Sundstrand Corporation

Thomas R Tyler

Thomas Sailer

Duane C Mosure

Gerard H Caine

A centrifugal pump having a self-regulating impeller discharge shutter which controls the size of flow passages from the pump impeller to the volute according to the flow demand on the pump. When the pump is operating at the design flow rate, the flow passages can be nearly fully open and, when there is a lesser demand, the area of the flow passages can be correspondingly reduced to improve stability and minimize the temperature rise within the pump. The position of the impeller discharge shutter is automatically controlled by exposure to the static pressure at the tip of the impeller and the pressure in the volute which exert oppositely-acting forces on the impeller discharge shutter.

Centrifugal pump with self-regulating impeller discharge shutter

To achieve priming during start-up and repriming during operation, a self-priming pump system is provided. The self-priming pump system includes a discharge priming reservoir for storing priming liquid for a pump. The discharge priming reservoir has an inlet in communication with the outlet of the pump for receiving priming liquid from the pump and has an outlet in communication with the pump upstream of an impeller and downstream of a liquid supply reservoir for supplying the priming liquid to the pump. The self-priming pump system is operable to separate air from priming liquid in the discharge priming reservoir during recirculation of priming liquid. In addition, a priming valve is disposed between the discharge priming reservoir and the pump to control circulation of priming liquid through the self-priming pump system.

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

Thomas R Tyler