Giw Industries, Inc.

Peter Hergt

Graeme R Addie

Robert J Visintainer

A method and apparatus for determining the efficiency of a liquid pump using air as a test medium. The method includes determining the total power output of the pump operated on air and determining the input power necessary to operate the pump on air. The input power is corrected for power differences resulting from operation of the pump on air rather than a liquid to obtain a corrected power input. The corrected power input is then divided into the power output to determine pump efficiency. The apparatus for performing the method includes a liquid pump arrangement temporarily connected to a bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement is designed to support only the static load of the pump and the dynamic loads generated by operating the pump on air. This allows a bearing housing to be used that is smaller in size and less expensive to use. In addition, because the pump is operated on air, the components for feeding the air are less expensive as is the medium itself.

Method and apparatus for air testing pumps

Disclosed is a centrifugal pump having inlet blade angles set to an angle which takes into account the velocity of the solids moving within a slurry steam to reduce the wear on the centrifugal pump. The centrifugal pump includes an impeller for moving the slurry. The impeller includes a plurality of vanes, wherein each vane has an inlet angle optimized for providing a substantially shock-free entry of slurry into the pump relative to a velocity profile of the solids contained within the lower half of the slurry profile to reduce wear on the pump.

Pump impeller with enhanced vane inlet wear

Disclosed is a slurry conduit for connecting to a centrifugal pump for transporting a slurry mix of solids and liquids. The conduit includes an inclined upstream section having a reduced cross section whereby a concentration gradient formed within the slurry conduit is reduced. The inclined section forces any sliding bed or stratified slurry upwards as it goes towards the apex of the reduced section. The slurry entering the pump has a substantially monolithic or nonstriated composition, which reduces the wear on the pump.

Pump with auxiliary impeller vane inlet device

A centrifugal slurry pump including a specifically designed impeller having circumferentially spaced vanes mounted between a back disc-shaped shroud and a front open annular shroud. The vanes are thick in cross-section for wear-resistance and channels between adjacent vanes permitting a relatively large spherical objects, such as rocks which are encountered during dredging operations, to pass therethrough, the objects having a diameter of in excess of 15 inches, while maintaining an efficiency in excess of 80% and a head in excess of 30 feet. The vanes further preferably have a mixed pitch and a negative overlap with quite large channels between adjacent vanes so as to pass the large spherical objects.

Growing community of inventors

Frankenthal, Germany

Peter Hergt