Jet Pump Wear Reduction in Screening Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing screening apparatuses for washing and grading particulate materials, such as sand, face issues with accelerated wear of pumps due to gritty materials, particularly the 4-6mm product, which leads to inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a jet pump that entrains material from a separate sump region into a high-pressure stream of water, utilizing a replaceable wear liner and interchangeable nozzle inserts, along with a mixing and diffuser section formed from hard-wearing materials like high chromium cast iron, to efficiently pump the 4-6mm product to a dewatering screen, reducing wear and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a centrifugal pump is used to pump gritty material (4-6mm product) from the sump, then the material can be transferred to the dewatering screen, but the pump experiences accelerated wear due to the abrasive nature of the material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical centrifugal pump with a hydraulic jet pump system that uses high-pressure water to entrain and transport the gritty material. The jet pump creates a high-velocity water stream that draws material from the sump through a suction chamber and delivers it to the dewatering screen, eliminating direct mechanical contact with abrasive particles and thus preventing pump wear while maintaining efficient material transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes a mechanical pumping system (centrifugal pump with moving parts) with a hydraulic system (jet pump using fluid dynamics). The jet pump utilizes the Venturi effect and high-pressure water flow to move material without mechanical contact, replacing the mechanical transmission system that was subject to abrasive wear from the gritty 4-6mm material
2Reliability
If the jet pump components are made from hard-wearing materials like high chromium cast iron, then wear resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hard-wearing materials selectively only to components that come into direct contact with the abrasive gritty material, such as the jet pump housing, suction chamber, and diffuser sections. Other components of the jet pump system that do not experience abrasive wear can be manufactured from standard, easier-to-manufacture materials, thus maintaining wear resistance where needed while minimizing overall manufacturing complexity and cost
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
This solution effectively reduces wear and maintenance costs by using a jet pump with replaceable components, ensuring efficient transfer of gritty materials to the dewatering screen, thereby improving the overall efficiency and longevity of the screening process.
Implementation Method 1
A water inlet is provided at an upstream end of the jet pump connectable to a high pressure water supply of the apparatus, the water inlet communicating with a converging venturi section terminating in an outlet nozzle for supplying high pressure water into the suction chamber of the jet pump.
Implementation Method 2
The jet pump may entrain material from said separate region of the sump into a high pressure stream of water.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A screening apparatus for grading particulate material comprising a grading screen (4) having apertures formed therein for water and/or undersize particles to pass through, the grading screen (4) being supported on a frame mounted on a chassis (2) via resilient linkages (18), the frame, and thus the grading screen (4) being vibrated by vibrating means, such as a pair of counter rotating rotors defining eccentric masses driven by one or more drive motors, to impart circular or reciprocating vibratory motion to the grading screen (4), the grading screen (4) being arranged at a predetermined slope whereby material to be graded can be delivered onto an upper end of the grading screen, typically entrained in a flow of water, while the grading screen (4) is vibrated by the vibrating means to convey the material over the grading screen and to cause undersize material and water to pass through the apertures of the grading screen, oversize material being discharged from a lower end of the grading screen (4) onto a conveyor or into a collection bay or hopper, a sump (26) being provided beneath the grading screen (4) for receiving under-sized material passing through the openings of the grading screen, a jet pump (32) being provided for conveying material from said sump (26) to a dewatering screen (8).