Low profile pump

A method for pumping contaminated fluid collected at a floor level, comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving contaminated fluid into a wide pump inlet mouth from a fluid collection system mounted on a floor, the pump inlet mouth having a width and a height with the width greater than the height;
• b) moving the fluid from the pump inlet mouth into a pump chamber;
• c) discharging the fluid out of the pump chamber through a discharge outlet by creating a vortex in the fluid by an impeller mounted above the pump chamber;
• and
• d) priming the pump at start up and removing air from the fluid by a vacuum attached to the pump chamber.

A centrifugal pump assembly for pumping fluid from a fluid collection assembly comprising:

• a centrifugal pumping element rotatable about a vertical axis;
• a pump chamber disposed below said pumping element;
• an inlet mouth having an inlet mouth width and an inlet mouth height for ingress of fluid from a collection system to said pump chamber;
• a discharge outlet;
• and
• said inlet mouth including an upper wall defining an aperture therein for cleaning said inlet mouth.

A method for pumping contaminated fluid collected at a floor level comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving contaminated fluid into a wide pump inlet mouth from a fluid collection system mounted on a floor;
• b) moving the fluid from the pump inlet mouth into a pump chamber;
• c) discharging the fluid out of the pump chamber through a discharge outlet by creating a vortex in the fluid by an impeller mounted above the pump chamber;
• and
• d) priming the pump at start-up and removing air from the fluid by a vacuum attached to the pump chamber.

A method for pumping contaminated fluid collected at a floor level comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving contaminated fluid into a wide pump inlet mouth from a fluid collection system mounted on a floor;
• b) moving the fluid from the pump inlet mouth into a pump chamber;
• c) removing entrapped air from an area above an impeller by a vacuum attached to the pump chamber above the impeller;
• and
• d) discharging the fluid out of the pump chamber through a discharge outlet by creating a vortex in the fluid by the impeller.