Wear ring for a centrifugal pitot tube pump

Abstract

In a centrifugal pump of the pitot tube type, a replaceable wear ring is positioned in the rotating assembly of the pump in that area of the rotating case which is most subject to erosion from the processing of abrasive fluids by the pitot tube pump. The replaceable wear ring can be easily and quickly replaced when eroded, thereby eliminating the need to replace the rotating case of the pump and eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming re-balancing of the pump.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 658,399 filed Mar. 3, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to centrifugal pumps of the pitot tube type, and relates specifically to providing means for less expensively and more conveniently repairing the rotating case of the pump when the rotating case is damaged as a result of processing abrasive fluids. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Pitot tube pumps are a type of centrifugal pump which generally comprise a pump casing that forms a housing for a rotating assembly that surrounds a stationary pitot tube. The rotating assembly further comprises a rotating case and a rotor cover that together serve to enclose the pitot tube. The rotating assembly spins at a very high rate and as fluid enters the spinning rotating assembly, it is directed to the interior ci...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a pitot tube pump with a rotating assembly that has a replaceable wear ring to prevent damage from abrasive fluids. The wear ring can be easily removed and replaced without affecting the balance of the pump. This avoids the need to remove the pump from its base and re-align it, saving time and money. The rotating assembly is designed to maintain balance and vibration levels, which are critical for the life of the pump. The invention also prevents uneven erosion that can cause balance issues, resulting in longer pump operation with lower maintenance costs."

Problems solved by technology

The most difficult obstacle to overcome was how to replace the wear ring without affecting the balance of the rotating assembly of the pump.

This is a very accurate balance and is very expensive to achieve.

The better the rotating assembly is balanced, the lower the vibration level will be which results in a longer bearing life for the pump.

This level of balance is very difficult to achieve by someone outside of the factory and is often never achieved in the field.

Removal and re-installation of the pump can take from several hours to several days depending on the complexity of the pump operating system.

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