Drive-side bushing for a centrifugal pump

Abstract

A drive side liner for a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, wherein the centrifugal slurry pump includes a housing, a main liner, and an impeller driven by a drive shaft, wherein the main liner and the drive side liner are housed within the housing of the centrifugal slurry pump, the drive side liner including an inner liner portion including a central aperture configured to receive the drive shaft, the drive side liner further including an outer liner portion arranged around the inner liner portion, wherein the inner liner portion and the outer liner portion are each configured to removably engage with one another and with the housing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to centrifugal slurry pumps and components or parts used in such pumps. Particularly relevant components or parts are the pump impeller and the pump liner including a main liner and side liners. Slurry is generally a mixture of liquid and particulate solids and is commonly found in the hydrotransport, mineral processing, sand and / or dredging industries. BACKGROUND

[0002] In one typical form, a centrifugal slurry pump generally includes an outer casing that encloses an inner liner. The inner liner can include a main liner (sometimes referred to as a volute liner) and two side liners. The inner liner is generally formed from a hard metal or elastomer. The outer casing and inner liner are configured to have a pumping chamber therein. The main liner has openings on opposite sides thereof, one of which provides an inlet to the pumping chamber. The other outlet is a discharge outlet provided at the periphery of the main liner and can for example extend generally tangentially from the periphery of the main liner. An impeller is mounted within the pumping chamber for rotation about an axis of rotation.

[0003] A drive shaft is operatively connected to the impeller to cause rotation thereof. The drive shaft is provided at one side of the outer casing and main liner. This is commonly referred to as the back or drive side of the pump. In addition, the aforementioned inlet is provided at another side of the outer casing and liner different to the drive side. That is, the inlet is provided at the suction side of the pump, where the suction side is commonly referred to as the front of the pump. The inlet is generally coaxial with the axis of rotation of the impeller.

[0004] One of the side liners is located at the suction side of the pump and is sometimes described as a suction side liner, front liner plate or throat brush. The suction side liner provides access to the pump inlet and can generally include a side wall extending transversely relative to the axis of rotation of the impeller and an inlet conduit extending from the side wall, the inlet conduit being arranged generally coaxially with the axis of rotation of the impeller. In applications where the pump is of the type known as a horizontal slurry pump, the inlet conduit is provided generally horizontally in use.

[0005] The other side liner is located at the drive side of the pump and is therefore referred to as a drive side liner. Alternatively, the drive side liner can also be referred to as a back side liner, back side liner, frame plate liner or frame plate liner insert. The drive side liner includes a generally disc-like body arranged such that in use, one side of the liner faces the impeller and the other side faces a drive shaft seal assembly, which can include a seal housing and a seal chamber. The seal assembly can include a primary seal, which can be in the form of a stuffing box. The suction side liner also includes a central passage through which the drive shaft passes.

[0006] Impellers generally include a hub to which a drive shaft is operatively connected and at least one shroud. Pump vanes are disposed on one side of the shroud with a discharge passage between adjacent pump vanes. In one form of impeller, two shrouds have pump vanes disposed therebetween. The pump vanes generally include a leading edge portion in the region of an inlet and a trailing edge portion in the region of an outlet, typically near the outer periphery of the shroud. The impeller also includes an eye portion extending from one side of the shroud and adjacent the leading edge of the pump vanes and generally in the region of the axis of rotation of the impeller. In one form, when assembled, the hub is at least partially disposed within the central passage of the backside liner.

[0007] Due to the abrasive nature of the slurry, pumps and in particular pump components such as pump impellers and pump liners are subject to extreme wear which results in a significant reduction in the operational life of these components. In operation, the slurry enters the impeller in the region of the centre or eye of the impeller and is then flung out to the periphery of the impeller and into the main pump volute liner. Due to the pressure differential between the liner and the eye, the slurry tends to try and migrate into the gap between the side liner and the impeller, resulting in high wear on the side liner.

[0008] To reduce the driving pressure on the slurry in the gap and to create a centrifugal field to throw out particles, slurry pumps generally have auxiliary or throw out vanes on the front shroud of the impeller. Auxiliary or throw out vanes can also be provided on the back shroud. The throw out vanes spin the slurry in the gap, creating a centrifugal field and thus reducing the driving pressure of the back flow, reducing the flow rate and thus the wear on the side liner. The purpose of these auxiliary vanes is to reduce the recirculation of flow through the gap. These auxiliary vanes also reduce the inflow of relatively large solid particles in these gaps. The majority of the wear on the side liner is caused by the flow created by the rotating auxiliary vanes. In particular, there is wear from the tips or outer faces of the auxiliary vanes due to the creation of fluid vortices and entrained particles.

[0009] The rotation of the impeller creates vortices in the slurry. At the drive side of the pump, the slurry is spun as it enters the seal chamber which can cause particles to become trapped near the impeller hub. This can cause wear near the shaft seal which, as mentioned previously, can take the form of a stuffing box. Furthermore, some areas of the side liner experience more wear than others. Such localised wear is problematic as the formation of pockets or recesses in the side liner creates further localised wear. This generally means that the side liner has to be replaced prematurely due to the localised wear pockets in the otherwise functional side liner.

[0010] The preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to address one or more of these disadvantages, and / or at least provide a useful alternative.

[0011] The reference herein to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to anything of known SUMMARY

[0012] This summary is provided to introduce some concepts, which are further described below in the

[0013] In a first aspect, a drive side liner for a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, wherein the centrifugal slurry pump includes a housing, a main liner, and an impeller driven by a drive shaft, wherein the main liner and the drive side liner are housed within the housing of the centrifugal slurry pump, the drive side liner including an inner liner portion including a central bore configured to receive the drive shaft, the drive side liner further including an outer liner portion arranged to surround the inner liner portion, wherein the inner liner portion and the outer liner portion are each configured to removably engage with each other and with the housing.

[0014] In an embodiment, a sealing surface of the inner liner portion is arranged to contact a drive shaft seal to form an inner seal.

[0015] In another embodiment, the outer liner portion is arranged to be removable from the housing and the inner liner portion without compromising the inner seal.

[0016] In an embodiment, an outer surface of the outer liner portion is arranged to contact the housing and / or the main liner to form an outer seal.

[0017] In an embodiment, the inner liner portion is arranged to be removable from the drive shaft and the outer liner portion without compromising the outer seal.

[0018] In an embodiment, an outer surface of the inner liner portion is arranged to contact an inner surface of the outer liner portion to form an intermediate seal.

[0019] In an embodiment, the inner liner portion includes an inner liner wear surface and an inner liner engagement surface on opposite sides of the inner liner portion.

[0020] In an embodiment, the inner liner wear surface is a smooth surface arranged to face the impeller.

[0021] In an embodiment, the inner liner engagement face includes at least one inner liner alignment feature arranged to engage with at least one shell alignment feature, the inner liner portion being aligned relative to the drive shaft when the at least one inner liner alignment feature and the at least one shell alignment feature are engaged with one another.

[0022] In an embodiment, the inner liner portion is maintained in alignment with the drive shaft by means of at least one fastener attaching the inner liner portion to the outer shell.

[0023] In an embodiment, the outer liner portion includes an outer liner wear face and an outer liner engagement face on opposite sides of the outer liner portion.

[0024] In an embodiment, the outer liner wear face is a smooth surface arranged to face the impeller.

[0025] In an embodiment, the outer liner engagement face includes at least one outer liner alignment feature arranged to engage with another at least one shell alignment feature, the outer liner portion being aligned relative to the inner liner portion.

[0026] In an embodiment, the outer liner portion is maintained in alignment with the inner liner portion by means of another at least one fastener attaching the outer liner portion to the outer shell.

[0027] In an embodiment, the main liner is arranged to align and engage with the outer liner portion, and the alignment and engagement is maintained by means of at least one main liner fastener attaching the main liner to the outer shell.

[0028] In another aspect, there is provided a tool for a centrifugal slurry pump for engaging an outer liner portion of a drive side liner as described herein, the tool comprising: a lifting member; a top arm; and a bottom arm, wherein each arm is arranged to engage along a curved engagement lip provided to a periphery of the outer liner portion.

[0029] In an embodiment, the lifting member further comprises at least one support cradle arranged to contact and support an outer liner wear face when the tool is engaged with the outer liner portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] Example embodiments become apparent from the following description of at least one non-limiting embodiment with reference to the drawings described below, which are by way of example only.

[0031] Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 A top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 A bottom perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0034] Figure 4 A top view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0035] Figure 5 A side perspective view showing an embodiment of the application, including the area inside the dashed line representing area "A".

[0036] Figure 6 A detailed view showing area A of an embodiment of the application.

[0037] Figure 7 A top view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0038] Figure 8 A bottom view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0039] Figure 9 A top perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0040] Figure 10 A bottom perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0041] Figure 11 A side view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0042] Figure 12 A side cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0043] Figure 13 A side perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0044] Figure 14 A top view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0045] Figure 15 A bottom view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0046] Figure 16 A top perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0047] Figure 17 A bottom perspective view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0048] Figure 18 A side view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0049] Figure 19 A side cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the application.

[0050] Figure 20A side perspective view of an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0051] Figure 21 A side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The following description is given just as an example in order to provide a more precise understanding of one or more embodiments. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughout the various drawings to identify like parts.

[0053] OVERVIEW Figures 1 to 21 The present application is described generally in relation to a centrifugal slurry pump, hereinafter referred to as a "pump." A general description of a lined pump 100 is provided as follows. The pump 100 can include a casing 102 that provides a housing for the internal components of the pump 100. The casing 102 can be formed of cast iron or ductile cast iron. The pump 100 can be supported by a base or pedestal that is attached to the casing 102. The casing 102 can be formed of two side shell portions, sometimes also referred to as frame and cover plates, and joined together around their periphery.

[0054] The pump 100 is formed with an inlet bore and a discharge outlet bore. In use, for example in a processing plant, the pump 100 is connected by piping to the inlet and outlet bores, for example to facilitate pumping of a mineral slurry.

[0055] The pump 100 houses various liners that provide to the interior surface of the casing 102 in order to protect the casing 102 from wear. For example, the casing 102 can house a main liner 106 (or volute) and two side liners, where the main liner 106 and the two side liners can be arranged to attach to or contact the interior surface of the casing 102. The main liner 106 further defines a pump chamber 108 in which an impeller (not shown) is positioned for rotation. The impeller is attached to a drive shaft 110 that is rotated by a motor 112, where the drive shaft 110 drives the impeller to rotate about an axis within the pump chamber 108 of the pump 100.

[0056] In addition, the pump 100 can also house a drive side liner 114 that is positioned adjacent to the drive side of the pump 100 (i.e., closest to the motor 112 or drive side). The other side liner is a suction side liner (not shown), which is also referred to as a front liner or throat bushing. The suction side liner is positioned closer to the front end of the pump 100, which is adjacent to the inlet bore or suction side of the pump 100. That is, the suction side liner is located on the opposite side of the impeller from the drive side liner 114.

[0057] Referring now to Figures 1 to 5, embodiments are provided for a drive side liner 114 of a pump 100 having a main liner 106 and an impeller driven by a drive shaft 110, wherein the main liner 106 and the drive side liner 114 are housed within a casing 102 of the pump 100. The drive side liner 114 can include an inner liner portion 116 arranged to receive the drive shaft 110 and an outer liner portion 118 arranged to surround the inner liner portion 116, wherein the inner liner portion 116 and the outer liner portion 118 are each arranged to removably engage with each other and with the casing 102.

[0058] In embodiments, the drive side liner 114 is generally in the form of an annular disk, wherein the inner liner portion 116 receives the drive shaft 110 through a central aperture 132. The drive side liner 114 can include a sealing face 120 arranged to align adjacent the drive shaft 110. Further, the sealing face 120 is positioned about an inner peripheral surface of the inner liner portion 116 that surrounds the central aperture 132. The sealing face 120 can be arranged to contact the drive shaft seal 104 in a manner that forms an inner seal. That is, the sealing face 120 is shaped and sized to fit closely against the drive shaft seal 104 such that an inner seal is formed to prevent slurry from escaping the pump chamber 108 when the pump 100 is in operation and the slurry therein is subjected to pressure. However, the sealing face 120 is also shaped so as not to contact the drive shaft 110.

[0059] In embodiments, the outer liner portion 118 of the drive side liner 114 includes an outer face 122 on an outer peripheral surface of the outer liner portion 118. The outer face 122 can be arranged to contact the casing 102 and / or the main liner 106 to form an outer seal. That is, the outer face 122 is shaped and sized to fit against the casing 102 and / or the main liner 106 such that an outer seal is formed to prevent slurry from escaping the pump chamber 108 and collecting behind the drive side liner 114 and wearing away the casing 102 when the pump 100 is in operation and the slurry therein is subjected to pressure.

[0060] In embodiments, the outer liner portion 118 can be arranged to be removable from the casing 102 and the inner liner portion 116 without compromising the inner seal. For example, the outer liner portion 118 can be removed for replacement, repair, or inspection without disturbing the position of the inner liner portion 116. In another embodiment, the inner liner portion 116 can be arranged to be removable from the drive shaft 110 and the outer liner portion 118 without compromising the outer seal. For example, the inner liner portion 116 can be removed for replacement, repair, or inspection without disturbing the position of the outer liner portion 118. In other words, each of the inner liner portion 116 and the outer liner portion 118 can be removed from the pump 100 without disturbing the other respective liner portion.

[0061] In embodiments, the inner liner portion 116 and the outer liner portion 118 form the drive side liner 114 when aligned and engaged with one another. This engagement occurs along an outer face 124 of the inner liner portion 118 and an inner face 126 of the outer inner liner portion 118. The outer face 124 of the inner liner portion can be located on an outer peripheral surface of the inner liner portion 118. The inner face 126 of the outer liner portion 118 can be positioned around an inner peripheral surface of the outer liner portion 118, which surrounds a central bore of the outer liner portion 118.

[0062] The outer face 124 and the inner face 126 can comprise at least a portion of an elastomeric material, such as, but not limited to, natural rubber, neoprene, or other such elastomers. In embodiments, the inner liner portion 116 and / or the outer liner portion 118 can be formed of the elastomeric material. Alternatively, the outer face 124 and the inner face 126 can comprise one or more strips or bands of elastomeric material molded into each of the inner liner portion 116 and / or the outer liner portion 118, which can be made of metal or a similar material.

[0063] When installed on the drive side of the pump 100, the outer face 124 and the inner face 126 form a tight fit together, and the elastomeric material of the outer face 124 and the inner face 126 compress together, which forms a liner-to-liner seal within the drive side liner 114. In other words, the outer face 124 and the inner face 126 join together to form an interface between the inner liner portion 116 and the outer liner portion 118. The liner-to-liner seal is formed to prevent slurry from escaping from the pump chamber 108 by passing between the inner liner portion 116 and the outer liner portion 118 and gathering behind the drive side liner 114 and wearing away the housing 102 or the drive shaft 110. However, the outer face 124 and the inner face 126 are also formed to allow one of the inner liner portion 116 or the outer liner portion 118 to be removed without interfering with the other and its seal with the housing 102.

[0064] In embodiments, the position of the inner liner portion 116 relative to the outer liner portion 118 along the axis P-P can be varied. For example, the position of the outer liner portion 118 can be adjusted relative to a fixed position of the inner liner portion 116 such that the inner liner wear face 128 and the outer liner wear face 135 form a smooth or flush surface.

[0065] Alternatively, the position of the outer bushing portion 118 can be adjusted so that the outer bushing wear surface 135 is closer to the pump's suction side relative to the inner bushing wear surface 126. Moving the outer bushing portion 118 toward the pump's suction side reduces the space between the drive-side bushing 114 and the impeller. This change in space between the drive-side bushing 114 and the impeller alters the flow of slurry within the pump chamber 108. Depending on pumping variables (slurry viscosity, slurry composition, pump operating speed, etc.), the pump operator may desire different sizes of space between the drive-side bushing 114 and the impeller. Furthermore, when the outer bushing portion 118 is adjustable and the inner bushing portion can be fixed along the axis PP, this arrangement ensures optimal flow conditions in the pump chamber 108 while also ensuring that the drive shaft seal 104 is not damaged.

[0066] Now for reference Figures 5 to 13 An embodiment of an inner bushing portion 116 is provided, the inner bushing portion being in the form of an annular disc-shaped body having an inner bushing wear surface 128 and an inner bushing engagement surface 130, wherein the inner bushing wear surface 128 is a smooth surface configured to face the suction side of the pump 100, and the inner bushing engagement surface 130 is configured to face the drive side of the pump 100. In other words, the inner bushing wear surface 128 and the inner bushing engagement surface 130 are on opposite sides of the inner bushing portion 116. The inner bushing portion 116 also includes a central aperture 132 for receiving a drive shaft 110 and a shaft seal 104, wherein the central aperture 132 extends through the entire body of the inner bushing portion 116, and the axis of the central aperture and the axis of the inner bushing portion 116 are collinear with the axis PP.

[0067] As shown in the figure, the inner bushing wear surface 128 is formed to include a contour region 134 that connects the inner bushing wear surface 128 to the sealing surface 120. In an embodiment, the shape of the contour region 134 may be a truncated cone to accommodate the impeller hub, drive shaft 110, and drive shaft seal 104. Thus, the size and gradient of the contour region 134 may vary depending on the type and size of the impeller hub and drive shaft seal 104. Between the contour region 134 and the outer surface 124 of the inner bushing portion 116, the inner bushing wear surface 128 is a smooth surface arranged facing the suction side and may be generally planar and arranged perpendicular to the axis PP.

[0068] Now for reference Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figures 14 to 20, an embodiment of the outer bushing portion 118 is provided in the form of a generally annular disc-shaped body having an outer bushing wear face 135 and an outer bushing engagement face 136, where the outer bushing wear face 135 is a smooth surface configured to face the suction side of the pump 100, and the inner bushing engagement face 136 is configured to face the drive side of the pump 100. In other words, the inner bushing wear face 135 and the inner bushing engagement face 136 are on opposite sides of the outer bushing portion 118. The outer bushing portion 118 can also include an outer bushing aperture 137 for receiving the inner bushing portion 116, where the outer bushing aperture 137 and the central axis of the outer bushing portion 118 are collinear with the axis P-P.

[0069] The inner bushing engagement face 130 and the outer bushing engagement face 136 provided on the drive side of the inner bushing portion 116 and the outer bushing portion 118, respectively, can be formed with various features to achieve alignment and engagement with the housing 102 of the pump 100. For example, when viewed in cross-section as shown in Figure 6 , the inner bushing engagement face 130 and the outer bushing engagement face 136, as well as the inner surface of the housing 102, can include respective corresponding flats, protrusions, and recesses that enable the inner bushing portion 116 to align with respect to the drive shaft 110 and the inner surface of the housing 102, and allow the inner bushing portion 116 to form an inner seal with the drive shaft seal 104. Furthermore, these features also enable the outer bushing portion 118 to align with the inner bushing portion 116 and the inner surface of the housing 102.

[0070] Figure 6 Examples of the arrangement of the inner bushing engagement face 130 and the outer bushing engagement face in engagement with the inner surface of the housing 102 are provided in . In this example, the features of the inner bushing engagement face 130 and the outer bushing engagement face 136 are generally described in the order of moving from the sealing face 120 of the inner bushing portion 116 to the outer face 124 of the outer bushing portion 118. The sealing face 120 is arranged to contact and seal against the drive shaft seal 104. To ensure sealing contact, the inner bushing engagement face 130 can include a first bushing flat 138 that contacts against a first housing flat 140 of the housing 102.

[0071] The inner bushing engagement face 130 can also include a first inner bushing protrusion 142 that is received within and contacts against a first housing recess 144 formed in the housing 102. The inner bushing engagement face 130 can also include a second bushing protrusion 146 that is configured to protrude and contact against a second housing flat 148 formed by the housing 102. Between the first bushing protrusion 142 and the second bushing protrusion 146, a first bushing recess 150 is provided that forms a first pocket 152 that is provided to reduce the weight of the inner bushing portion 116 without compromising its structural integrity.

[0072] Further, in embodiments, the pump 100 can include a plurality of fasteners 154. The fasteners 154 can be provided to secure the inner liner portion 116 to the outer housing 102 in alignment provided by the inner engagement surface 130. At least one fastener 154 is arranged to pass through at least one housing aperture 156 provided in the shell and into an inner liner aperture 158 provided in the inner liner portion 116. The at least one fastener 154 holds the inner liner portion 116 and the outer housing 102 together in the aligned position provided by the inner liner engagement surface 130. In instances, the fasteners 154 can include screws or bolts that can be received and engaged by a tapped surface within the inner liner aperture 158.

[0073] The inner liner engagement surface 130 can also include a second liner plane 160 that contacts against a third shell plane 162, where the third shell plane 162 can be slightly recessed from the second shell plane 148. Thus, in view of the above, the various features of the inner engagement surface 130 and the corresponding features of the inner surface of the outer housing 102 cooperatively align the inner liner portion 116 relative to the drive shaft 110 and the drive shaft seal 104, and this alignment is maintained by the at least one fastener 154 that holds the outer housing 102 and the inner liner 116 together.

[0074] As noted above, the outer face 124 of the inner liner portion 116 and the inner face 126 of the outer liner portion 118 are sealingly engaged with one another, thereby providing an inter-liner seal. When so engaged, the second liner plane 160 is adjacent to a third liner plane 164 provided to the outer liner engagement surface 136. That is, both the second liner plane 160 and the adjacent third liner plane 164 are arranged to both contact the third shell plane 162 when engaged.

[0075] The outer liner engagement surface 136 can also include a second pocket 166 formed by a second liner recess 168, where the pocket 166 is provided to reduce the weight of the outer liner portion 118 without compromising its structural integrity. Further, the outer liner engagement surface 136 can also include a fourth liner plane 166 that contacts a fourth shell plane 170, where the fourth liner plane 166 projects toward the drive side relative to the third liner plane 164.

[0076] In embodiments, the fasteners 154 can also be arranged to secure the outer liner portion 118 to the outer housing 102 in alignment provided by the outer engagement surface 136. The fasteners 154 can pass through at least one housing aperture 156 provided in the outer housing 102 and into an outer liner aperture 174 provided in the outer liner portion 118. The at least one fastener 154 holds the outer liner portion 118 and the outer housing 102 together. In instances, the fasteners 154 can include screws or bolts that can be received and engaged by a tapped surface within the outer liner aperture 174.

[0077] The outer joint surface 136 can also include a third pocket 176 formed by a third bushing recess 178 and a fourth pocket 180 formed by a third bushing recess 182, wherein the third pocket 176 and the fourth pocket 180 provide for a reduction in the weight of the outer bushing portion 118 without compromising its structural integrity. Further, the outer bushing joint surface 136 can also include a joint flange 184 arranged to contact the fourth housing plane 174. Further, the outer face 124 of the outer bushing portion 118 can also include a flange recess 186.

[0078] When the outer face 124 of the inner bushing portion 116 and the inner face 126 of the outer bushing portion 118 are joined together, the alignment of the inner bushing portion 116 relative to the drive shaft 110 and the drive shaft seal 104 correspondingly enables the alignment of the outer bushing portion 118. That is, the inner bushing portion 116 is aligned with the drive shaft 100 and the drive shaft seal 104, and the outer bushing portion 118 is aligned with the inner bushing portion 116. Once so aligned, the fasteners 154 maintain the proper alignment by connecting the drive side bushing 114 to the housing 102.

[0079] In other words, the inner bushing joint surface 130 can include at least one inner bushing alignment feature. The at least one inner bushing alignment feature is arranged to engage with the at least one housing alignment feature, which, when the at least one inner bushing alignment feature and the at least one housing alignment feature engage one another, aligns the inner bushing portion relative to the drive shaft. Further, the alignment of the inner bushing portion 116 with the drive shaft 110 is maintained by means of the at least one fastener 154 that attaches the inner bushing portion 116 to the housing 102. Further, the outer bushing joint surface 136 can include at least one outer bushing alignment feature arranged to engage with another at least one housing alignment feature, which aligns the outer bushing portion 118 relative to the inner bushing portion 116. Further, the alignment of the outer bushing portion 118 with the inner bushing portion 116 is maintained by means of the other at least one fastener 154 that attaches the outer bushing portion 118 to the housing 102. It should be understood that the "alignment features" of any of the inner bushing portion, the outer bushing portion, or the housing should be understood to refer to any arrangement that includes at least one or any of the projections, recesses, or planes as described above.

[0080] When in place, the primary bushing 106 can be installed in the pump 100. The primary bushing 106 can be configured to include an engagement lip 188 shaped to correspond to and engage with the engagement flange 184. Further, a primary bushing fastener 190 can be provided to retain the primary bushing 106 in engagement with the housing 102, and in doing so, also maintains the outer bushing portion 118 in place with the housing 102. That is, the primary bushing 106 can be arranged to align and engage with the outer bushing portion 118, and the alignment and engagement is maintained by means of the at least one primary bushing fastener 190 that attaches the primary bushing 106 to the housing 102.

[0081] In the above description, the terms "projection", "plane", and "recess" are relative terms that describe the stepped undulations or flat sections of the surfaces of the inner liner interface 130 and the outer liner interface 164. These terms are used to describe features in the present application and help the reader understand the function of these interlocking projection, recession, and plane features, and should not be considered limiting. Further, it should be understood that the projection, recess, and plane features extend around the inner interface 130 and the outer interface 134 as circular projection lips, recesses, or planes. Further, within the context of the specification, it should be understood that "projection" describes a section of the inner interface 130 and the outer interface 136 that projects relative to a previous section, "recess" describes a section of the inner interface 130 and the outer interface 136 that recedes relative to a previous section, and "plane" is a section that remains substantially flat.

[0082] Referring to Figures 19 to 21 Embodiments of a tool 200 for the pump 100 are provided. The tool 200 is arranged to engage the outer liner portion 118 and enable it to be removed, installed, or positioned. The tool 200 can include a lifting member 202, where the lifting member 202 includes a top arm 204 and a bottom arm 206. Each end of each arm 204, 206 is arranged to engage along the curved shape of the engagement flange 184 provided to the periphery of the outer liner portion 118. The end of each arm 204, 206 can include an engagement finger 208 arranged to engage with the engagement flange 184. That is, the shape and size of the engagement finger 208 can be set to be received within the flange recess 186 provided around the edge of the outer face 122 of the outer portion 118.

[0083] In embodiments, the lifting member 202 further includes at least one support cradle 210 arranged to contact and support the outer liner wear face 135 when the tool 200 is engaged with the outer liner portion 118. The at least one support cradle 210 can include an "L" shaped cradle, where the lower portion of the "L" shape contacts and presses against the outer liner wear face 135. By pressing against the outer liner wear face 135, the at least one support cradle 210 causes the outer liner portion 118 to remain engaged with the engagement finger 208, and thus held or retained by the tool 200.

[0084] In embodiments, the top arm 204 can be adjustable relative to the lifting member 202 and the at least one support cradle 210. This can be facilitated by an adjustable pin 212 that passes through both the top arm 204 and the at least one support cradle 210. The adjustable pin 212 can be arranged to hold the top arm 204 and the at least one support cradle 210 in an engaged position relative to the outer liner portion 118.

[0085] In the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, certain terms have been used for the sake of clarity. However, the application has been described with reference to specific exemplary terms, which should not be construed as limiting rather, they are intended to include all technical equivalents of the terms described herein which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical result. Terms such as "front" and "back", "upper" and "lower", "top" and "bottom", and the like are used as terms of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

[0086] It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. It is also possible that an optional embodiment can include some of the parts, elements, steps, and / or features, either alone or in any combination with one another, of the parts, elements, steps, and / or features expressly identified herein or any other parts, elements, steps, and / or features implicit to the field of the application. It is also to be understood that the specific numerical values of the parameters set forth herein are intended to be approximate but not limiting. It is intended that modifications, changes, substitutions, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that the application is intended to be limited only by the spirit or scope of the following claims.

[0087] As used herein, a, an, the, at least one, and one or more are used interchangeably and mean one or more than one (i.e., at least one). As an example, "an element" means one element, at least one element, or one or more elements. In the context of the present specification, the term "about" is understood to refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value in the context of achieving the same function or result.

[0088] Advantages

[0089] The embodiments described herein provide novel means of replacing portions of the drive side bushing. It is common during use that the outer section of the drive side bushing experiences more wear than the inner section. This results in localized wear such that a pocket or recess is formed in the outer portion of the drive side bushing while the inner portion remains serviceable. The present invention enables the removal of the higher wear area (i.e., the outer bushing portion) for replacement, repair, or inspection and the retention of the reduced wear area (i.e., the inner bushing portion) in place and without compromising the inner seal.

[0090] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments provide means that allow the position of the outer bushing portion 118 to be adjusted independently of the inner bushing portion 116 along the axis P-P and still have the inner seal remain intact.

[0091] Further, the design of the drive side liner ensures that when the inner liner portion or the outer liner portion is removed, the other portion remains in place and sealed with the housing. This prevents wear and damage to the inner surface of the housing due to slurry and other pumped materials escaping the pumping chamber and being positioned along the drive shaft or between the liner and the housing. Further, if the drive shaft seal provided to the drive shaft needs to be replaced, the inner liner portion can be removed without disturbing the outer liner portion. This in turn minimizes any realignment issues when the inner liner portion is reinstalled.

[0092] Further, the custom tools described herein also assist with installation, removal, and / or positioning of the larger and heavier outer liner portion. This reduces the likelihood of injury to the pump maintenance personnel and reduces downtime for maintenance.

[0093] List of components

[0094] 100 - pump 152 - first pocket

[0095] 102 - housing 154 - at least one fastener

[0096] 104 - drive shaft seal 156 - at least one housing aperture

[0097] 106 - main liner 158 - at least one inner liner aperture

[0098] 108 - pumping chamber 160 - second liner plane

[0099] 110 - drive shaft 162 - third housing plane

[0100] 112 - motor 164 - third liner plane

[0101] 114 - drive side liner 166 - second pocket

[0102] 116 - inner liner portion 168 - second liner recess

[0103] 118 - outer liner portion 170 - fourth liner plane

[0104] 120 - sealing face 172 - fourth housing plane

[0105] 122 - outer face of outer liner portion 174 - outer liner aperture

[0106] 124 - outer face of inner liner portion 176 - third pocket

[0107] 126 - inner face of outer liner portion 178 - third liner recess

[0108] 128 - inner liner wear face 180 - fourth pocket

[0109] 130 - inner bushing engagement face 182 - fourth bushing recess

[0110] 132 - central bore 184 - engagement flange

[0111] 134 - profile area 186 - flange recess

[0112] 135 - outer bushing wear face 188 - engagement lip

[0113] 136 - outer bushing engagement face 190 - primary bushing fastener

[0114] 137 - outer bushing bore 200 - tool

[0115] 138 - first bushing flat 202 - lifting member

[0116] 140 - first shell flat 204 - top arm

[0117] 142 - first bushing tab 206 - bottom arm

[0118] 144 - first shell recess 208 - engagement finger

[0119] 146 - second bushing tab 210 - at least one support bracket

[0120] 148 - second shell flat 212 - adjustable pin

[0121] 150 - first bushing recess

Claims

1. A drive-side bushing for a centrifugal slurry pump, wherein the centrifugal slurry pump includes a housing, a main bushing, and an impeller driven by a drive shaft, wherein the main bushing and the drive-side bushing are housed within the housing of the centrifugal slurry pump, and the drive-side bushing includes: The bushing includes an inner bushing portion configured to receive a central bore of the drive shaft, wherein the sealing surface of the inner bushing portion is arranged to contact a drive shaft seal to form an inner seal. The drive-side bushing also includes an outer bushing portion arranged to surround the inner bushing portion, wherein the outer surface of the outer bushing portion is arranged to contact the housing and / or the main bushing to form an outer seal. The inner bushing portion and the outer bushing portion are each configured to removably engage with each other and with the housing. The outer bushing portion is arranged to be removable from the housing and the inner bushing portion without impairing the inner seal, and the inner bushing portion is arranged to be removable from the drive shaft and the outer bushing portion without impairing the outer seal.

2. The drive-side bushing according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the inner bushing portion is arranged to contact the inner surface of the outer bushing portion to form an intermediate seal.

3. The drive-side bushing according to claim 1, wherein the inner bushing portion includes an inner bushing wear surface and an inner bushing mating surface on opposite sides of the inner bushing portion.

4. The drive-side bushing according to claim 3, wherein the wear surface of the inner bushing is arranged to face the impeller as a smooth surface during use.

5. The drive-side bushing of claim 4, wherein the inner bushing engagement surface includes at least one inner bushing alignment feature arranged to engage with at least one shell alignment feature, such that when the at least one inner bushing alignment feature and the at least one shell alignment feature engage with each other, the inner bushing portion is aligned relative to the drive shaft.

6. The drive-side bushing of claim 5, wherein the inner bushing portion is kept aligned with the drive shaft by means of at least one fastener that attaches the inner bushing portion to the housing.

7. The drive-side bushing of claim 6, wherein the outer bushing portion includes an outer bushing wear surface and an outer bushing engagement surface on opposite sides of the outer bushing portion.

8. The drive-side bushing of claim 7, wherein the wear surface of the outer bushing is a smooth surface arranged to face the impeller.

9. The drive-side bushing of claim 8, wherein the outer bushing engagement surface includes at least one outer bushing alignment feature arranged to engage with at least one other shell alignment feature, such that the outer bushing portion is aligned relative to the inner bushing portion.

10. The drive-side bushing of claim 9, wherein the outer bushing portion is kept aligned with the inner bushing portion by means of at least one other fastener that attaches the outer bushing portion to the housing.

11. The drive-side bushing of claim 10, wherein the main bushing is arranged to align and engage with the outer bushing portion, and the alignment and engagement are maintained by means of at least one main bushing fastener that attaches the main bushing to the housing.

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