Cyclonic In-Line Pump With Centralized Flow for Lower Pipe Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pumps for flowable materials experience issues such as uneven erosion, increased energy consumption, and material deposition due to laminar flow profiles, which lead to higher costs and operational challenges in piping systems.
Innovation Solution
A rotary in-line pump that induces a cyclonic flow profile by using a material pressurizer with helical flow passages and a centralizer tube, centralizing the flow toward the center of the conduit, reducing laminar flow and mitigating adverse interactions with the pipe surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional pumps use laminar flow profiles, then the flow is stable and predictable, but the flow rate is reduced and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional laminar flow profile by introducing a cyclonic flow profile that rotates in the opposite direction to the pump rotation. This counter-rotation creates a more efficient flow pattern that increases flow rate while reducing energy consumption by minimizing turbulent mixing and maximizing forward momentum.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow profile parameter from laminar to cyclonic by incorporating a centralizer tube with specific dimensions and positioning. This parameter change transforms the flow characteristics to achieve higher productivity with lower energy consumption.
2Reliability
If conventional pumps allow material to contact pipe walls, then the pumping action is simple, but uneven erosion and material deposition occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralizer tube as an intermediary component that positions the flow stream away from the pipe walls. This mediator prevents direct contact between the pumped material and the pipe surface, eliminating uneven erosion and deposition while maintaining a relatively simple pump structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a rotational dimension to the flow profile by creating cyclonic flow. This dimensional change lifts the material stream off the pipe walls and distributes wear more uniformly, solving the erosion problem without significantly complicating the pump design.
3Productivity
If pumps create high velocity flow, then productivity increases, but head loss and heating of the material increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses counter-rotating cyclonic flow to reduce the relative velocity between the material and pipe walls. By rotating opposite to the pump direction, the cyclonic flow cancels out some of the forward velocity, reducing head loss and heating while maintaining productivity through the overall forward momentum.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cyclonic flow profile increases flow rate, reduces wear on the pipe walls, lowers energy consumption, and minimizes slugging, resulting in more uniform pipe wear and reduced operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
A rotary in-line pump that induces a cyclonic flow profile by using a material pressurizer with helical flow passages and a centralizer tube, centralizing the flow toward the center of the conduit
Implementation Method 2
The converter includes a plurality of helical flow passages extending through the converter, between the exterior body, the centralizer tube and adjacent ones of the helical vanes
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed cyclonic flow-inducing pumps overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions that arise from flow of certain types of materials through a material flow conduit. Such cyclonic flow-inducing pumps provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile such as, for example, increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated adverse considerations such as slugging.