Gear Pump Bearing Dam

A method for pumping a fluid comprising:

• providing a gear pump comprising:
• a first gear having a first axis, a first gear root diameter, and a plurality of first gear teeth having a gear addendum and a gear set pressure angle;
• a second gear having a second axis, a second gear root diameter, and a plurality of second gear teeth having the gear addendum and the gear set pressure angle;
• a housing comprising:
• a fluid inlet and a fluid discharge;
• a first gear bearing and a second gear bearing configured to position the first gear and the second gear along a bearing center line extending between the first axis and the second axis on opposite sides of a bearing split line, the bearing split line extending through a midpoint between the first gear root diameter and the second gear root diameter and extending perpendicular to the bearing center line, the first gear bearing and the second gear bearing configured to position the first gear teeth and second gear teeth in intermeshing contact;
• and,
• a central fluid dam comprising:
• a first face arranged at an angle to the bearing split line, spaced apart from the bearing center line at the bearing split line a first distance towards the fluid inlet, and extending from the first gear root diameter away from the bearing center line to the second gear root diameter;
• and,
• a second face arranged approximately perpendicular to the bearing split line, spaced apart from the bearing center line at the bearing split line a second distance towards the fluid outlet, and extending between the first gear root diameter and the second gear root diameter;
• providing the fluid at the fluid inlet to a collection of tooth spaces;
• driving the first gear;
• driving the second gear with the first gear;
• and
• urging the movement of the fluid in the collection of tooth spaces from the fluid inlet to the fluid discharge, wherein backflow of the fluid from the fluid discharge to the fluid inlet is impeded by the central fluid dam.