Recirculating Pump Inlet with Multi-Conduit Bonnet Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump inlet designs, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,289, may not be suitable for combining fluid streams effectively in all applications, leading to inefficiencies and limitations in fluid conditioning systems.
Innovation Solution
A pump inlet structure comprising a housing with a volute, an extension tube, and a bonnet with multiple inlet apertures, where the internal surface of the bonnet and external surface of the extension tube define a bonnet flow path, allowing for the combination of fluid streams upstream of the pump inlet, enhancing fluid flow and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single conduit is used to supply fluid to the pump inlet, then the structure is simple, but the ability to combine multiple fluid streams is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet structure is segmented into multiple independent conduits (first conduit, second conduit, third conduit) that can receive fluid from different sources. Each conduit has its own inlet aperture, allowing separate fluid streams to be transported independently to the pump inlet, thereby enabling combination of multiple fluid streams while maintaining manageable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet structure is designed with multi-functionality to serve both single-source and multi-source fluid supply configurations. The housing with multiple inlet apertures and conduits can accommodate various operating conditions, allowing the same structure to function as a simple single-conduit inlet or a complex multi-conduit inlet depending on which conduits are active
2Productivity
If fluid streams are combined at the pump inlet, then fluid flow efficiency is improved, but the inlet structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fluid streams from different conduits are merged at a common location near the pump inlet. The first, second, and third conduits all terminate in proximity to each other, allowing their respective fluid streams to combine before entering the pump. This merging arrangement improves fluid flow efficiency by enabling combined flow while the modular conduit design keeps the added complexity manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple conduits are arranged in different spatial dimensions and orientations around the pump inlet. Rather than stacking conduits linearly, they are positioned at different locations and angles, allowing fluid streams to approach the pump inlet from different directions. This spatial arrangement facilitates efficient fluid combination while distributing the structural complexity across multiple dimensions
3Loss of energy
If recirculation flow is directed back to the pump inlet, then system efficiency is improved, but the inlet design must accommodate additional flow paths
Solution Approach 1:
The recirculation conduit is pre-configured to deliver fluid directly back to the pump inlet location. By establishing this dedicated return path in advance, the system enables recirculation flow to combine with incoming fluid streams before pump entry, reducing energy losses by maintaining continuous fluid movement and preventing stagnation, while the pre-planned conduit routing manages the added design complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A pump includes a housing having an internal surface defining a volute configured to receive a pump impeller therein, an extension tube fluidly coupled to the volute, a wall of the extension tube having an internal surface disposed opposite an external surface, and a bonnet having an internal surface defining a first inlet aperture and a second inlet aperture therethrough, the first inlet aperture and the second inlet aperture being in fluid communication with the volute via the extension tube. The internal surface of the bonnet and the external surface of the extension tube define a bonnet flow path therebetween, the first inlet aperture of the bonnet being in fluid communication with the volute via the bonnet flow path.