# US 2018/0320703 A1 · Technique to improve the performance of a pump with a trimmed impeller using additive manufacturing

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- Number: US 2018/0320703 A1
- Document ID: US20180320703A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/966,706
- Filed: 2018-04-30
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-28
- Assignees: Fluid Handling LLC
- Applicants: Fluid Handling LLC.
- Inventors: Jeffrey D. LOPES
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180320703A1

## CPC

- B23K 26/342: Build-up welding
- B22F 7/08: with one or more parts not made from powder {(B22F7/062 takes precedence)}
- B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00)
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B23K 10/027: {Welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding}
- B23K 15/00: Electron-beam welding or cutting
- B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding}
- B23K 15/0093: {characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded}
- B23K 26/0006: {taking account of the properties of the material involved (B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence)}
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- F04D 29/026: {especially adapted for liquid pumps}
- F04D 29/2216: {Shape, geometry (F04D29/2211 takes precedence)}
- F04D 29/2222: {Construction and assembly (F04D29/2211 takes precedence)}
- F04D 29/42: for radial or helico-centrifugal pumps
- F04D 29/426: {especially adapted for liquid pumps}
- F04D 29/428: {Discharge tongues (F04D17/04 takes precedence)}
- F04D 29/628: {especially adapted for liquid pumps}
- B23K 2103/05: {Stainless steel}
- B23K 2103/10: Aluminium or alloys thereof
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- F04D 1/00: Radial-flow pumps, e.g. centrifugal pumps; Helico-centrifugal pumps (adapted for pumping specific fluids F04D7/00; priming or boosting F04D9/00)
- F04D 17/08: Centrifugal pumps
- F05D 2230/31: Layer deposition
- F05D 2230/80: Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A pump features a trimmed impeller having a trimmed impeller diameter that is less than a standard full-sized diameter of a standard full-sized impeller for a standard full-sized casing, and having a circumferential outer edge; and a modified standard full-sized casing having dimensions corresponding to the standard full-sized casing and configured to house the trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, having an outer peripheral wall, and having an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall configured with a volume of material deposited using an additive manufacturing process so as to fill in vacant space otherwise caused by the trimmed impeller diameter being less than the standard full-sized impeller diameter. The additive manufacturing process is a directed energy deposition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pump comprising:
a trimmed impeller having a trimmed impeller diameter that is less than a standard full-sized diameter of a standard full-sized impeller for a standard full-sized casing, and having a circumferential outer edge; and
a modified standard full-sized casing having dimensions corresponding to the standard full-sized casing and configured to house the trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, having an outer peripheral wall, and having an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall configured with a volume of material deposited using an additive manufacturing process so as to fill in vacant space otherwise caused by the trimmed impeller diameter being less than the standard full-sized impeller diameter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A pump according to claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing process is a directed energy deposition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A pump according to claim 1, wherein the volute includes an impeller cut-away that has an extended impeller cut-away portion formed with a corresponding volume of material deposited using the additive manufacturing process.

### Claim 4

A method of making a pump having trimmed impeller using a standard full-sized casing, comprising:
configuring a trimmed impeller having a trimmed impeller diameter that is less than a standard full-sized diameter of a standard full-sized impeller for a standard full-sized casing, and having a circumferential outer edge; and
configuring a modified standard full-sized casing having dimensions corresponding to the standard full-sized casing and configured to house the trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, having an outer peripheral wall, and having an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall configured with a volume of material deposited using an additive manufacturing process so as to fill in vacant space otherwise caused by the trimmed impeller diameter being less than the standard full-sized impeller diameter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A method according to claim 4, wherein the method comprises using a directed energy deposition as the additive manufacturing process.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A method according to claim 4, wherein the method comprises forming an impeller cut-away of the volute that has an extended impeller cut-away portion with a corresponding volume of material deposited using the additive manufacturing process.