Fully-draining diaphragm pump and check valve assembly
AssigneeMurzan, Inc.
InventorAlberto Bazan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fully-draining check valve with a mushroom assembly having a tapered back edge and a drain line disposed with the lower rim of the drain line below the tapered back edge to ensure no fluid becomes trapped in the check valve when not in use. Additionally, a fully-draining diaphragm pump is disclosed having a drain line configured to drain the lowest point of a product chamber to ensure no fluid becomes trapped in the diaphragm pump when not in use. A method of cleaning a fully-draining diaphragm pump and fully-draining check valve assembly is further disclosed comprising inducing turbulent flow of water, wash solution, and/or sanitizer through the assembly and opening ball valves the drain lines of the fully-draining check valves to vent the assembly.
Claims20
A fully-draining diaphragm pump and check valve system, comprising:
- a sealed diaphragm pump having a first product chamber on a first side of the pump and a second product chamber on a second side of the pump, which takes suction from a suction manifold and discharges to a discharge manifold;
- a first check valve disposed between the suction manifold and first product chamber;
- a second check valve disposed between the suction manifold and the second product chamber;
- a third check valve disposed between the first product chamber and the discharge manifold;
- a fourth check valve disposed between the second product chamber and the discharge manifold, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth check valves comprises a mushroom assembly having a stem and valve disc, the valve disc having a tapered back edge and each of the first, second, third, and fourth check valves having a drain line disposed with a lower rim of the drain line below the tapered back edge of the respective valve disc.
A fully-draining check valve, comprising:
- a valve body, comprising a disc seat and a valve housing having an inlet plenum and outlet plenum;
- a mushroom assembly, comprising a stem and valve disc, disposed within the valve body and configured to seal against the disc seat until a predetermined pressure is achieved in the inlet plenum or a predetermined suction is achieved in the outlet plenum;
- a drain line, operably connected to the valve body such that a lower rim of the drain line is disposed below the back edge of the substantially hemispheric valve disc;
- and
- wherein the valve disc has a substantially hemispheric front edge and a back edge with substantially all of the back edge tapered toward the drain line.
A method for cleaning a diaphragm pump and check valve assembly comprising:
- operating a centrifugal pump attached to a suction manifold of the diaphragm pump while taking suction sequentially for a predetermined period of time from a water source, a wash solution source, and a sanitizer source, said centrifugal pump operating at sufficient pressure to create turbulent flow of the water, wash solution, and sanitizer through the diaphragm pump and check valve assembly;
- cycling open and shut, while continuing to operate the centrifugal pump while taking suction sequentially for a predetermined period of time from a water source, a wash solution source, and a sanitizer source, a ball valve in a drain line of each check valve in the check valve assembly to flush the check valve and drain line;
- venting the diaphragm pump and check valve assembly to atmosphere by opening the ball valve in the drain line of each check valve to dry the assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.