Grooved Centrifugal Pump Side Liner for Slurry Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal slurry pumps experience high wear on side liners due to pressure differences and internal recirculation, leading to a short lifespan, particularly in mill circuit duties with low flow rates, where erosion rates are increased.
Innovation Solution
The side liner features a patterned surface with radially extending grooves that have varying depths, with the deepest part located at the mid-region between the inner and outer edges, and curvature opposite to the impeller vanes, reducing localized wear and enhancing the operational lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the side liner is used in mill circuit duties with low flow rates, then the pump can handle low flow conditions, but erosion rates on the side liner are increased due to increased internal recirculation
Solution Approach 1:
The side liner surface is modified with grooves at specific locations where recirculation occurs, creating local flow control features rather than changing the entire liner. The grooves are strategically positioned to intercept recirculating slurry and redirect it, addressing the erosion problem locally while maintaining the liner's overall structure and function.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculating slurry flow, which causes harmful erosion, is converted into a beneficial force by channeling it through the grooves. The grooves redirect the recirculating flow in a controlled manner, reducing its erosive impact on the liner surface while utilizing the flow's energy to maintain pumping efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If auxiliary or expelling vanes are added to the impeller to reduce flow recirculation through the gap, then wear on the side liner is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control function is extracted from the impeller and transferred to the side liner. Instead of adding vanes to the impeller, the invention places grooves on the side liner surface to perform the flow control function, simplifying the overall device by removing unnecessary components from the impeller structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves on the side liner act as an intermediary element between the recirculating slurry flow and the liner surface. They mediate the interaction by controlling the flow path and reducing direct erosive contact between the slurry and the liner, achieving wear reduction without modifying the impeller.
3Ease of manufacture
If the side liner surface is made smooth and flat, then manufacturing is simple, but localized wear or gouging occurs due to high velocity recirculating slurry
Solution Approach 1:
The side liner surface is modified with grooves at specific locations where recirculation occurs, creating local flow control features rather than changing the entire liner. The grooves are strategically positioned to intercept recirculating slurry and redirect it, addressing the erosion problem locally while maintaining the liner's overall structure and function.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the grooves are made deeper to increase flow disruption and energy dissipation, then wear reduction is improved, but manufacturing complexity and material removal increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are designed with optimal depth that provides sufficient flow disruption and energy dissipation without being excessively deep. This partial action approach achieves the necessary wear protection while avoiding unnecessary manufacturing complexity and material removal, balancing performance with fabrication ease.
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 grooved side liner design significantly reduces wear on the side liners by disrupting flow patterns and dissipating energy, thereby extending the lifespan of the components.
Implementation Method 1
The grooved side liner design significantly reduces wear on the side liners by disrupting flow patterns and dissipating energy
Implementation Method 2
The expelling vanes rotate the slurry in the gap creating a centrifugal field and thus reducing the driving pressure for the returning flow
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is side liner for a centrifugal pump. The side liner comprises an aperture for access to a central chamber of the centrifugal pump through the side liner. The side liner also comprises a plurality of grooves on a surface contacting material pumped by the centrifugal pump, the plurality of grooves extending radially from an inner edge of the surface, located near the aperture, to an outer edge.