Suction pipe inlet device for centrifugal pump

A method of transporting slurry from a retention tank (5) to a centrifugal pump (100) downstream of the retention tank (5) via a suction pipe (4) connected to the centrifugal pump (100), the method comprising:

• providing a suction pipe inlet device (1) for minimizing entrance losses in the slurry system;
• the suction pipe inlet device (1) comprising:
• a hollow tubular axisymmetric body along a longitudinal axis (L) having an open first end (1a);
• and an open second end (1b) downstream of the first end (1a);
• a liner (7) in contact with the open second end (1b) and having an inner pipe lined wet diameter (Idw) and a predetermined thickness (T);
• an outer pipe diameter (Odp);
• and
• an inner pipe diameter (Idp) receiving the hollow tubular axisymmetric body and the liner (7);
• the hollow tubular axisymmetric body further comprising a converging section (10) located closer to the first open end (1a);
• a diverging section (20) located closer to the second open end (1b);
• a throat (1c) located at the intersection point between the converging and diverging sections (10, 20), the converging and diverging sections (10, 20) defining an interior converging-diverging geometry within the tubular axisymmetric body and the throat (1c) defining a minimum inner cross sectional area of the tubular axisymmetric body;
• and,
• arranging the suction pipe inlet device (1) such that the open first end (1a) is in the retention tank (5), the suction pipe inlet device (1) is removably connected to the retention tank (5), the suction pipe inlet device (1) is removably connected to the suction pipe (4), and a portion of the suction pipe inlet device (1) protrudes into the retention tank (5);
• wherein the outer pipe diameter (Odp) is selected and an outer surface of the suction pipe inlet device (1) is shaped such that the suction pipe inlet device (1) is configured to be extracted from the retention tank (5) and inserted into the retention tank (5) substantially free of interference, in a direction along longitudinal axis (L), through a hole in the retention tank (5) having a diameter that is greater than the outer pipe diameter (Odp).