Sundstrand Corporation

Paul E Westhoff, Jr

Kent I Weber

Ricky D Reimers

Poor inlet suction characteristics in regenerative pumps may be avoided in a construction including a housing (10) having an impeller receiving cavity (20) with a circular impeller (22) therein. Channel-like annular grooves (32, 34) are disposed in the housing (10) and open to the cavity (20) at sides (36, 38) of the impeller (22). An outlet seal (63) is located in each of the grooves (32, 34) and outlet ports (62) opening to the grooves (32, 34) are located just upstream of the outlet seal (63). Peripheral recesses (42, 44) are located in the impeller sides (36, 38) and have radially inner extremities (59) located radially inward of the channels (32, 34). A plurality of blades (52) are mounted to the impeller (22) within the recesses (42, 44) around the periphery thereof and have radially inner edges (54) spaced from the radially inner recess extremities (59) while being isolated from recirculation within the channels ( 32, 34). An inlet port (70) is disposed in the housing (10) and is located between the radially inner extremity of the grooves (42, 44) and the radially inner edges (54) of the blades (52).

Regenerative pump with improved suction

A method of operating a pitot pump that pressurizes a first fluid of a first viscosity and first density wherein the pump includes a rotatable housing and a stationary probe disposed within the housing includes the steps of providing a source of a second fluid having a second viscosity and second density less than the first viscosity and first density, detecting a physical condition in the housing indicative of the presence of the first fluid at a second radial position inside the first radial position and connecting the source of the second fluid to an inner annular chamber of the housing when the detected physical condition indicates that the first fluid is present at the second radial position.

Low drag pitot pump and method of operating same

A variable pressure and variable flow rate pump in accordance with the invention includes a stationary pump housing (1), a rotating pump housing (10), rotatably mounted with respect to the stationary pump housing including a fluid receiving chamber (12) for receiving fluid to be pumped which is driven by a drive (11); a pitot probe (5) rotatably mounted in the stationary pump housing having a tip (5a) disposed in the fluid receiving chamber radially offset from an axis of rotation of the probe for receiving fluid from the fluid receiving chamber; a brake (15) for selectively braking a rotational speed of the probe to control the rotational speed of the probe independently of a rotational speed of the rotating pump housing to provide a fluid output from the output with a variable pressure and flow rate; a thermal insulator (44) mounted between the brake and the fluid receiving chamber for thermally insulating the fluid receiving chamber from heat generated by the brake; and a control (C) coupled to the brake for controlling activation of the brake to control a rate of rotation of the probe to control the pressure and flow rate of the fluid produced at the output.

Growing community of inventors

Chana, IL, United States of America

Paul E Westhoff, Jr