Liquid ring pump with modular construction, an inter-stage bypass and overload protection

A modular liquid ring pump having a first end and a second end, said liquid ring pump comprising:

• a first end bearing support;
• a head having an inlet passage and a discharge passage, said head coupled to said first end bearing support;
• a body defining a working chamber;
• a cone in fluid connection with said working chamber and with said inlet passage of said head, said working chamber in fluid communication with said discharge passage of said head;
• a second end bearing support;
• a shaft having a first end and a second end, said shaft journaled for rotation with a first bearing, said first bearing in said first end bearing support and said shaft journaled for rotation with a second bearing in said second end bearing support;
• a rotor coupled to said shaft, said rotor having an impeller, a first radially extending wall bounding said impeller at one end of said impeller, a second radially extending wall bounding said impeller at a second end of said impeller, said impeller configured to rotate in said working chamber;
• and
• a drive system for rotating said shaft and said rotor;
• wherein said body, said cone, said shaft, and said rotor at least partially define a two-stage group
• comprising a two-stage body, a two-stage cone, a two-stage shaft and a two-stage rotor, respectively;
• said two-stage body forms said working chamber, said working chamber of said two stage-body includes a first stage working chamber and a second stage working chamber;
• said two-stage cone has an inlet passage in fluid connection with said inlet passage of said head and said first stage working chamber;
• said two-stage cone has an inter-stage passage in fluid connection with said first stage working chamber and said second stage working chamber;
• said two-stage cone has a second stage discharge passage in fluid connection with said second stage working chamber and said discharge passage of said head;
• an
• said two-stage rotor includes said impeller, said impeller has a first stage impeller and a second stage impeller, said first stage impeller is bounded by said first radially extending wall and a divider wall, said second stage impeller is bounded by said divider wall and said second radially extending wall, and
• wherein said two-stage cone further comprises a flange;
• wherein said flange includes an inter-stage discharge by-pass system comprising a by-pass passage from said inter-stage passage of said two-stage cone and into said discharge passage of said head and at least a portion of a valve in fluid connection with said by-pass passage.

A liquid ring pump comprising

• a first end bearing support;
• a head having an inlet passage and a discharge passage;
• a body defining a working chamber;
• a cone operable to place said at least one working chamber in fluid connection with said inlet passage and said discharge passage of said head;
• a second end bearing support;
• a shaft having a first end and a second end, said shaft journaled for rotation with a first bearing within said first end bearing support and said shaft journaled for rotation with a second bearing within said second end bearing support;
• a rotor fixed to said shaft, said rotor comprising an impeller to rotate in said working chamber;
• and
• a drive system for rotating said shaft and said rotor;
• and
• a liquid ring overload protection system comprising an overload relief passage putting said discharge passage of said head in fluid communication with working chamber, and a mechanical valve operable to allow liquid to flow through said overload relief passage into said discharge passage of said head when a pressure exerted by a liquid ring in said chamber exceeds a pre-determined pressure, said liquid ring overload protection system disposed radially within an outer curved surface of a continuously curved wall of said body,
• wherein said body, said cone, said shaft and said rotor is one of a single-stage group comprising a single-stage body, a single-stage cone, a single-stage shaft and a single stage rotor, respectively, or a two-stage group, comprising a two-stage body, a two-stage cone, a two-stage shaft, and a two-stage rotor, respectively;
• and
• wherein said single-stage group and said two-stage group are interchangeable on said head.