A cylinder driven pneumatic condensate pump

Abstract

This invention proposes a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump with a simple structure and convenient use. It includes a pump body tank, a pump cover for sealing the pump body tank, an inlet for condensate to flow into the pump body tank, and a drain outlet for condensate to flow out of the pump body tank in conjunction with the inlet. The pump cover is also equipped with a pressure control device for controlling the intake of air into the pump body tank to control the discharge of condensate from the pump body tank, or for controlling the exhaust of air into the pump body tank to control the entry of condensate. The inlet and drain outlet are also equipped with anti-backflow devices that cooperate with the pressure control device to close the inlet when condensate flows out of the pump body tank to prevent condensate from flowing out of the inlet, or to close the drain outlet when condensate flows into the pump body tank to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the drain outlet from flowing back into the pump body tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of condensate pump technology, and in particular to a pneumatic condensate pump driven by a cylinder. Background Technology

[0002] Condensate pumps are important condensate recovery devices that ensure the full recycling and utilization of condensate generated during the normal operation of steam systems, thereby saving energy. Condensate is high-temperature and demineralized water that has undergone water treatment. Condensate recovery can, on the one hand, recover the heat energy, save fuel and avoid energy waste, and reduce environmental pollution; on the other hand, it can save precious water resources, save chemical agents, and reduce sewage losses.

[0003] Steam heating systems consume a significant portion of my country's energy. The recovery of condensate from steam systems is crucial for saving thermal energy. Condensate recovery not only saves coal but also reduces emissions of CO2, SO2, and dust from burning this coal. It also means saving on auxiliary raw materials, materials, electricity, water, manpower, and equipment depreciation consumed in producing this steam. Therefore, condensate pumps are an energy-saving and environmentally friendly product.

[0004] Currently, the commonly used condensate pumps on the market are electric condensate pumps and mechanical float-type pneumatic condensate pumps. Due to the high temperature of condensate in steam systems, electric condensate pumps are prone to impeller cavitation and mechanical seal leakage, leading to frequent replacement of impellers and mechanical seals, which affects the long-term stable operation of electric condensate pumps. In addition, another characteristic of steam condensate is the frequent presence of water hammer. For mechanical float-type condensate pumps, water hammer can flatten the float and cause it to lose buoyancy, resulting in internal damage and failure of the mechanical float mechanism, affecting its stable operation. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new type of mechatronic pneumatic condensate pump that is resistant to cavitation and water hammer, has a simple mechanism, and a long service life. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention proposes a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump that is simple in structure and easy to use.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention provides a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump, comprising a pump body tank, a pump cover disposed on the pump body tank for sealing the pump body tank, an inlet disposed on the pump body tank for allowing condensate to flow in, and a drain outlet disposed on the pump body tank in conjunction with the inlet for discharging the condensate. The pump cover is further provided with a pneumatic pressure control device for controlling the intake of air into the pump body tank to control the discharge of condensate from the pump body tank or controlling the exhaust of air into the pump body tank to control the entry of condensate. The inlet and drain outlet are further provided with anti-backflow devices that cooperate with the pneumatic pressure control device to close the inlet when condensate flows out of the pump body tank to prevent condensate from flowing out of the inlet or to close the drain outlet when condensate flows into the pump body tank to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the drain outlet from flowing back into the pump body tank.

[0007] A further improvement is that the air pressure control device includes an air intake device and an air exhaust device disposed on the pump cover. The pump cover is also provided with a valve core connecting plate via a drive device for simultaneously controlling the opening and closing states of the air intake device and the air exhaust device, so that the air intake device cannot intake air when the air exhaust device is exhausting air, or the air exhaust device cannot exhaust air when the air intake device is intakeing air.

[0008] A further improvement is that the air intake device includes an air intake valve seat disposed on the pump cover and connected to an external power air source for supplying air to the pump body storage tank. The air intake valve seat is also provided with a self-sealing device for automatically closing the air intake valve seat when the pump body storage tank does not need air intake and for easy opening.

[0009] A further improvement is that the self-sealing device includes: a sealing ball that can slide up and down within the intake valve seat; an annular limiting platform within the intake valve seat to prevent the sealing ball from sliding down into the pump body tank and to cooperate with the sealing ball to seal the intake valve seat; and an intake valve needle disposed on the valve core connecting plate to push the sealing ball up through the annular limiting platform when the valve core connecting plate moves upward, thereby releasing the seal.

[0010] A further improvement is that the exhaust device includes: an exhaust valve seat disposed on the pump cover and connected to the external atmospheric environment for discharging gas from the pump body tank; and an exhaust valve core disposed on the valve core connecting plate for closing the exhaust valve seat or opening the exhaust valve seat as the valve core connecting plate moves upward or downward.

[0011] A further improvement is that the driving device includes: a support frame disposed on the pump cover, and a driving cylinder disposed on the support frame and connected to an external air pump. The piston rod of the driving cylinder passes through the pump body tank and is connected to the valve core connecting plate to drive the valve core connecting plate to move up and down.

[0012] A further improvement is that the anti-backflow device includes: a first check valve located at the inlet to prevent condensate from flowing back out of the pump body storage tank when the air pressure inside the pump body storage tank increases; and a second check valve located at the outlet to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the pump body storage tank from flowing back into the pump body storage tank and to allow condensate to flow out when the air pressure increases.

[0013] A further improvement is that the pump cover is also equipped with a liquid level control device to facilitate automatic adjustment of the liquid level in the pump body storage tank.

[0014] A further improvement is that the liquid level control device is a level gauge installed on the pump cover to detect the liquid level in the pump body tank, thereby cooperating with the air pressure control device to drive the condensate out of the pump body tank.

[0015] A further improvement is that the intake valve seat and exhaust valve seat are also provided with air guide holes to accelerate the intake and exhaust speeds.

[0016] The advantages and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0017] 1. The pump body and storage tank have no moving parts that come into direct contact with condensate, which avoids cavitation caused by prolonged contact with condensate, as well as the possibility of damage or failure of moving parts due to impact from condensate. This extends the service life of the condensate pump and saves social resources.

[0018] 2. The intake valve seat is equipped with a self-sealing device, which can seal the intake valve seat when no air is being intaked, preventing gas from flowing into the pump body storage tank during exhaust, increasing the gas pressure in the pump body storage tank, affecting the flow of condensate into the pump body storage tank, and improving working efficiency.

[0019] 3. The intake valve seat and exhaust valve seat are controlled by a mechanical linkage, which is simple in structure and easy to maintain. When the intake valve needle, exhaust valve core, intake valve seat and exhaust valve seat are damaged, they can be quickly replaced, which is convenient for users to repair and does not affect the operation of the pipeline system.

[0020] 4. A first check valve and a second check valve are installed at the drain outlet and the inlet to prevent condensate from flowing back during operation and affecting the working efficiency of the condensate pump. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a front cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3This is a side cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A of a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to the present invention;

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Pump body tank, 2. Pump cover, 3. Water inlet, 4. Drain outlet, 5. Valve core connecting plate, 6. Air inlet valve seat, 7. Sealing ball, 8. Annular limit platform, 9. Air inlet valve needle, 10. Exhaust valve seat, 11. Exhaust valve core, 12. Support frame, 13. Drive cylinder, 14. Liquid level gauge, 15. Air guide hole, 16. Sealing gasket, 17. Sealing packing, 18. Air inlet valve seat sealing gasket, 19. Exhaust valve seat sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump includes a pump body tank 1, a pump cover 2 disposed on the pump body tank 1 for sealing the pump body tank 1, an inlet 3 disposed on the pump body tank 1 for allowing condensate to flow in, and a drain outlet 4 disposed on the pump body tank 1 in conjunction with the inlet 3 for allowing the condensate to drain out. The pump cover 2 is also provided with a pneumatic pressure control device for controlling the intake of air into the pump body tank 1 to control the discharge of condensate from the pump body tank 1, or for controlling the exhaust of air into the pump body tank 1 to control the entry of condensate into the pump body tank 1. The pneumatic pressure control device includes: disposed on the pump cover 2. The pump cover 2 has an air intake device and an exhaust device. The pump cover 2 is also equipped with a valve core connecting plate 5 via a drive device, which is used to simultaneously control the opening and closing states of the air intake device and the exhaust device, so that the air intake device cannot take in air when the exhaust device is venting, or the exhaust device cannot vent air when the air intake device is taking in air. The water inlet 3 and the drain outlet 4 are also equipped with anti-backflow devices that cooperate with the air pressure control device to close the water inlet 3 when condensate flows out of the pump body storage tank, thereby preventing condensate from flowing out of the water inlet 3, or to close the drain outlet 4 when condensate flows into the pump body storage tank 1, thereby preventing condensate that has flowed out of the drain outlet 4 from flowing back into the pump body storage tank 1.

[0028] To facilitate air intake into the pump body storage tank 1 and to automatically seal the air intake device when air intake is not required, the air intake device includes: an air intake valve seat 6 disposed on the pump cover 2 and connected to an external power source for supplying air into the pump body storage tank 1; the air intake valve seat 6 is also provided with a self-sealing device for automatically closing the air intake valve seat 6 when air intake into the pump body storage tank 1 is not required and for easy opening; the self-sealing device includes: a sealing ball 7 that can slide up and down disposed in the air intake valve seat 6; an annular limiting platform 8 disposed in the air intake valve seat 6 to prevent the sealing ball 7 from sliding down into the pump body storage tank 1 and to cooperate with the sealing ball 7 to seal the air intake valve seat 6; and an air intake valve needle 9 disposed on the valve core connecting plate 5 to push the sealing ball 7 up through the annular limiting platform 8 to release the seal when the valve core connecting plate 5 moves upward. The external power source can be steam or compressed air with a pressure higher than that at the condensate drain outlet 4 of the pump body storage tank 1.

[0029] To facilitate the exhaust of the exhaust device, the exhaust device includes: an exhaust valve seat 10 disposed on the pump cover 2 and connected to the external atmospheric environment for discharging gas from the pump body storage tank 1; and an exhaust valve core 11 disposed on the valve core connecting plate 5 for closing the exhaust valve seat 10 or opening the exhaust valve seat 10 as the valve core connecting plate 5 moves upward or downward.

[0030] To facilitate the vertical movement of the valve core connecting plate 5, the driving device includes: a support frame 12 mounted on the pump cover 2, and a driving cylinder 13 mounted on the support frame 12 and connected to an external air pump. The piston rod of the driving cylinder 13 passes through the pump body storage tank 1 and is connected to the valve core connecting plate 5 to drive the valve core connecting plate 5 to move vertically.

[0031] To prevent condensate backflow from affecting the operation of the condensate pump, the anti-backflow device includes: a first check valve (not shown in the figure) installed at the inlet 3 to prevent condensate from flowing back out of the pump body storage tank 1 when the air pressure inside the pump body storage tank 1 increases; and a second check valve (not shown in the figure) installed at the outlet 4 to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the pump body storage tank 1 from flowing back into the pump body storage tank 1 and to allow condensate to flow out when the air pressure increases.

[0032] To ensure that the condensate in the pump body storage tank 1 can be discharged when there is a large amount of condensate and flow in when there is a small amount, thus ensuring that the condensate pump is in a reasonable working state, the pump cover 2 is also equipped with a liquid level control device for automatic adjustment of the liquid level in the pump body storage tank 1. The liquid level control device is: a liquid level gauge 14 is provided on the pump cover 2 to detect the liquid level in the pump body storage tank 1 and thus cooperate with the air pressure control device to drive the condensate to be discharged from the pump body storage tank. An external controller (not shown in the figure) is electrically connected to the liquid level gauge 14. A solenoid valve (not shown in the figure) is provided between the external air pump (not shown in the figure) and the drive cylinder 13. The external controller (not shown in the figure) is electrically connected to the solenoid valve (not shown in the figure) so as to drive the drive cylinder 13 to control the piston rod movement without turning off the external air pump (not shown in the figure).

[0033] In order to accelerate the exhaust speed and intake speed of the exhaust valve seat 10 and the intake valve seat 6, the intake valve seat 6 and the exhaust valve seat 10 are also provided with air guide holes 15 for accelerating the intake speed and exhaust speed.

[0034] To prevent air leakage during operation of the condensate pump, a sealing gasket 16 is provided between the pump cover 2 and the pump body storage tank 1 to enhance the sealing performance. A sealing packing 17 is provided between the piston rod of the drive cylinder 13 and the pump cover 2 to prevent air leakage from the pump body storage tank 1 when the piston rod slides up and down. An inlet valve seat sealing gasket 18 is provided between the inlet valve seat 6 and the pump cover 2 to enhance the sealing performance. An exhaust valve seat sealing gasket 19 is provided between the exhaust valve seat 10 and the pump cover 2 to enhance the sealing performance.

[0035] Working principle: When in use, the condensate pump is installed on the pipeline. The condensate generated by the steam system is pushed by gravity through the first check valve (not shown in the figure) from the inlet 3 into the pump body storage tank 1, thereby storing the condensate in the pump body storage tank 1.

[0036] When the level gauge 14 detects that the liquid level is too high, it sends a signal to the external controller (not shown in the figure). The external controller (not shown in the figure) controls the solenoid valve (not shown in the figure), which in turn drives the drive cylinder 13 to control the piston rod to move the valve core connecting plate 5 upward. At this time, the air inlet valve needle 9 on the valve core connecting plate 5 pushes up the sealing ball 7 that is pressed against the annular limit platform 8 by the external power air source, so that the external gas enters the pump body storage tank 1 through the air inlet valve seat 6. At this time, the exhaust valve core 11 on the valve core connecting plate 5 and the exhaust valve... The valve seat 10 is designed to seal the exhaust port to prevent gas leakage into the pump body storage tank 1. As the gas pressure inside the pump body storage tank 1 increases, it will exert pressure on the condensate, pushing it towards the surrounding pipelines. The condensate pushed towards the inlet 3 will be blocked by the first check valve (not shown in the figure) and will not be able to flow out of the pump body storage tank 1. The condensate pushed towards the drain 4 will be pushed open by the pressure of the second check valve (not shown in the figure) and will flow out of the pump body storage tank 1 smoothly and be transported to other pipelines.

[0037] When the level gauge 14 detects that the liquid level is too low, it sends a signal to the external controller (not shown in the figure). The external controller (not shown in the figure) controls the solenoid valve (not shown in the figure), which drives the drive cylinder 13 to control the piston rod to move the valve core connecting plate 5 downward. At this time, the air inlet valve needle 9 on the valve core connecting plate 5 releases its resistance to the sealing ball 7. Under the action of the external power air source and gravity, the sealing ball 7 is pressed on the annular limit platform 8, thereby preventing the external power air from flowing into the pump body storage tank 1. At the same time, the exhaust valve core 11 disengages from the exhaust valve seat 10, releasing the seal of the exhaust valve seat 10, allowing the gas in the pump body storage tank 1 to be discharged from the pump body storage tank 1, thereby reducing the gas pressure in the pump body storage tank 1. At this time, the condensate can be pushed open by gravity and flow into the pump body storage tank 1. The condensate that has already flowed out of the pump body storage tank 1 is blocked outside the pump body storage tank 1 by the second check valve (not shown in the figure), preventing the condensate that has flowed out from flowing back into the pump body storage tank 1.

[0038] Then the cycle repeats, with condensate being discharged from pump body storage tank 1 when the liquid level is high, and condensate entering pump body storage tank 1 when the liquid level is low, thus continuously sending condensate from a lower position to a higher position.

[0039] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions above are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. All such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed, which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump, comprising a pump body tank, a pump cover disposed on the pump body tank for sealing the pump body tank, an inlet disposed on the pump body tank for allowing condensate to flow in, and a drain outlet disposed on the pump body tank in conjunction with the inlet for discharging the condensate, characterized in that: The pump cover is also equipped with a pressure control device for controlling the air intake in the pump body tank to control the discharge of condensate from the pump body tank or for controlling the air exhaust in the pump body tank to control the entry of condensate into the pump body tank. The inlet and outlet are also equipped with anti-backflow devices that cooperate with the pressure control device to close the inlet when condensate flows out of the pump body tank to prevent condensate from flowing out of the inlet or to close the outlet when condensate flows into the pump body tank to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the outlet from flowing back into the pump body tank. The air pressure control device includes: an air intake device disposed on the pump cover and an air exhaust device disposed on the pump cover. The pump cover is also provided with a valve core connecting plate via a drive device for simultaneously controlling the opening and closing states of the air intake device and the air exhaust device, so that the air intake device cannot take in air when the air exhaust device is venting or the air exhaust device cannot vent air when the air intake device is taking in air. The air intake device includes: an air intake valve seat disposed on the pump cover and connected to an external power air source for supplying air to the pump body storage tank; the air intake valve seat is also provided with a self-sealing device for automatically closing the air intake valve seat when the pump body storage tank does not need air intake and for easy opening. The self-sealing device includes: a sealing ball that can slide up and down in the intake valve seat; an annular limiting platform that is disposed in the intake valve seat to prevent the sealing ball from sliding down into the pump body tank and can cooperate with the sealing ball to seal the intake valve seat; and an intake valve needle disposed on the valve core connecting plate to push the sealing ball up through the annular limiting platform when the valve core connecting plate moves upward, thereby releasing the seal. The exhaust device includes: an exhaust valve seat disposed on the pump cover and connected to the external atmospheric environment for discharging gas from the pump body tank; and an exhaust valve core disposed on the valve core connecting plate for closing the exhaust valve seat or opening the exhaust valve seat as the valve core connecting plate moves upward or downward. The driving device includes: a support frame disposed on the pump cover, and a driving cylinder disposed on the support frame and connected to an external air pump. The piston rod of the driving cylinder passes through the pump body tank and is connected to the valve core connecting plate to drive the valve core connecting plate to move up and down.

2. The pneumatic condensate pump driven by a cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The backflow prevention device includes: a first check valve located at the inlet to prevent condensate from flowing back out of the pump body storage tank when the air pressure inside the pump body storage tank increases; and a second check valve located at the outlet to prevent condensate that has already flowed out of the pump body storage tank from flowing back into the pump body storage tank and to allow condensate to flow out when the air pressure increases.

3. The pneumatic condensate pump driven by a cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pump cover is also equipped with a liquid level control device that facilitates automatic adjustment of the liquid level in the pump body storage tank.

4. A cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to claim 3, characterized in that: The liquid level control device is: a liquid level gauge is installed on the pump cover to detect the liquid level in the pump body tank, thereby cooperating with the air pressure control device to drive the condensate to be discharged from the pump body tank.

5. A cylinder-driven pneumatic condensate pump according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intake valve seat and exhaust valve seat are also provided with air guide holes to accelerate the intake and exhaust speeds.

Images