U.S. patent application number 14/002927 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-27 for modular pump assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to GEA Farm Technologies Canada Inc. Division GEA Houle. The applicant listed for this patent is Alain Courtemanche. Invention is credited to Alain Courtemanche.
Application Number | 20140056743 14/002927 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46797371 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140056743 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Courtemanche; Alain |
February 27, 2014 |
MODULAR PUMP ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous liquid, such as
liquid manure. The viscous liquid is conveyed under pressure from
an admission line to an evacuation line. The assembly has a base
between the admission and evacuation lines. The base receives and
conveys the liquid manure. The base can also be partitioned into
separate sections 14 or chambers, thereby increasing pumping
capacity and efficiency. At least one pump is vertically mounted to
the base, and operates in a receiving configuration for receiving
the liquid manure, and a pumping configuration for pumping the
liquid manure. The inlet and out of the base are adjacent or
coterminous with either another pump's inlet and outlet, or with
another assembly, thereby allowing a pressurized flow of liquid
manure through multiples pumps and/or assemblies arranged in
series.
Inventors: |
Courtemanche; Alain;
(Lefebvre, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Courtemanche; Alain |
Lefebvre |
|
CA |
|
|
Assignee: |
GEA Farm Technologies Canada Inc.
Division GEA Houle
Drummondville
QC
|
Family ID: |
46797371 |
Appl. No.: |
14/002927 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 5, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA2012/050132 |
371 Date: |
November 13, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61449398 |
Mar 4, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/437 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 53/22 20130101;
F04B 15/02 20130101; F04B 23/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/437 |
International
Class: |
F04B 15/02 20060101
F04B015/02 |
Claims
1. A modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous liquid, the
viscous liquid being conveyed under pressure from at least one
admission line to at least one evacuation line, the pump assembly
comprising: a base disposed between the admission and evacuation
lines, the base being configured for receiving the viscous liquid
and for conveying the viscous liquid; at least one pump mountable
about the base and comprising a pump chamber, an inlet, and an
outlet, the at least one pump being operable between a receiving
configuration wherein the viscous liquid is received via the inlet
into the pump chamber, and a pumping configuration wherein the
viscous liquid is pumped from the pump chamber and out the outlet;
and wherein the outlet of the at least one pump is configurable for
being coterminous with the inlet of an adjacent pump, the viscous
liquid being thereby pumpable from the at least one pump to at
least one other pump being configurable in series.
2. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base
comprises a bidirectional modular chamber pardonable by at least
one internal partition, each internal partition creating at least
two sections.
3. A modular pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein each
section (14) is functionally connectable to a corresponding
pump.
4. A modular pump assembly according to claim 3, wherein the base
comprises first and second section groups, the first section group
supplying the viscous liquid to be pumped by the corresponding pump
operating in the receiving configuration, and the second section
group receiving the viscous liquid pumped by another corresponding
pump operating in the pumping configuration.
5. A modular pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein the outlet
of the at least one pump is configurable for being coterminous with
the inlet of an adjacent pump at the internal partition.
6. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one pump comprises a plurality of pumps, each pump being
configurable in series and mountable about the base.
7. A modular pump assembly according to claim 6, wherein the
plurality of pumps comprises two pumps.
8. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one pump is substantially vertically mountable about the
base, the at least one pump comprising a top portion and a bottom
portion.
9. A modular pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at
least one pump comprises at least one piston for pumping and
receiving the viscous liquid, the at least one piston being
operable between the receiving configuration wherein the at least
one piston is positioned adjacent to the top portion upon receiving
the viscous liquid in the pump chamber, and the pumping
configuration wherein the at least one piston is positioned
adjacent the bottom portion upon pumping the viscous liquid from
the pump chamber.
10. A modular pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at
least one pump comprises at least one check valve being
positionable adjacent to the bottom portion so as to facilitate a
removal from the pump chamber of gasses in the viscous liquid.
11. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1 comprising at
least two pumps configured in series, each pump mountable about a
separate base, a first of said at least two pumps operable in
synchronization with a sequential second of said at least two
pumps, wherein the first pump operates in the pumping configuration
for pumping the viscous liquid from the pump chamber to the second
pump, and the second pump simultaneously operates in the receiving
configuration for receiving the viscous fluid from the first pump
into the pump chamber of the second pump, thereby ensuring a
continuous flow of viscous liquid from the first pump to the second
pump.
12. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base
comprises a rounded pipe.
13. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one pump comprises: a pumping tube; a canalization chamber
functionally connectable to the pumping tube, the pumping tube and
canalization chamber defining the pump chamber; and a flap gate
module operatively connectable to the canalization chamber.
14. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least
one of the inlet or outlet of the at least one pump comprises an
adapter for adapting a flow of the viscous liquid.
15. A fluid circuit for pumping a liquid substance under pressure,
the fluid circuit comprising: an admission line for receiving the
liquid substance; an evacuation line for conveying the liquid
substance; and a plurality of modular pump assemblies according to
claim 14, each pump assembly being configurable to operate in
series with at least one adjacent pump assembly, the plurality of
pump assemblies disposed between the admission and the evacuation
lines and providing a pressure to the liquid substance, thereby
pumping the liquid substance under pressure through the fluid
circuit.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a pump. More particularly,
the present invention relates to a modular piston pump and to a
circuit provided with such a modular piston pump.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well known in the prior art that a vertical piston
pump can be used for the transfer of a relatively viscous liquid
and/or substance, such as liquid manure, for example.
[0003] One of the main problems of such a pump, often a
single-piston pump, is the intermittent pumping action. The liquid
manure movement stops during the part of the cycle when the pump is
filling its chamber. Indeed, for every pumping cycle, the pump has
to fight the inertia of the material in the evacuation line, thus
wasting energy. This type of system is not efficient for the
transfer of manure. Furthermore, the transfer rate is determined by
pump capabilities and not by the actual pumping needs on site,
which represents a major incompatibility with a process needing a
continuous and calibrated flow.
[0004] One of the solutions proposed in the art is to use two
piston pumps which can operate alternatively (i.e. operate in
relative synchronization), thereby maintaining a continuous flow of
liquid manure throughout the pumping circuit.
[0005] However, dual-pumping systems present their own
disadvantages. As but one example, it is also well known in the
prior art to connect two or more piston pumps together in parallel
with a piping system so as to form a "Y-connection" for
transferring liquid manure, as exemplified in FIG. 4 (and as can be
seen from prior art pumps shown in FIGS. 1 to 3), for example. One
of the problems associated with such a configuration is that the
flow of liquid manure is easily restricted at the junction of the
Y-connection, causing bottlenecks, and raising the energy needed to
push the liquid manure in the evacuation line. Also, this type of
installation is highly susceptible to the gripping and aggregation
of fibres contained in the liquid manure. Typically, this
accumulation will grow over time, creating even more restriction.
After a relatively short period of time, this blockage will
completely plug the evacuation line, which is very undesirable for
obvious reasons. As a result, one has to completely shut down the
system, further increasing maintenance times and associated costs,
as well as to deal with the blockage which is understandably best
avoided.
[0006] Another disadvantage of the installation of many pumps in
parallel configuration is the additional floor space required. With
many small machines and/or pumps, one obtains a big final overall
installation because of piping require to connect all the pumps.
The wasted ground space, the wasted energy resulting from the
restriction, the wasted time to unplug the evacuation line, etc.,
are all factors which create long term overcharges for customers,
which is also very undesirable.
[0007] Yet another disadvantage of the piston pumps known in the
prior art for the transfer of liquid manure is that most pumps are
designed and function for relatively low-viscosity liquid manure
transfer having only a medium or low flow resistance. Pumping heavy
manure with a low moisture content and high fibre content is a
major technological challenge, and known pumps and pump systems are
often not able to accomplish this functionality because of the
restriction and gripping sources discussed above.
[0008] Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for
an improved system which, by virtue of its design and components,
would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the
aforementioned prior art problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a pump and
pump assembly which satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and
which is thus an improvement over other related piston pumps and/or
pumping methods known in the prior art.
[0010] In accordance with the present invention, the above object
is achieved, as will be easily understood, with a modular pump
assembly such as the one briefly described herein and such as the
one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
[0011] More particularly, and according to the present invention,
there is provided a modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous
liquid, the viscous liquid being conveyed under pressure from at
least one admission line to at least one evacuation line, the pump
assembly comprising: [0012] a base disposed between the admission
and evacuation lines, the base being configured for receiving the
viscous liquid and for conveying the viscous liquid; [0013] at
least one pump mountable about the base and comprising a pump
chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, the at least one pump being
operable between a receiving configuration wherein the viscous
liquid is received via the inlet into the pump chamber, and a
pumping configuration wherein the viscous liquid is pumped from the
pump chamber and out the outlet; and [0014] wherein the outlet of
the at least one pump is configurable for being coterminous with
the inlet of an adjacent pump, the viscous liquid being thereby
pumpable from at least one pump to at least one other pump being
configurable in series, and on down the line.
[0015] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
fluid circuit for pumping a liquid substance under pressure, the
fluid circuit comprising: [0016] an admission line for receiving
the liquid substance; [0017] an evacuation line for conveying the
liquid substance; and [0018] a plurality of modular pump assemblies
according to the modular pump assembly described above, each pump
assembly being configurable to operate in series with at least one
adjacent pump assembly, the plurality of pump assemblies disposed
between the admission and the evacuation lines and providing a
pressure to the liquid substance, thereby pumping the liquid
substance under pressure through the fluid circuit.
[0019] Such a pump assembly and fluid circuit advantageously allow
for the efficient pumping of a viscous liquid, such as liquid
manure, in a sequential or "in-line" fashion, which minimizes areas
which may cause restrictions or blockages, and which reduces both
the surface area and the energy required for a given circuit. The
pump assembly is also modular, and can be easily connected to
function with other like pump assemblies, thereby amplifying the
pumping capacity available in a given circuit while not increasing
the surface area of the pumping installation.
[0020] Preferably, the base is a modular chamber capable of
allowing the liquid manure to flow in at least two directions. The
base can be partitioned into sections so that when at least two
pumps are used, each section can be used only for an inflow and/or
an outflow of the liquid manure. The base and/or modular assembly
can also include many pumps, preferably configured in series and
preferably vertical piston pumps, thereby increasing the available
pumping power.
[0021] A check valve included in the pump further adds to the
efficiency of the circuit by eliminating the build-up of gasses
from the liquid manure being pumped in the pump chamber, thereby
increasing the effective stroke of the pump and allowing it to
operate more efficiently.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, at least two pumps operate in a
synchronized or "alternative" fashion. Essentially, when one pump
is pumping the liquid manure while in the pumping configuration,
the other pump (being configured downstream and in series) is
receiving the liquid manure pumped from the first pump and is in
the receiving configuration. This advantageously allows a
continuous flow of fluid manure through a single pump assembly
and/or fluid circuit, and thus prevents the inertial stalling of
liquid manure in the circuit and/or locking of the pump.
[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a method of installing (i.e. assembling) the
above-mentioned piston pump and/or fluid circuit.
[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a method of operating the above-mentioned piston pump
and/or fluid circuit.
[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a kit with corresponding components for assembling the
above-mentioned piston pump and/or fluid circuit.
[0026] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is also provided a method of assembling components of the
above-mentioned kit.
[0027] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is also provided a method of doing business with the
above-mentioned kit, piston pump, fluid circuit and/or
method(s).
[0028] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is also provided a fluid having been treated with the
above-mentioned kit, piston pump, fluid circuit and/or
method(s).
[0029] The objects, advantages and other features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following
non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given
for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art piston pump
art.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another prior art piston
pump.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of yet another prior art piston
pump.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a top view of prior art piston-pump circuit.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a top view of a piston-pump circuit, according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a modular pump
assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modular pump
assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a front or rear view of what is shown in FIG.
7.
[0038] FIG. 9 is a top view of what is shown in FIG. 7.
[0039] FIG. 10 is front view of a modular pump assembly having a
piston pump, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the piston pump being shown in a closed position.
[0040] FIG. 11 is front view the modular pump assembly having a
piston pump of FIG. 11, the piston pump being shown in an open
position.
[0041] FIG. 12 is a front view of a base of a modular pump
assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0042] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of multiple modular pump
assemblies configured in series, according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 14 is a photograph of a flap gate module of a modular
pump assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0044] In the following description, the same numerical references
refer to similar elements. The embodiments, geometrical
configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions shown in the
figures or described in the present description are preferred
embodiments only, given for exemplification purposes only.
[0045] Moreover, although the present invention was primarily
designed for transferring relatively viscous liquids, such as
liquid manure, via at least one pump, preferably built along a
vertical configuration, it may be used with other types of pumps
and objects, and for other types of substances (i.e. low-viscosity
liquids, sludge, slurries, compounds, etc.) and in other fields, as
apparent to a person skilled in the art. For this reason,
expressions such as "piston", "pump", "fluid", "viscous", "liquid",
"manure", "fiber", "vertical", "configuration", etc., used herein
should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention
and includes all other kinds of objects or fields with which the
present invention could be used and may be useful.
[0046] Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the
expressions "piston", "pump", "kit", "circuit", "device",
"assembly", "system", "machine", "unit" and any other equivalent
expression and/or compound words thereof known in the art will be
used interchangeably. Furthermore, the same applies for any other
mutually equivalent expressions, such as "extracting", "receiving",
"suction", "drawing" and "pumping", or "fluid", "liquid", "air",
"substance", "solid", "flow" and "stream", or even "vertical",
"horizontal" and "slanted" for example, as also apparent to a
person skilled in the art.
[0047] Furthermore, in the context of the present description, it
will be considered that expressions such as "connected" and
"connectable", or "mounted" and "mountable", may be
interchangeable.
[0048] In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the
present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings may
comprise various components, and although the preferred embodiment
of the modular pump assembly as shown consists of certain
geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not
all of these components and geometries are essential to the
invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense,
i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present
invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person
skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperation
thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical
configurations may be used for the pump assembly and corresponding
parts according to the present invention, as will be briefly
explained hereinafter and as can be easily inferred herefrom by a
person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0049] Broadly described, the present invention, as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, relates to a modular pump assembly
intended to transfer a viscous liquid such as liquid manure with or
without solids (ex. fibres, etc.). Some of the applications for
which the present invention can be used or may be useful include
pumping or transferring liquids that may contain solids, adjusting
and controlling the flow of said liquids with high stability and
precision, and this, over short or long distances. Preferably, the
pump assembly has a piston pump built in a vertical position, the
mechanical components of the piston pump being placed above the
pump chamber, as understood in the field of pumps and the like. The
present pump assembly is preferably of a simple design and
inexpensive to manufacture. As will be shown hereinbelow, the
present pump assembly and corresponding fluid circuit possess
several advantages when compared to conventional piston pumps known
in the art.
[0050] As can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art
when referring to the accompanying drawings, the following
preferred components and features of the present pump assembly
offer several advantages with respect to the prior art, as will be
explained in greater detail hereinbelow.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 6, the modular pump assembly 1 consists of
a base 10 and at least one pump 20. It is understood that the term
"modular" as used herein can explain the functionality of the pump
assembly 1 and its components, and the advantages provided thereby.
More specifically, the term "modular" implies the use of "modules",
which are understood to be a set of components (i.e. pumps,
pistons, bases, gaskets, seals, etc.) of the pump assembly 1 that
are standardized and/or independent, and which can be used to
construct a more complex structure such as the pump assembly 1
itself, for example, or to connect a plurality of pump assemblies 1
and/or pumps together, either in series or in parallel, as
explained below.
[0052] The assembly 1 operates so as to pump a viscous liquid,
which is preferably liquid manure, under pressure. By "viscous
liquid", it is understood that fluid being pumped by the assembly 1
requires energy to be pumped so as to overcome frictional or
inertial forces which result from the movement of the fluid. As
such, the term "viscous liquid" is not restricted to describing
only those fluids which generate high inertial or frictional forces
(such as a sludge, a slurry, etc.), and applies equally to those
fluids, of low, moderate, or high viscosity. For the sake of
simplification, and so as to better exemplify the embodiments
described herein, the term "viscous liquid" may be interchanged
herein with "liquid manure". It is understood in the art that
liquid manure is not necessarily a homogenous and uniform fluid,
and that it can be a highly viscous substance, the viscosity
depending on many factors such as, but not limited to, the moisture
content of the manure, the quantity of manure fibre present, the
pressure under which the liquid manure is pumped, etc.
[0053] The liquid manure is conveyed under pressure in a line. The
term "line" as used herein can refer to conduits, pipes, plumbing,
etc. which conveys the liquid manure from one area to another. As
such, the liquid manure can enter the assembly 1 from an admission
line 30. The admission line 30 can consist of plumbing or any known
arrangement of pipes which provides a source of liquid manure from
a reception pit or pool where such material is collected. The
evacuation line 40 preferably conveys the liquid manure after being
pumped by the assembly 1 and/or a series of assemblies 1 to another
lagoon/pit/receptacle for further treatment or disposal. It is
apparent that the directional lines 30,40 shown in FIG. 6 are for
exemplification purposes, and that the liquid manure can travel in
the opposite direction as that indicated by lines 30,40, for
example. It is also understood that the liquid manure does not
necessarily enter the assembly 1 directly from the admission 30,
and that the assembly 1 can receive the liquid manure from another
adjacent assembly 1 and/or pump, as explained below.
[0054] The liquid manure is conveyed through the line "under
pressure", preferably meaning that the assembly 1 and/or series of
assemblies 1 operate such that the liquid manure is suctioned from
the reception pit via the admission line 30, is then given
additional pressure capacity by the assembly 1, and then pumped on
through the evacuation line 40 to a site for final
disposal/treatment. Thus the admission and evacuation lines 30,40,
in cooperation with the modular pump assembly 1 further described
below, constitute a fluid circuit 50 for pumping liquid manure from
one area to another, as exemplified in FIG. 5.
[0055] Turning to the components and features of the modular pump
assembly 1, the base 10 is positioned somewhere between the
admission and receiving lines 30,40, and receives the liquid manure
from the admission line 30 and/or another assembly 1. The base 10
is also configured to convey the liquid manure out of the base 10,
and out of the assembly 1, preferably down the line to either
another assembly 1, or to the evacuation line 40.
[0056] Preferably, the base 10 is a rounded pipe (as shown in FIG.
10) or conduit, although other known shapes (oval, rectangular,
pyramidal, etc.) are possible and within the scope of the
invention. The base 10 is preferably made of suitable materials
known in the art (i.e. alloyed steel, aluminum, polymers, etc.)
which provide the base 10 with the structural reinforcement
necessary to withstand pressure forces, and which resists
corrosion. The base 10, either in rounded pipe form or otherwise,
can be a bidirectional modular chamber 9. The term "bidirectional"
is understood in the context of the invention to mean that the base
10 can convey and/or store liquid manure in more than one
direction, preferably two directions. As but one example of such a
configuration, the bidirectional chamber 9 can convey liquid manure
flowing from the admission line 30 to the evacuation line 40, but
can equally convey liquid manure flowing from the evacuation line
40 to the admission line 30, thus accommodating liquid manure
flowing in at least two directions when the pumps of the assembly 1
are configured for this directional liquid manure flow. Preferably,
a reversing mechanism 17 can be used to reverse the flow of liquid
manure through assemblies 1, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
[0057] The bidirectional chamber 9 can be divided or portioned by
an internal partition 12, which divides the bidirectional chamber 9
into at least two sections 14. Preferably, the partition 12 is
configured to vertically divide the chamber 9 into two sections (as
shown in FIG. 12), although it is understood that a horizontal or
inclined division is within the scope of the present invention. As
further explained below, one of sections 14 can be used to
convey/receive the liquid manure in one direction, while the other
of sections 14 can be used to convey/receive the liquid manure in
another direction. To that end, each section 14 or group of
sections 14 is preferably connected to at least one pump, and
cooperates with this pump, as further explained below.
[0058] The at least one pump 20 is mounted about the base 10 and
consists of a pump chamber 22, an inlet 24, and an outlet 26. The
pump 20 is preferably vertically mounted to the base 10, and is
preferably a piston pump 20, thus providing a vertically-mounted
piston pump 20. It is understood that the term "vertical" as used
herein does not require to the pump 20 to project perpendicularly
from the base 10 and/or ground, and includes a piston pump 20
inclined and/or angled at any inclination and/or angle.
Alternatively, the pump 20 can be mounted about the base 10 in the
horizontal or any inclination therefrom which would allow the pump
20 to perform its functions, as further explained below.
[0059] The pump 20 operates between two configurations: a receiving
configuration, and a pumping configuration. In the receiving
configuration, the pump 20 receives the liquid manure via the inlet
24 and into the pump chamber 22. As explained above, the liquid
manure can be received from the admission line 30 as exemplified in
FIG. 6, or from another modular pump assembly 1 upstream of the
pump 20. In the pumping configuration, the pump 20 pumps (i.e.
expulses under pressure) the liquid manure from the pump chamber 22
via the outlet 26 down the line (either to the evacuation line 40
or to another modular pump assembly 1 downstream).
[0060] In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a plurality of
pumps 20, preferably two pumps 20. These pumps 20 can be mounted
about the same base 10, or different bases 10, depending on site
and pumping requirements. The pumps 20 are mounted in series and/or
sequentially. In the context of the present invention, the terms
"in series", "in-line", "sequentially", etc. or any other similar
term used to describe the configuration of the pumps 20 and/or the
assembly 1, are understood to mean that the pumps 20 and/or the
assembly 1 is disposed such that the exit of one of these elements
is sufficiently adjacent and connected to the entrance of a
subsequent one of these elements, which is ether immediately
upstream and/or downstream. According to a preferred embodiment, a
plurality of assemblies 1 can be mounted in series, as shown in
FIG. 13.
[0061] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, in a preferred embodiment
where the pump 20 is a vertical piston pump 20, the pump 20 will
have a top portion 20a and a bottom portion 20b. The piston 28
operating within the pump 20 operates so as to pump the liquid
manure by descending within the pump 20 and thus applying pressure
to the liquid manure therein (known as the "down-stroke" position).
The piston 28 also operates so as to receive the liquid manure by
rising within the pump 20, thus creating a pressure differential
which is alleviated by the liquid manure entering the pump 20
(known as the "up-stroke" position). The movement of the piston 28
up and down can be accomplished by known actuators, for
example.
[0062] The piston 28 is preferably operated between the receiving
configuration and the pumping configuration. In the receiving
configuration, the piston 28 preferably moves from its down-stroke
position to its up-stroke position, and thus is positioned near the
top portion 20a of the pump 20. In the pumping configuration, the
piston 28 preferably moves from its up-stroke position to its
down-stroke position, and thus is positioned near the bottom
portion 20b of the pump 20. When moving from the up-stroke to the
down-stroke position, the piston 28 may have to act against gasses
that have accumulated within the pump 20 by being released from the
liquid manure. These gasses can affect the efficiency of pumping
operations, and it is thus desirable to evacuate them from the pump
20. The pump 20 and/or piston 28 therefore preferably has a check
valve 15 for evacuating the gasses from the pump chamber 22, and
the check valve 15 is preferably positioned near the bottom portion
20b of the pump 20 so as to evacuate the gasses when the piston 28
is in, or transitioning towards, the down-stroke position.
Preferably, the check valves 15 include doors that are designed to
not interfere with the viscous liquid and/or liquid manure being
pumped by each pump 20, thereby reducing any flow restriction and
gripping possibility for long fibres and solid particles contained
in liquid manure.
[0063] The pump 20 can also be provided with a pumping tube 3, a
canalization chamber 5 which connects to the pumping tube 3 and is
preferably lower than the pumping tube 3. Both the pumping tube 3
and canalization chamber 5 preferably define the pump chamber 22. A
flap gate module 7 is preferably connected to the base of the
canalization chamber 5, and can facilitate and/or control the
directional flow of the liquid manure through the pump chamber 22.
The flap gate module 7 can also provide directional control between
the sections 14 and their respective pumps 20. An example of such a
flap gate module is shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9,
the pump 20 can also be provided with an adapter 25 before its
inlet 24 and after its outlet 26. The adapter 25 preferably
provides directional aid to the liquid manure being pumped into and
out of the pump 20, thereby rendering the flow of liquid manure
more uniform and easier to pump. Preferably, the liquid manure
enters the assembly 1 via the adapter 25 at the inlet 24 into one
of the sections 14 of the chamber 9 of a given pump 20. The liquid
manure can then exit via the other section 14 of the chamber 9, and
out of the other adapter 25 near the outlet 26. Thus, it is
understood that each adapter 25 directs the flow of liquid manure
into only one of the sections 14 of the chamber 9.
[0064] Having discussed some of components of the assembly 1,
attention is now turned to the operation of the assembly 1 either
alone, or in conjunction with other assemblies 1 and/or pumps
20.
[0065] The outlet 26 of the pump 20 is coterminous with the inlet
24 of an adjacent pump 20. By "coterminous", it is understood that
the adjacent outlet 26/inlet 24 share substantially the same
boundaries or extent, and are thus able to communicate the liquid
manure flowing out of one and into the other. The adjacent inlet 24
and/or pump 20 is understood to be near the upstream outlet 26
and/or pump 20 such that fluid communication is permissible. As but
one example of such a configuration, and as exemplified in FIG. 7,
the outlet 26 is in direct contact with the inlet 24 such that the
liquid manure can be pumped directly from the outlet 26 into the
inlet 24 of the adjacent assembly 1. Preferably, both the outlet 26
and the inlet 24 are coterminous such that the internal partitions
12 of both bases 10 are aligned.
[0066] It is thus understood that this configuration of outlet 26
and inlet 24 allows adjacent pump assemblies 1 to be configured in
series or sequentially, thereby maximizing the pumping capacity
that can be imparted to the fluid circuit. This configuration also
advantageously facilitates the modularity of the assembly 1 and its
components by allowing multiple assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20 to be
aligned and share bases 10. It is also understood that, as the
bidirectional chamber 9 permits liquid manure movement in two
directions, the designation of inlet 24 and outlet 26 can vary and
be reversed.
[0067] In another preferred embodiment, the base 10 includes at
least one first section group 14c,14d and at least one second
section group 14a,14b. These section groups are created by the
vertical internal partition 12, as explained above. In a preferred
configuration, where two assemblies 1 each having one pump 20
operating in series, as exemplified in FIG. 6, each section group
14 can be connected to a corresponding pump 20.
[0068] As but one example of such a configuration, first section
group 14c,14d can be in fluid communication with each other via the
gasket 11 and the flap gate module 7, which can prevent fluid
flowing from one section 14 into the other 14 of a given pump 20.
This section group 14c,14d cooperates with its corresponding pump
20, shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 6. Section group 14a,14b
are similarly configured and cooperate in the same fashion with
their pump 20 shown on the right-hand side. Both section groups
14a,14b and 14c,14d can be connected to permit fluid communication
via the corresponding outlet 26 and inlet 24.
[0069] During operating, when the leftmost pump 20 is in the
receiving configuration, section group 14c,14d can fill with liquid
manure and transfer it to the pump chamber 22. Preferably
simultaneously, the rightmost pump 20 is in the pumping
configuration, and pumps the liquid manure out of its pump chamber
22 through section group 14a,14b and out its outlet 26. Then, the
two pumps 20 can alternate, with the leftmost pump 20 entering the
pumping configuration and the rightmost pump 20 entering the
receiving configuration for receiving liquid manure from the
leftmost pump 20. It is thus apparent how multiple pumps 20 and/or
assemblies 1 arranged in series can cooperate so as to achieve a
continuous flow of liquid manure by "synchronizing" or coordinating
their respective movements.
[0070] According to another preferred embodiment, section groups
14a,14d and 14b,14c can cooperate together, and each section group
is functionally connected to both pumps 20. In such a
configuration, section group 14a,14d can act as a receiving
conduit, supplying the liquid manure to be pumped to both pumps 20
when they are in their receiving configurations. Section group
14b,14c can act as an evacuation conduit, receiving the liquid
manure from both pumps 20 when they are in their pumping
configurations. The pumps 20 in such a configuration would operate
in synchronization as well, albeit different from the
synchronization described in the preceding paragraph, as apparent
to a person skilled in the art.
[0071] Furthermore, the present invention is a substantial
improvement over the prior art in that, by virtue of its design and
components, the assembly 1 is simple and easy to operate, as well
as is simple and easy to manufacture and/or assemble, without
compromising the reliability of its functions. Hence, it may now be
appreciated that the present invention represents important
advantages over other pump assemblies and other pumps known in the
prior art, in that the assembly 1 according to the present
invention enables the efficient and low-maintenance pumping of
viscous liquids such as liquid manure, due namely to its simple but
innovative assembly components and its ability to easily cooperated
with other assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20, as briefly explained
hereinabove.
[0072] It can thus now be appreciated that assembly 1 can be a
modular piston pump allowing the transfer of high or low viscosity
liquid manure, containing or not long fibres, and other solid
materials. The presence of check valves 15 within the pump 20
further permits the efficient operation of each pump by evacuating
gaseous "head" that may accumulate and deleteriously affect the
operation of said pump 20.
[0073] The assembly also allows for a more uniform and stable flow
of liquid manure, which allows for the calibration of a transfer
rate or liquid manure according to a particular customer's process.
Furthermore, the compact construction of the modular pump assembly
1 allows space saving in comparison with a standard installation
using many individual machines connected together in parallel with
piping and connected to a main pipe with Y connections. The floor
space saving is a big advantage for customers, as can be easily
understood when contrasting FIG. 4 (prior art) with FIG. 5.
[0074] Indeed, the preferred "in line" construction of the modular
pump assembly 1 eliminates flow restriction sources coming from
elbows and Y connections of the piping. This flow restriction
diminution represents an important energy saving for customers,
thus requiring less energy for the transfer of a given quantity of
material.
[0075] Furthermore, the preferred "in line" construction of the
modular pump assembly 1 according to the present invention
eliminates the gripping sources for long fibres at the Y connection
point that might accumulate so as to restrict flow or form a
blockage, leading to a complete plugging of the line. This flow
restriction diminution represents an important energy saving for
customers. Also, the elimination of the gripping and build-up
opportunities represents a major saving in maintenance work
required to unplug piping, a generally unpleasant task, and
eliminates many system shutdown occurrences.
[0076] The check valve 15 doors on the modular pump assembly 1 are
preferably close to the down-stroke position during the pumping
configuration of the pumping cycle. This short distance reduces the
possibility of gas accumulation that would reduce the transfer
volume for each cycle because gas is compressible and expandable.
The vacuum effect that is applied to manure during the filling part
of the cycle for each piston 28 (i.e. the receiving configuration),
tends to extract gas contained in the liquid manure and create a
gas accumulation under the piston 28. Without the check valve 15,
that space would be lost for pumping. That efficiency increase
represents an important energy savings for customers.
[0077] The alternative or synchronized operation of the pumps 20
allows for a stable and constant transfer rate of material in a
continuous process, over a very long distance with low energy
consumption. For the transfer of manure on a very long distance (up
to many miles or kilometres), the material must not stop, otherwise
the level of energy would be too high to restart the material
movement, the solid particles would tend to sediment, build up and
plug the evacuation line. The constant positive action in the
evacuation line 40 according to the present invention results in
energy savings, and savings in maintenance cost and system
shutdowns.
[0078] Further advantageously, the total quantity of assemblies 1
and/or pumps 20 installed on "in-line" common bases 10 can be
easily selected and installed so as to calibrate the transfer rate
according to customer process needs, wants and/or other
considerations.
[0079] Finally, and according to the present invention, the modular
pump assembly 1 and corresponding parts are preferably made of
substantially rigid materials, such as metallic materials, hardened
polymers, composite materials, and/or the like, as well as possible
combinations thereof, whereas other components of the present
invention, in order to achieve the resulting advantages briefly
discussed herein (ex. seal), can be made of a polymeric material
(plastic, rubber, etc.), and/or the like, depending on the
particular applications for which the modular pump assembly 1 is
intended for and the different parameters in cause, as apparent to
a person skilled in the art.
[0080] Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the
above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the
invention, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
* * * * *