US 8,998,185 B2Granted

Vibration damping device for vertically cantilevered pump assemblies

AssigneeFlowserve Management Company

InventorJason Douglas Allaire

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Abstract

A Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) for damping oscillations of a hanging vertical pump structure includes a removable mass symmetrically configured within the pump structure diameter and supported by a mechanism which provides damped mobility relative to the pump structure so as to absorb and dampen pump vibrations and oscillations. The TMD mass is easily removable before tipping of the pump between horizontal and vertical orientations during maintenance. In some embodiments, the TMD mass comprises fluid pumped by the pump to fully or partially fill a housing, the fluid being gravitationally drained therefrom when the pump is not operating. In other embodiments the TMD mass is supplied by removable solid weights. Damped mobility is provided by springs damped by mechanical or fluid friction, or by obstructed movement of fluid within a partially filled housing. In embodiments, the TMD mass is at least 5% of the total mass of the pump structure.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A vibration damping assembly for installation on a vertical pump structure, the vertical pump structure including a vertical pump, the vibration damping assembly comprising:

a fluid housing which is symmetrically locatable about a longitudinal axis of the vertical pump structure and fits within a maximum radius of the pump structure;
an attachment mechanism suitable for attaching the fluid housing to the vertical pump structure in a manner which allows movement of the fluid housing in at least one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vertical pump structure;
at least one damped-spring assembly configured for providing damped-spring resistance to the movement of the fluid housing perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vertical pump structure;
an inlet through which fluid can enter the fluid housing, the inlet being in fluid communication with a fluid discharge of the vertical pump and being configured to fill the fluid housing with fluid when the vertical pump is in operation;
a gas venting mechanism configured to allow gas contained in the fluid housing to be expelled as the fluid housing fills with fluid, thereby allowing the fluid housing to be completely filled with fluid when the vertical pump is in operation;
and
a drain through which the fluid can gravitationally drain from the fluid housing, the fluid housing being thereby drained of fluid when the vertical pump is not in operation.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/098,674Filed 2 May 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 May 2010
Published: US 2011/0278777 A117 Nov 2011
Granted: 7 Apr 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F16F 7/104
Using inertia effect: the inertia member being resiliently mounted
F04D 13/08
The pump being electrically driven: for submerged use
F04D 29/668
Especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps: damping or preventing mechanical vibrations
F16F 7/1034
Using inertia effect: of movement of a liquid