Degassing system and centrifugal pump

In a system for degassing liquid containing mediums, said system including a degassing vessel having an inlet and an outlet and a generally vertical shaft centrifugal pump connected to said vessel for introducing said liquid medium into said vessel, the improvement wherein said pump comprises:

• means defining an inlet housing, said inlet housing having at least one inlet for the intake of said liquid medium;
• means defining a pump casing having at least one outlet for the discharge of said liquid medium, said pump casing and said inlet housing being in open communication with one another;
• a pump impeller rotatably mounted in said pump casing for pumping said liquid medium into said degassing vessel;
• a pump frame at least partially defining a vent chamber, said pump frame including an apertured partition, said aperture providing open communication between said vent chamber and said inlet housing;
• said inlet housing being disposed between said vent chamber and said pump casing, said pump casing being disposed below said inlet housing;
• an inlet impeller rotatably mounted in said inlet housing closely adjacent said apertured partition and operative to direct fluid from said vent chamber into said inlet housing;
• and egress passage means communicating with said inlet housing adjacent said apertured partition for directing gas accumulating in the upper portion of said inlet housing vertically upwardly away from said inlet housing.