U.S. patent application number 15/104978 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-10 for hot slurry pump.
This patent application is currently assigned to MHWIRTH GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is MHWIRTH GMBH. Invention is credited to NORBERT JAEGER, ANDREAS KARWOWSKI.
Application Number | 20160327032 15/104978 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52003761 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160327032 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JAEGER; NORBERT ; et
al. |
November 10, 2016 |
HOT SLURRY PUMP
Abstract
A hot slurry pump includes at least one working chamber, at
least one displacement chamber which is arranged to be immobile
with respect to the at least one working chamber, at least one
transfer line, and one separator arranged in each of the at least
one transfer line. The at least one transfer line either does not
comprise a cooling section or comprises a cooling section having a
length of less than 5 m.
Inventors: |
JAEGER; NORBERT; (HEINSBERG,
DE) ; KARWOWSKI; ANDREAS; (KOELN, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MHWIRTH GMBH |
Erkelenz |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
MHWIRTH GMBH
ERKELENZ
DE
|
Family ID: |
52003761 |
Appl. No.: |
15/104978 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
December 2, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2014/076176 |
371 Date: |
June 16, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 53/141 20130101;
F04B 53/08 20130101; F04B 15/04 20130101; F04B 23/06 20130101; F04B
43/067 20130101; F04B 43/026 20130101; F04B 43/06 20130101; F04B
53/20 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F04B 43/067 20060101
F04B043/067; F04B 53/08 20060101 F04B053/08; F04B 23/06 20060101
F04B023/06; F04B 53/20 20060101 F04B053/20; F04B 15/04 20060101
F04B015/04; F04B 43/02 20060101 F04B043/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 18, 2013 |
DE |
10 2013 114 320.2 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A hot slurry pump comprising: at least one working chamber; at
least one displacement chamber which is arranged to be immobile
with respect to the at least one working chamber; at least one
transfer line; and one separator arranged in each of the at least
one transfer line, wherein, the at least one transfer line either
does not comprise a cooling section (K) or comprises a cooling
section having a length of less than 5 m.
9. The hot slurry pump as recited in claim 8, wherein the length of
the at least one transfer line is less than 3 m.
10. The hot slurry pump as recited in claim 8, wherein a
compensation device configured to compensate a thermal length
expansion of the at least one transfer line is not provided.
11. The hot slurry pump as recited in claim 8, wherein, the at
least one displacement chamber comprises a diaphragm, and the
diaphragm comprises a material comprising a high-temperature
material.
12. The hot slurry pump as recited in claim 11, wherein the
material further comprises a fluoroelastomer.
13. A method of pumping a hot slurry with the hot slurry pump as
recited in claim 11, the method comprising: separating the hot
slurry being pumped from a cooler reciprocating fluid via the one
separator so as to achieve a reciprocating fluid temperature which
can be tolerated by the diaphragm in the at least one displacement
chamber, wherein, the reciprocating fluid is not actively
cooled.
14. The method as recited in 13, wherein a thermal length expansion
of the at least one transfer line is not compensated.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase application under
35 U.S.C. .sctn.371 of International Application No.
PCT/EP2014/076176, filed on Dec. 2, 2014 and which claims benefit
to German Patent Application No. 10 2013 114 320.2, filed on Dec.
18, 2013. The International Application was published in German on
Jun. 25, 2015 as WO 2015/090928 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a hot slurry pump. The term
"slurry" as used herein means in particular any thick material,
that is, any mixture of liquid and solid components. This can
include, for example, a slurry during excavation work or the like.
Such slurry pumps are designed for continuous use and must reliably
operate as smoothly as possible for long periods, extending to
years, because a replacement of a defective slurry pump commonly
involves considerable effort and time.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Hot slurry pumps have previously been described. DE 19782185
C2, for example, describes a hot slurry pump. A disadvantage of
previously-described hot slurry pumps is that they are expensive to
produce, require a lot of space, do not have a long operating life,
or require a great deal of maintenance.
SUMMARY
[0004] An aspect of the present invention is to provide a hot
slurry pump which is improved with respect to at least one of the
aforementioned disadvantages.
[0005] In an embodiment, the present invention provides a hot
slurry pump which includes at least one working chamber, at least
one displacement chamber which is arranged to be immobile with
respect to the at least one working chamber, at least one transfer
line, and one separator arranged in each of the at least one
transfer line. The at least one transfer line either does not
comprise a cooling section or comprises a cooling section having a
length of less than 5 m.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention is described in greater detail below
on the basis of embodiments and of the drawings in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section illustration of the
principle of a hot slurry pump as described in the prior art.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a part of an
embodiment of the hot slurry pump according to the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a longitudinal cross-section of the
part of the hot slurry pump shown in FIG. 2, in comparison with the
larger scale shown in FIG. 2;
[0010] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a part of a hot slurry pump
according to the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 shows a view from above of the part of the hot slurry
pump shown in FIG. 4; and
[0012] FIG. 6 shows a partial cutaway side view of a part of the
hot slurry pump, in comparison with the larger scale shown in FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The hot slurry pump according to the present invention has
at least one working chamber. The term "working chamber" as used
herein means in particular the space into which the slurry is
sucked and from which the slurry is pushed out. Each working
chamber can, for example, have at least one pair of valves, for
example, one intake valve and one outlet valve. The hot slurry pump
also has at least one displacement chamber. The displacement
chamber is immobile relative to the working space. Both the
displacement space and the working chamber are installed in a fixed
position, i.e., they are not arranged on a carriage, car, or the
like. The displacement chamber comprises a displacement element.
The displacement element can be a piston. However, the displacement
element can, for example, be a diaphragm which can be actuated by a
piston. The hot slurry pump can, for example, therefore have a
piston diaphragm pump. The diaphragm can, for example, be a flat
diaphragm. The hot slurry pump has a transfer line which can, for
example, functionally connect the working chamber to the
displacement chamber. In this displacement line, a liquid
reciprocating fluid can, for example, reciprocate back and forth,
and the pressure pulses alternate between the suction and pressure
levels. The reciprocating fluid can also include, at least, slurry.
A separator is arranged in the transfer line. The separator
separates the hot slurry being pumped from the cooler reciprocating
fluid. The temperature load on the diaphragm is thereby reduced.
The separator can be a separator piston.
[0014] The at least one transfer line either has no cooling
section, or a cooling section is included which has a length of
less than three meters. In the alternative with a cooling section,
the length of the cooling section can, for example, be less than
two meters, or less than one meter.
[0015] The transfer line expands, for example, when the pump is
started as a result of the heating of the transfer line by the
reciprocating fluid associated with the startup. This expansion
results in difficulties in known hot slurry pumps. By way of
example, a compensator must be provided which compensates this
thermal elongation, or other measures must be taken to prevent the
occurrence of unacceptably high flange tension. It has been shown
that the flange tension which occurs when the transfer line has no
cooling section, or the length of the cooling section is less than
three meters, for example, less than two meters, and, for example,
less than one meter, is acceptable. This is because the change in
length is then minimal.
[0016] It has also been found that it is possible to dispense with
a cooling section or a longer cooling section, in particular since
a significant temperature drop can already be achieved by the
separator.
[0017] The term "cooling section" as used herein is in particular
used to mean a section which is used exclusively or primarily for
cooling, as concerns the transport of heat which cools the
reciprocating fluid.
[0018] The cooling section can, for example, be a section in which
no separator is arranged.
[0019] The cooling section can, for example, extend from the region
of the transfer line in which the separator is arranged to the
diaphragm housing. It is in principle conceivable that the transfer
line is constructed as an integral part. However, the region of the
displacement line in which the separator is arranged can, for
example, not be constructed as an integral part of the remaining
transfer line. It can, for example, rather be connected to the
remaining transfer line by a separator line flange on the side
thereof which faces away from the working chamber. The cooling
section can then, for example, extend from the separator line
flange to the diaphragm housing. It can be contemplated that a bend
is arranged between the cooling section and the diaphragm housing.
The cooling section can then, for example, extend from the region
of the transfer line in which the separator is arranged, or from
the separator line flange, to the end of the bend facing the
cooling section.
[0020] The transfer line of the slurry pump can, for example, not
have a heat exchanger.
[0021] The length of the entire transfer line can, for example, be
less than five meters. The length of the entire transfer line can,
for example, be less than four meters, and, for example, less than
three meters, or less than two meters.
[0022] The transfer line can, for example, extend from the working
chamber to the diaphragm housing. The transfer line can, for
example, extend from the connection of the suction valve housing of
the working chamber to the diaphragm housing.
[0023] If no compensation device is, for example, included to
compensate the thermal length expansion of the transfer line,
conditions for a particularly reliable hot slurry pump are created.
The transfer line can therefore, for example, be constructed of
rigid pipe so that no moving parts, such as, for example, metal
bellows or telescopic connections, exist. The thermal expansion can
also, for example, not be compensated by the pipe line, for
example, by an expansion bend.
[0024] The medium to be pumped can be nickel slurry with a
temperature of, for example, about 210.degree. C.
[0025] The material of the diaphragm which is, for example,
arranged in the displacement chamber can, for example, comprise a
high-temperature material.
[0026] The material of the diaphragm can, for example, comprise
fluoroelastomer. The diaphragm in one embodiment is formed of
fluoroelastomer.
[0027] The region of the transfer line which has the separator can,
for example, be connected by the shortest route to the displacement
chamber. This achieves a particularly short transfer line with
particularly low flange tension caused by thermal expansion, and a
very compact pump.
[0028] The term "hot slurry pump" as used herein in particular
refers to pumps that are suitable for pumping slurry with a
temperature of up to 300.degree. C. or 250.degree. C. or
210.degree. C. or 170.degree. C. or 160.degree. C. or 140.degree.
C.
[0029] The hot slurry pump is suitable for pumping hot slurry with
a temperature, for example, of 160.degree. C. to 210.degree. C.
[0030] The present invention also relates to a method wherein
slurry is pumped by a hot pump as described above. In this method,
the reciprocating fluid is not actively cooled. The expression "not
actively cooled" as used herein in particular means that no
measures are taken which exclusively or primarily serve to cool the
reciprocating fluid as concerns the transport of heat for the
purpose of cooling down the reciprocating fluid.
[0031] A reciprocating fluid temperature which is tolerable for the
diaphragm can, for example, be achieved in the displacement
chamber, for example, exclusively, by separating the hot slurry
being pumped from cooler reciprocating fluid by a separator.
[0032] Slurry can, for example, be pumped with a temperature range
of from 130.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. or 130.degree. C. to
250.degree. C. or 130.degree. C. to 210.degree. C. or 130.degree.
C. to 170.degree. C. or 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. or
130.degree. C. to 140.degree. C. or 160.degree. C. up to
210.degree. C.
[0033] The thermal length expansion of the transfer line can, for
example, not be compensated.
[0034] The present invention is explained in greater detail below
under reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.
[0035] FIG. 1 shows the principle of the hot slurry pump previously
described in the prior art. This prior art pump comprises a drive
unit A and a pump B unit. The transfer line 3 has a cooling section
K with a heat exchanger T which is intended to enhance the cooling
effect of the transfer line 3. The length L of the cooling section
K is greater than three meters.
[0036] To reduce to a harmless level the forces exerted as a result
of the thermal length expansion of the transfer line 3 between the
working chamber 1 and the displacement chamber 2, for example,
during the startup of the pump, an expansion joint D, symbolized by
a bend and not shown in detail, is arranged between the transfer
line 3 and the displacement chamber 2.
[0037] The cooling section K extends from the region 6 of the
transfer line 3, in which the separator is arranged, to the bend
connecting the cooling section K to the diaphragm housing 14, is
here designed as an expansion joint D. More specifically, the
cooling section K extends from the separator line flange 21 up to
the bend, and more precisely up to the end 24, of the bend facing
the cooling section K.
[0038] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the drive unit A and a part of the pump
unit B of a hot slurry pump according to the present invention. A
double-acting duplex pump is shown in the embodiment. The drive
unit A includes a drive shaft 13 which is rotated by a motor (not
shown), for example, an electric motor. At least one gear wheel,
indicated generally, is arranged on the drive shaft 13, which
meshes with at least one substantially larger gear wheel, indicated
generally, of the crankshaft 7. The crankshaft can also be driven
directly. Two connecting rods 8 are arranged side by side on the
crankshaft 7. The connecting rods 8 each transmit their movement by
a crosshead 9 to a crosshead rod 12 which turns into a piston rod
11. One piston 10 is arranged on each piston rod 11, executing a
linear reciprocating movement in a cylinder. A transmission medium
10a, for example, hydraulic oil, is arranged in each of the two
cylinders 5, 5'. Two transmission medium chambers (not shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3) adjoin each cylinder 5, 5', each establishing a
connection between the cylinders 5, 5', and a diaphragm housing 14,
14', 14'', 14'''. The transmission medium transmits the movement of
the piston 10 to the displacement elements, which are each formed
as a flat diaphragm 19. Because the pump is double acting, each
cylinder 5, 5' has a functional connection to two displacement
chambers 2, 2', 2'', 2''', each of which comprises a diaphragm 19
and a diaphragm housing 14, 14', 14'', 14'''. When the piston 10 in
FIG. 2 moves to the right, the transmission medium flows into
another diaphragm housing 14', 14''' and displaces the diaphragm 19
arranged therein. When the piston in FIG. 2 moves to the left, the
transmission medium flows into another diaphragm housing 14, 14''
and displaces another diaphragm 19 arranged therein.
[0039] The diaphragm housings 14, 14', 14'', 14''' of the hot
slurry pump according to the present invention can for their part
be designed as the known pump shown in FIG. 1 in cross-section.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows the pump unit B of the hot slurry pump in a
side view.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows, in a top view of this pump unit B, the four
diaphragm housings 14, 14', 14'', 14''', already shown in FIG. 2,
as well as the two cylinders 5, 5', already shown in FIG. 2.
Exactly one transfer line 3, 3', 3'', 3''' is connected to each
diaphragm housing 14, 14', 14'', 14''', connecting each diaphragm
housing 14 to exactly one working chamber 1, 1', 1'', 1'''. Hot
slurry flows into each working chamber 1, 1', 1'', 1''' through an
inlet line 15 and an inlet check valve 17, 17', 17'', 17''', which
is not shown in detail, and is then pushed out through an outlet
check valve 18, 18', 18'', 18', which is likewise not shown in
detail, into an outlet line 16.
[0042] The drive unit A and the pump unit B of the shown embodiment
of the hot slurry pump according to the present invention are
immobile, that is, installed permanently onto the substrate. The
working chamber 1, 1', 1'', 1''' and the displacement chamber 2,
2', 2'', 2' are therefore immobile relative to each other.
[0043] As FIGS. 5 and 6 show well when viewed together, neither of
the transfer lines 3, 3', 3'', 3''' of the embodiment shown of the
hot slurry pump according to the present invention has a cooling
section K.
[0044] The transfer lines 3, 3', 3'', 3''' each extend from the
working chamber 1, 1', 1'', 1''' to the diaphragm housing 14, 14',
14'', 14'. More specifically, each transfer line 3, 3', 3'', 3'''
extends from the connection 23 of the housing of the inlet check
valve 17, 17', 17'', 17''' to the diaphragm housing 14, 14', 14'',
14'.
[0045] As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, the four transfer lines 3,
3', 3'', 3''' have two different lengths L.sub.1, L.sub.2 due to
the geometry of the pump. Both the length L.sub.1 and the length
L.sub.2 of the transfer lines is less than five meters.
[0046] The shown embodiment of the hot slurry pump according to the
present invention does not have a heat exchanger T.
[0047] FIG. 6 also shows that no expansion joint D, or compensating
device, is included for the purpose of compensating the thermal
length expansion of the transfer line 3, 3', 3'', 3'''.
[0048] The transfer line 3, 3', 3'', 3''' serves the purpose of
subjecting the diaphragm 19 to a significantly lower temperature
than is inherent in the hot slurry being pumped. This is achieved
with the aid of a separator 4. In each case, the transfer line 3,
3', 3'', 3''' has a region 6, 6', 6'', 6''' with a separator 4 at
its end which faces the working chamber 1, 1', 1'', 1'''. This is
designed as a separator piston.
[0049] The region 6, 6', 6'', 6''' of the transfer line which has
the separator 4 is connected by the shortest route to the
displacement chamber 2, 2, 2'', T''.
[0050] The reciprocating fluid 20 is not actively cooled. No device
is therefore included which functions exclusively or primarily to
cool the reciprocating fluid 20 in the sense of transporting heat
to cool the reciprocating fluid 20.
[0051] The present invention is not limited to embodiments
described herein; reference should be had to the appended
claims.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0052] 1, 1', 1'', 1' working chamber [0053] 1a hot slurry [0054]
2, 2', 2'', 2''' displacement chamber [0055] 3, 3', 3'', 3'''
transfer line [0056] 4 separator [0057] 5, 5' cylinder [0058] 6,
6', 6'', 6''' region of the transfer line in which the separator is
arranged [0059] 7 crankshaft [0060] 8 connecting rod [0061] 9
crosshead [0062] 10 piston [0063] 10a transmission medium [0064] 11
piston rod [0065] 12 crosshead rod [0066] 13 driveshaft [0067] 14,
14', 14'', 14''' diaphragm housing [0068] 15 inlet line [0069] 16
outlet line [0070] 17, 17', 17'', 17''' inlet check valve [0071]
18, 18', 18'', 18''' outlet check valve [0072] 19 diaphragm [0073]
20 reciprocating fluid [0074] 21 separator line flange [0075] 22
connector flange of the bend [0076] 23 connection of the housing of
the inlet check valve [0077] 24 end of the bend [0078] L length of
the cooling section [0079] L.sub.1, L.sub.2 length of the transfer
line [0080] A drive unit [0081] B pump unit [0082] D expansion
joint [0083] K cooling path/cooling section [0084] T heat
exchanger
* * * * *