Apparatus and method for liquid pumping
AssigneeColdharbour Marine Limited
InventorRichard Eric Whiteside
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
It is to be understood that embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and a method for pumping a liquid, for example to recirculate liquid in a liquid storage tank by means of a gas lift pump. A perforated extension at the top of a gas lift allows the apparatus to be used in circumstances where the depth of liquid in the tank may vary over a wide range. Gases other than air may be used in the gas lift, so as to change the acidity and the concentrations of dissolved gases, particularly oxygen, in the liquid. The gas may be introduced into the gas lift through a whistle that generates intense sound waves and couples them into the liquid. These features when used in combination have particular application against invasive species in the ballast water of ocean-going tankers.
Claims25
A gas lift pump apparatus, comprising:
- a column having a substantially upright portion through which a liquid medium may be pumped by gas lift;
- a sonic energy generator positioned at a first location of the column and configured to generate sonic energy upon receiving a flow of a gaseous fluid, wherein the sonic energy is launched into the liquid medium in the column, wherein the gaseous fluid employed to generate the sonic energy is exhausted into the column thereby to pump the liquid medium through the column;
- and
- a bubble generator operable to provide gas bubbles in the liquid medium in the column, the apparatus being operable to subject the bubbles to the sonic energy generated by the sonic energy generator,
- wherein the column comprises a lift portion having a substantially continuous, unperforated wall and a perforated portion being a portion having a perforated wall, the lift portion of the column extending between the first location and the perforated portion of the column, and
- wherein the gaseous fluid exhausts from the sonic energy generator into the column such that the gaseous fluid rises through the lift portion a first distance before entering the perforated portion.
A method of circulating a liquid medium comprising:
- pumping the liquid medium through a column of a gas lift pump by means of gas lift whereby a flow of gaseous fluid is introduced into the column at a first location thereof;
- allowing the gas to rise in the column through a lift portion of the column a first distance before entering a perforated portion of the column, the lift portion of the column being a portion having a substantially continuous, unperforated wall and extending between the first location and the perforated portion;
- subjecting the liquid medium rising in the column to sonic energy, wherein the sonic energy is generated by a whistle device that receives the flow of gaseous fluid;
- and
- providing gas bubbles in liquid in the column and subjecting the bubbles to the sonic energy.
A method of circulating a liquid medium comprising:
- pumping the liquid medium through a column of a gas lift pump by means of gas lift whereby a flow of gaseous fluid is introduced into the column at a first location thereof;
- allowing the gas to rise in the column through a lift portion of the column a first distance before entering a perforated portion of the column, the lift portion of the column being a portion having a substantially continuous, unperforated wall and extending between the first location and the perforated portion;
- providing gas bubbles in the liquid medium in the column;
- subjecting the liquid medium and the bubbles in the column to sonic energy, wherein the sonic energy is generated by introducing the gaseous fluid to a whistle device;
- and
- exhausting into the column gaseous fluid that has been introduced to the whistle device thereby to cause the pumping of the liquid medium through the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.