# US 10,309,231 B2 · Non-metallic vertical turbine pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,231 B2 - Document ID: US10309231B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/138,855 - Filed: 2016-04-26 - Published: 2016-08-18 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-17 - Assignees: Ceco Environmental IP Inc. - Applicants: Ceco Environmental IP Inc. - Inventors: William W. Parry; Erik Burachinsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309231B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/30: Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 33/40: Plastics, e.g. foam or rubber - B29C 33/52: soluble or fusible {(in particular used in injection moulding B29C45/4457)} - B29C 70/06: Fibrous reinforcements only - B29C 70/48: and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} - B29D 99/0025: {Producing blades or the like, e.g. blades for turbines, propellers, or wings} - F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)} - F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments} - F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)} - F04D 13/08: for submerged use - F04D 29/026: {especially adapted for liquid pumps} - F04D 29/2227: {for special materials} - F04D 29/448: {bladed diffusers} - B29K 2031/00: Use of polyvinylesters {or derivatives thereof} as moulding material - B29K 2063/00: Use of {EP, i.e.} epoxy resins {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material - B29K 2105/06: containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts - B29K 2309/08: Glass - B29K 2995/0063: Density - B29K 2995/007: Hardness - B29L 2031/08: Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers - B29L 2031/7504: {Turbines} - F05C 2253/04: Composite, e.g. fibre-reinforced - F05D 2220/30: in turbines - F05D 2230/21: by casting - F05D 2250/52: Outlet - F05D 2260/95: Preventing corrosion - F05D 2300/43: Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber - F05D 2300/44: Resins - F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - F05C: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A non-metallic vertical turbine pump and a method of manufacturing same are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, the vertical turbine pump can include a motor, and a drive shaft coupled to the motor for rotation, a casing with a mixed flow diffuser including a diffuser hub and diffuser vanes that project out from the diffuser hub, and a mixed flow impeller configured to rotatably fit inside the casing, having an impeller hub, impeller vanes, extending from the hub, and a front and a back shroud connected to opposing ends of the impeller vanes. At least one of the mixed flow impeller and the mixed flow diffuser can be made of a non-metallic material and is a singular homogenous component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of molding a non-metallic component of a vertical turbine pump, comprising: providing a wax core having structure that defines respective openings defined by a non-metallic vertical turbine pump component; fabricating cutouts in the wax core, wherein the cutouts are configured to define respective structure of the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component; introducing an oriented fiberglass into the cutouts and surrounding a first end and a second end of the wax core with the oriented fiberglass, wherein the first end and the second end are opposite ends; placing the wax core with the oriented fiberglass into a mold cavity; subsequently injecting a resin into the mold cavity; subsequently melting the wax core; and forming the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component by melting the wax core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fabricating step comprises machining the cutouts in the wax core. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resin comprises a vinyl-ester or epoxy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein injecting the resin into the mold cavity that comprises the wax core with the oriented fiberglass produces a non-metallic composite material, and wherein the wax core has a melting temperature that is lower than the non-metallic composite material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of introducing wax into a silicon rubber mold die. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of melting the wax such that the wax core has a shape defined by the silicon rubber mold die. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of hardening the wax so as to produce the wax core. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of maintaining the wax in a liquid state at an open end of the silicon rubber mold die while the wax at a closed portion of the silicon rubber mold die hardens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of applying a heat source to the wax so as to maintain at least a portion of the wax in a liquid state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the silicon rubber mold die has a thickness profile that increases from the closed portion to the open end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cutouts have a helical shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cutouts are in a shape of mixed flow diffuser vanes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cutouts are in a shape of mixed flow impeller vanes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow impeller configured for use in a vertical turbine pump that is elongated along a longitudinal direction, whereby the mixed flow impeller has an impeller hub, impeller vanes, extending from the impeller hub along a direction that includes directional components in both the longitudinal direction and a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a front and a back shroud connected to opposed ends of the impeller vanes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow diffuser configured for use in a vertical turbine pump that is elongated along a longitudinal direction, the vertical turbine pump including a casing, and the mixed flow diffuser includes a diffuser hub that is spaced from an inner surface of the casing, the diffuser further including a plurality of mixed flow diffuser vanes that project out from the diffuser hub to the inner surface of the casing and are twisted so as to define a surface that is curved in a direction that includes a directional component in both the longitudinal direction and a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is formed as a singular unitary non-metallic component. ### Claim 17 A method of molding a non-metallic component of a vertical turbine pump, comprising: providing a wax core having structure that defines respective openings defined by a non-metallic vertical turbine pump component; fabricating cutouts in the wax core, wherein the cutouts are configured to define respective structure of the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component; introducing a non-metallic composite material into the cutouts and surrounding a first end and a second end of the wax core with the non-metallic composite material, wherein the first end and the second end are opposite ends; melting the wax core; forming the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component as a singular unitary non-metallic component by melting the wax core, wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow impeller or a mixed flow diffuser; and placing the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component into the vertical turbine pump. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the non-metallic composite material is a fiberglass reinforced resin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the fiberglass is an oriented fiberglass. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the resin comprises a vinyl-ester or epoxy.