Vacuum priming system for centrifugal pumps
AssigneePaco Pumps, Inc.
InventorDavid P. Lang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-priming pump system including a vacuum priming unit and a liquid pumping unit, the pumping unit having an engine driven centrifugal pump with an intake conduit, the priming unit having a vacuum column with an internal well chamber and a vacuum chamber above the well chamber with an interconnecting gas relief passage, the well chamber having liquid level sensors to detect the water level in the well chamber and activate a vacuum control valve connecting a vacuum pump to the vacuum chamber when the water level in the well chamber falls below a predetermined level, the control valve switching to seal the vacuum chamber and connect the vacuum pump to atmosphere when a predetermined level of water is detected in the well chamber.
Claims11
A vacuum priming system for use with liquid pumps having an inlet conduit with an inlet passage leading to a liquid source comprising:
- a vacuum column proximate the liquid pump connected to the inlet conduit, the vacuum column having a well chamber in communication with the inlet passage, the well chamber including liquid level sensor means positioned higher than the inlet passage of the liquid pump for detecting a liquid level in the well chamber of the vacuum column, the vacuum column having a vacuum chamber located above the well chamber with valve means for passing gas and preventing the passage of liquid from the well chamber to the vacuum chamber;
- a vacuum pump with a gas discharge communicating with atmosphere and a suction inlet having a suction line with vacuum control valve means located between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber for switching the vacuum pump between one position in communication with the vacuum chamber and another position in communication with atmosphere with the vacuum chamber blocked from the vacuum pump;
- and,
- drive means for operating the vacuum pump and switching means for switching the vacuum control valve means to a first position in communication with the atmosphere, when the liquid level sensor means detects liquid in the well chamber and to a second position in communication with the vacuum chamber when the liquid level sensor means fails to detect liquid in the well chamber.
A self-priming pump system comprising:
- a centrifugal pump for pumping liquids, the centrifugal pump having an intake with an intake passage and a discharge with a discharge passage;
- drive means for driving the centrifugal pump;
- automatic priming means for priming the centrifugal pump wherein the automatic priming means includes;
- a priming column communicating with the intake passage of the centrifugal pump, the priming column being divided into a well portion and a vacuum portion, the well portion being elevated from the pump intake and having sensor means for sensing the level of liquid in the well portion of the priming cavity, the vacuum portion being located above the well portion and having a connecting passage communicating with the well portion, the connecting passage having flow valve means for passing gas from the well portion to the vacuum portion and blocking liquid from passing from the well portion to the vacuum portion;
- and,
- a vacuum pump having a communication passage with the vacuum portion of the priming column, the communication passage having control valve means connected to the sensor means wherein the control valve means closes the communication passage between the vacuum pump and the priming column when a predetermined level of liquid is detected in the well portion of the priming column by the sensor means and opens the communication passage between the vacuum pump and the priming column when a predetermined level of liquid is not detected in the well portion of the priming column by the sensor means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.