Vertical Wet Pit Pump Intake Tapered Pit Vanes Vortex Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump intake systems face challenges in maintaining uniform fluid flow and preventing vortex formation, leading to inefficiencies and increased construction costs, as they are often disrupted by local influences and require extensive excavation and modification to address swirling and turbulence issues.
Innovation Solution
The proposed wet pit pump intake assembly employs a tapered upper intake pit with vanes and a toroidally shaped lower intake pit, combined with a shroud and submerged weir, to accelerate and redirect fluid flow seamlessly into the pump bell, minimizing turbulence and vortex formation through controlled fluid acceleration and redirection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large structures and complex baffling systems are used to prevent vortex formation, then pump efficiency is improved, but construction cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intake structure is divided into multiple functional zones: an upper intake pit with vanes for initial flow direction, a lower intake pit for further flow conditioning, and a projection member for final flow alignment. This segmentation allows each zone to address specific flow characteristics without requiring a monolithic complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional baffling systems to three-dimensional flow control using vertically oriented vanes and projection members that extend into the flow path. This dimensional change enables more effective vortex suppression with simpler overall structure.
2Reliability
If extensive excavation and modification are performed to address swirling and turbulence, then flow uniformity is improved, but construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intake structure is designed to preemptively address flow uniformity issues by incorporating vanes and projection members that begin flow conditioning immediately upon entry. This preliminary action prevents vortex formation before it can occur, eliminating the need for extensive post-construction modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies flow parameters directly through geometric design features. The vanes change flow direction, the projection member adjusts flow velocity distribution, and the tapered surfaces modify pressure gradients. These parameter changes achieve flow uniformity without requiring extensive excavation.
3Productivity
If high-throughput pumps are used to increase productivity, then pump capacity increases, but vortex formation and flow disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intake structure applies preliminary anti-action by using vanes and projection members to counteract the natural tendency of high-velocity flow to form vortices. The vanes create opposing rotational forces that cancel out harmful swirl, while the projection member ensures uniform flow distribution, allowing high-throughput operation without flow disruption.
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 design reduces excavation costs, enhances pump efficiency by ensuring uniform flow, and suppresses vortex formation, allowing for high-throughput operation while maintaining smooth fluid entry into the pump inlet, thus increasing pump capacity and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
The upper intake pit has a tapered inner surface providing the upper intake pit with a decreasing cross-sectional area to accelerate the fluid flow toward the pump bell
Implementation Method 2
The upper intake pit may include at least one vane extending inwardly from the inner surface of the upper intake pit, wherein the vane is configured to suppress rotation of a fluid flowing through the upper intake pit
Implementation Method 3
The lower intake pit floor has a substantially curvilinear surface interconnecting the upper intake pit to the projection member to redirect and accelerate fluid flow toward the pump bell
Data Source
AI summary
A pump intake apparatus for directing fluid flow to a pump. The pump intake assembly includes a pump intake column having a pump bell and a pump intake pit. The intake pit includes an upper intake pit encircling the pump intake column and has a tapered inner surface providing the upper intake pit with a decreasing cross-sectional area to accelerate the fluid flow toward the pump bell. The upper intake pit may include at least one vane extending inwardly from the inner surface of the upper intake pit to suppress rotation of a fluid flowing through the upper intake pit. The intake pit further includes a lower intake pit floor positioned substantially below the pump bell and including a projection member upwardly extending from a central region of the lower intake pit floor toward the pump bell. The lower intake pit floor has a substantially curvilinear surface interconnecting the upper intake pit to the projection member to redirect and accelerate fluid flow toward the pump bell. The intake assembly may include a shroud extending from the lower end of the pump intake column to also facilitate acceleration of fluid flow toward the bell portion of the pump. A method of using the pump intake is also disclosed.