover piece for fuel to enter the pump. An outlet hole is defined within the body piece for fuel to exit the pump into an internal chamber. A first main semicircular shaped channel is defined circumferentially into the cover piece and extends in an annular fashion around the cover piece. The body piece has a second main semicircular channel as well as at least one annular groove. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two annular grooves, one connected directly to the second semicircular channel, and one around the peripheral edge of the body piece at the point where it contacts the cover piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: DeQuan Yu, Paul E. Fisher
  • Patent number: 6397576
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a turbine mounted downstream of a compressor and a heat exchanger interconnected between the turbine and compressor and to a heated fluid source, which is connected to a fuel source, has a compressor flow duct having a plurality of flow duct areas, each providing a different compression ratio, and a plurality of outlet taps, each communicating with a respective area of the plurality of flow duct areas, that supplies combustion air to the gas turbine engine flow duct and also controls an outlet tap switch having a plurality of positions for selectively opening to the atmosphere one outlet tap and disconnecting the rest of the outlet taps from the atmosphere in each switch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: ALM Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Anatoly Rakhmailov
  • Publication number: 20020018712
    Abstract: A compound vacuum pump includes a regenerative section and a Holweck section. An annular abutment is formed on the radially innermost rotating cylinder of the Holweck section. The abutment acts to cause dust and foreign particles entering an inlet of the pump to be trapped before entering an inlet of the regenerative section. A circular barrier may be used with the abutment to assist with trapping the dust and foreign particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventor: Nigel Paul Schofield
  • Patent number: 6309173
    Abstract: A feed pump (2) designed for feeding fuel in a motor vehicle, with an impeller (7) having vane chambers (10, 10a, 11, 11a) delimited by guide vanes (12, 13), and in casing parts (3, 4) adjacent to the impeller (7) and having part-annular channels (14, 15) arranged in the region of the vane chambers (10, 10a, 11, 11a), has a degassing duct (19), the start of which is arranged downstream of an inlet port (8). Some of the vane chambers (10) are connected to the degassing duct (19) via pockets (20) worked into the impeller (7). By means of this degassing duct (19), gas bubbles present in the fuel are discharged reliably from the feed pump (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Peter Marx
  • Patent number: 6302645
    Abstract: In a fluid machine such as multistage centrifugal compressor, the pressure of a working fluid is raised with the rotation of a impeller. A shaft sealing device is mounted at the end of the rotary shaft in order to prevent the working gas of the raised pressure from leaking out of the fluid machine and then polluting the surroundings. In a case where the fluid machine operates to rotate at high speed, a labyrinth sealing device is employed for the purpose of reducing a frictional loss in the shaft sealing device. The labyrinth sealing device includes a plurality of stages of labyrinth fins which are formed on a casing or the rotary shaft, and a layer of abradable coating to-be-bitten which is formed in the surface part of the rotary shaft or the casing opposing to the labyrinth fins. The clearances between the labyrinth fins and the rotary shaft or the casing are made narrower on the low-pressure side of the labyrinth sealing device than on the high-pressure side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Kobayashi, Hideo Nishida, Haruo Miura, Takashi Eino, Kazuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6283704
    Abstract: A circumferential flow liquid pump having formed in the vicinity of an impeller 4 an inner circumferential portion of a pump flow path 7 an air vent passage 31 having an opening with a step from a bottom portion 10 of the pump flow path 7 and extending in the radially inward direction and a through hole 32 for connecting the air vent passage 31 and the exterior of the pump casing assembly 1 together, having a sufficiently large cross-sectional area as compared to the air vent passage 31 and a cross-sectional configuration of a partial annular ring shape extending along the pump flow path 7. The through hole may be a plurality of passages 33 disposed within the region of the partial annular ring shape or al passage 34 directly connected to the pump flow path 7 without having the air vent passage 31 interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20010018022
    Abstract: A hollow vessel 1 which is partitioned into one or a plurality of hollow chambers S by blow molding is used as a resonator 2, and the hollow vessel 1 is arranged to form a fan shroud body 3, and that a drain hole 13 is formed in a bottom portion and/or a lower side portion of the hollow vessel 1, and a communicating pipe 4 fitted to the hollow vessel 1 and an air intake duct 5 connected to the communicating pipe 4 are formed integrally with the hollow vessel 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Inventor: Kentaro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6224331
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump has an impeller rotatable by means of a drive shaft. The impeller has a plurality of radially extending vanes connected to a hub and a partial back shroud with sharpened leading edges. The pump has a pump casing with a back plate adjacent to the back side of the impeller. Spiral grooves on the back plate interact with the sharpened edges on the back shroud to aid in protecting the area between the back plate and the impeller by cutting of solids and expulsion of solids through an output port. Cutting bars on the front plate of the casing project into the pump intake and interact with front edges of the vanes to cut incoming solids in a liquid mixture. A preferred form of impeller has vanes with sharpened leading edges that extend in a generally radial plane. These vanes sweep backwardly from their leading edges and each vane is given a double twist between the leading edge and its trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Hayward Gordon Limited
    Inventors: John Hayward, Carlos Cohen
  • Patent number: 6224330
    Abstract: In a fluid coupling including a casing enclosing an impeller and a turbine wheel which is rotatably mounted in the casing, the turbine wheel is formed on its face turned toward the casing with scrapers designed to scrape off impurities that have settled on the inner wall of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Ab Volvo
    Inventors: Per Larsson, Mikael Swanteson
  • Patent number: 6210105
    Abstract: A flow directing device, system and method for delivery and pumping medium to high consistency stock slurries eliminates bridging of stock, creates a non-vortexing improved flow into the pump suction of a pump, is independent from pump operation, minimizes “slip/stick”, and does not mix air into the pulp fibers. The flow directing device is a low-speed, mechanical device including a two-stage turbine, a turbine shaft, a turbine mounting adapter, a gear reducer and an electric motor. The device is used with a dropleg to assist flow of medium to high consistency suspensions (pulp) to the pump, preferably a rotary pump. The flow directing device is operated independently from the pump. The flow directing device and pump work in concert with each other to form a stock pumping system capable of handling paper stock consistencies from 8-18% without the problems associated with other types of pumping systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Irish & Asssociates
    Inventor: Herbert Addison Irish
  • Patent number: 6206632
    Abstract: An air bleed tube is attached to a single-stage centrifugal pump, which has an impeller and a liquid suction tube whose inlet is at a center of the impeller. The air bleed tube is attached with its air inlet at an exposed eye of the impeller to bleed air from the pump and thereby reduce the likelihood that the pump will lose its prime. A light-touch check valve at an air outlet of the air bleed tube allows air at the impeller eye to be discharged from the pump and at the same time prevents air from being sucked by venturi vacuum pressure in the pump back into the air bleed tube and the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Inventor: Timothy D. Gallus
  • Patent number: 6206298
    Abstract: A cascade waterfall or water fountain display with a compact, energy-efficient, low cost DC powered water pump. An electronic controller controls the operation of the water pump and is also used to generate visual and sound effects. The water pump is comprised of a DC motor with a motor shaft, a motor housing in which the motor is mounted, and a gasket used to loosely seal the motor within the motor housing. The gasket has an aperture therein through which the motor's shaft passes. The gasket's aperture is sized so that the shaft of the motor passes therethrough with little, if any contact. An impeller is mounted to the motor's shaft for rotation within a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a plurality of holes through which water enters, and an outlet through which water is pumped by the impeller to the top of the waterworks structure. The pumping chamber is loosely fit about the shaft of the motor and allows some water to pass out of the pumping chamber to a pressure-relief chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: T.L. Products Promoting Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Charles Ting
  • Patent number: 6171074
    Abstract: A compression-pumping system for a multiphase fluid (GLR) includes a compression section, a pumping section, a shaft and a separator. The compression section is sealed off from the pumping section, and the pumping section and the compression section are included in the same enclosure and mounted on the same shaft. The compression-pumping system is associated with a liquid level control system situated at the level of the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Yves Charron
  • Patent number: 6168376
    Abstract: Centrifugal pump with a pump chamber (18) housing a radial impeller (20) and aspiration port arranged coaxially with the radial impeller, and at least one ventilating conduit (26) that leads from the inner radial area of the pump chamber to the outside, wherein the outer circumferential edge of the pump chamber (18) is fitted with interference contours (32) that are essentially directed tangentially to swirl the liquid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Brinkmann Pumpen, K.H. Brinkmann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Wagner