Submersible Pump External Slicer for Solid Handling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Pumps face challenges when handling liquid materials with suspended solids, particularly in sewage pumping, due to clogging, binding, and potential damage from large or resilient solid materials, leading to reliability issues and potential failure.

Innovation Solution

A submersible pump design featuring an external slicing mechanism with a slicer plate and slicer blades that rotate to reduce the size of solids before they enter the pump, allowing them to pass through without causing damage, utilizing a motor-driven impeller and slicer to draw in and slice solids into smaller pieces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the pump handles liquid with suspended solids directly, then the pump can process sewage material, but clogging and damage occur due to large or resilient solid materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to pump sewage with solidsVSAvoidpump failure due to clogging and binding

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The slicer mechanism performs preliminary cutting action on solid materials before they enter the pump chamber. The rotating slicer blades shred solids externally, reducing their size and preventing them from causing clogging or damage inside the pump, thereby resolving the contradiction between handling capability and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the pump allows solids to enter the pump chamber, then solid material can be pumped, but binding and damage occur to the pump components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to pump solid-containing liquidVSAvoidbinding and damage to pump components

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful function of solid materials (causing binding and damage) is extracted and addressed externally by the slicer mechanism. The slicer removes the dangerous aspect of solids by cutting them into smaller pieces before they can interact with sensitive pump components, allowing the pump to maintain productivity while eliminating harmful effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the pump processes large solid materials, then the pump can handle various sewage contents, but excessive resistance and motor overload occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle various solid materialsVSAvoidmotor overload and excessive resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The slicer performs preliminary size reduction of solid materials externally, converting large, energy-intensive solids into smaller pieces before they enter the pump chamber. This preliminary action reduces the energy required by the motor to move solids through the pump, eliminating motor overload while maintaining the ability to handle various sewage contents

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution effectively prevents clogging and damage by slicing solids into manageable sizes, ensuring reliable operation and extending the lifespan of the pump by allowing solid materials to be pumped without causing excessive resistance or motor overload.

Implementation Method 1

The motor is operative to selectively rotate a drive shaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

Rotation of the impeller is operative to draw liquid into the pump chamber through the housing inlet and the at least one slicer plate fluid opening in the slicer plate. The impeller is operative to cause the liquid to move through the pump chamber and be discharged from the pump chamber through the outlet opening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

Movement of the at least one slicer blade edge across the slicer plate fluid openings is operative to cut (alternatively referred to herein as slice) solid material that extends into each of the fluid openings and reduce the size of the solid materials before they can enter the interior of the pump housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical shearing: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS12173728B1Submersible pump with external slicer

Publication Date: 2024.12.24 KEEN PUMP CO INC

AI summary

An exemplary pump (10) is operative to reduce the size of solids suspended in liquid that enters the interior area of the pump. The pump includes a motor (28) that is operative to drive an impeller (56) that is located in a pump chamber (42). The motor is also operative to drive a slicer (80) that includes at least one slicer blade edge (96). The slicer blade edges move in immediately adjacent outwardly overlying relation of a slicer plate (66) which includes a plurality of slicer plate fluid openings (78). Solids suspended in liquid that extend in the slicer plate fluid openings are sliced between the slicer blade edges and the facing peripheral shearing edges of the slicer plate fluid openings so that the solids are reduced to a size that can pass through the pump.