Pump wet end replacement procedure complete with an impeller fixing mechanism

• Main Author: RICARDO ABARCA MELO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.05.2013
• Subjects: BLASTING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; WEAPONS

5 The pump comprises: one base, wet end and a rotating impeller connected to the drive shaft. The wet end has a casing formed by two bolted halves with faces or surfaces. inside the casing is the impeller screwed to the drive shaft. Wet end liner and impeller replacement is normally carried out by changing the complete pump or by dismantling the pump wet end in situ and removing the wet end liners and impeller component by 10 component. To avoid vibration and prevent damage to the pump a precise re-alignment of the impeller and the drive shaft is necessary. Such a procedure during wet end liner and impeller replacement takes in excess of 8 hours. This long period of time is the technical problem that is resolved by the present invention which incorporates an impeller fixing device that allows removal of the pump wet end without disengaging the drive shaft from 15 the coupling; therefore it does not require shaft re-alignment or wet end dismantling in situ. The impeller fixing mechanism is comprised of two elements concentric with the pump drive shaft, abutted against the casing faces. The elements are split-annular shaped, with a flexible elastomeric member and a stiff backing ring member where the clamping bolts fasten the mounting faces together. In addition, the backing ring member incorporates the 20 mechanism for loosening the mounting bolts and nuts. CAN~RPcrtbi\flC\E5O964I_1 DOC.26A4912013 213b