With Control Of Pumped Fluid Inlet Patents (Class 417/136)
  • Patent number: 11313108
    Abstract: A pumping device has a container, an inlet pipe, a float barrel, and a discharging pipe. The container has a box containing water and a first gas, and a pressure gauge and a check valve mounted to the box. The inlet pipe connects to a water supply and has a second section erectly disposed within the box and communicating with an inside of the box. The float barrel is disposed within the box, contains a second gas, and has an opening. The second section is mounted through the opening. The discharging pipe has two opposite ends respectively communicating with a water reservoir and the inside of the box. The first gas has a pressure larger than 1 atm. The second gas has a pressure less than 1 atm. Water enters the float barrel. A water level inside the float barrel is higher than a water level inside the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Chung-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 8983667
    Abstract: A system is provided to control fluid flow in a wastewater treatment system through wastewater level manipulation. The wastewater treatment system may include a wastewater treatment plant connected to a plurality of pump stations by a main. Each of the plurality of pump stations may include a wet well with a pump therein. The system may include a central server in communication with a sensor to sense a level of wastewater within the wet well. The pump may be automatically moved to an on position when the level of the wastewater in the wet well is at or above a first level and may be automatically moved to an off position when the level of the wastewater in the respective wet well is at or below a pump cutoff level. The central server may systematically manipulate the first level to selectively set the level of wastewater within the wet well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Data Flow Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Smaidris
  • Patent number: 8594851
    Abstract: Reductions in energy consumption and maintenance requirements for operating a wastewater treatment plant are achieved by controlling the operation of pumps at pump stations along a force main in a systematic fashion. The operation of the pumps is controlled to manage the flow of wastewater along the force main to minimize energy consumption, to eliminate sediment, to manage peak pressures encountered by smaller pumps and to avoid septic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Data Flow Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Smaidris
  • Patent number: 7070394
    Abstract: A gas pressure driven fluid pump comprising a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. A float, carried within the interior of the pump tank, is operable to move between a low level position and a high level position. A snap-acting valve is operatively connected to the float. The snap acting valve has a rotatable port member that moves so as to switch to exhaust porting when the float falls to the low level position. The port member further switches to motive porting when the float rises to the high level position. As a result, fluid filling the pump tank causes the float to rise from the low level position to the high level position during exhaust porting. Fluid exiting the pump tank causes the float to fall from the high level position to the low level position due to introduction of motive gas during motive porting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Spirax Sarco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jairo Luiz Soares, Rickie Anthony Pendergrass, Drew Leo Platts, Jon William Dukes
  • Patent number: 6988332
    Abstract: An air driven liquid pump includes a reservoir, a liquid inlet aperture extending through the reservoir wall for fluid coupling to a liquid inlet duct, a liquid outlet aperture extending through the reservoir wall for fluid coupling to a liquid outlet duct. The liquid outlet aperture is in fluid communication with an outlet level inside the reservoir chamber located below the liquid inlet aperture and corresponding to a predetermined lower threshold value of the volume of the liquid within the reservoir chamber. The liquid pump also includes an air aperture extending through the reservoir wall for pneumatically coupling the reservoir chamber with the atmospheric air located exteriorly to the reservoir, a liquid inlet valve operationally coupled to the liquid inlet aperture and an air valve operatively coupled to the air aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Inventor: Jules Harvey
  • Patent number: 4842487
    Abstract: There is provided an improved fluid pumping device including an enclosure to be placed downhole in a well. A first hollow tube is received in the enclosure and extends to the surface of the well for removing fluid from the well. A second hollow tube also extends into the enclosure for forcing a gas into the enclosure. The bottom of the enclosure has an opening for permitting fluid to enter. A mechanical mechanism is provided for forcing the closing of the opening in the enclosure so that the device may be utilized in deep wells where high fluid pressures occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventors: William G. Buckman, Robert L. Boots
  • Patent number: 4828461
    Abstract: Apparatus for transferring metered quantities of a flowable bonding agent from a tank into a mixer of a sand core making machine has an upright tubular vessel into which the bonding agent is drawn from the tank by a suction pump and a pressure pump which transfers the accumulated bonding agent from the vessel into the mixer. The vessel contains a float which cooperates with sensors serving to generate signals for actuation or deactivation of the pumps and/or valves in the conduits connecting the vessel with the tank, mixer and the pumps. The bonding agent is kept out of contact with the pumps and out of contact with the valves in the conduits connecting the vessel with the pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Dipl. Ing. Laempe GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Laempe
  • Patent number: 4770610
    Abstract: A pump for pumping a slurry of frail material is provided by a rigid chamber which is connected to a source of negative air pressure when an inlet valve is open and an outlet valve closed to suck the slurry through the open inlet valve into the chamber, the amount of slurry in the chamber is sensed and when it reaches a preset amount a controller is triggered to disconnect the source of negative pressure and close the inlet valve, and then admit air under positive pressure to the chamber, then open the outlet valve to drive the contents of the chamber through the outlet by replacing a significant amount of the contents with air. The controller then causes the air pressure in the chamber to be reduced and closes the outlet valve, and then reconnects the chamber to the source of negative pressure and then opens the inlet valve to commence a second cycle. The inlet and outlet valves are bladder type valves to protect the frail material and permit simplified operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Innovac Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond A. Breckner
  • Patent number: 4507056
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing the resistance to the flow of a liquid from an upper liquid supply container to a lower vacuum receptor tank through an interconnecting port while permitting air displaced from said tank to enter said container through said port. The apparatus includes a valve element which is mounted for opening and closing movement with respect to the port and is biased into normal closed position. The valve element comprises a lower buoyant seating member or ball located in said lower tank and designed to seal said port from below, and an air conduit attached to the seating member or ball for movement therewith. The lower end of the air conduit is open adjacent the ball in the lower tank and the upper end is open to an air space above the liquid level within the upper supply container. Preferably, the valve element also includes a splash member to disrupt the liquid flow from the upper container and facilitate the air flow from the lower tank into and through the air conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Logic Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Allen
  • Patent number: 4181470
    Abstract: A gas-operated liquid pump which includes an outer, stationary compartment and an inner compartment movable between upper and lower positions in the outer compartment. The inner compartment has positive buoyancy in the liquid to be pumped. Valve means operated by movement of the inner container is provided to cause gas admitted to the inner container to displace liquid therefrom when the inner container is in its upper position, and to permit gas to escape from the inner compartment when the latter is in its lower position. The pump makes use of a continuous stream of compressed gas such as air to provide a pulsating flow of liquid. The pump is useful in aquariums to create water movement or to pump water to a filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Inventor: Bruce F. Gillett