Pump

Abstract

A pump for use with a fluid is disclosed. The pump includes a housing, a pump inlet, a pump outlet, a drive shaft provided within the housing, and multiple stages provided within the housing. Each stage includes a body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an interior volume. An impeller is provided in the interior volume, coupled to the drive shaft. The body further includes a vent allowing fluid communication between the interior volume and a volume outside of the body.

1 . A pump comprising: 
 a housing;    a pump inlet;    a pump outlet;    a drive shaft provided within the housing; and    multiple stages provided within the housing, each stage further comprising: 
 a body further comprising: 
 a fluid inlet;  
 a fluid outlet; and  
 an interior volume between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;  
 
 an impeller provided in the interior volume and coupled to the drive shaft;  
 a vent allowing fluid communication between the interior volume and a volume outside of the body.  
   
   
   
       2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises: 
 a central wall dividing the interior volume into a first volume and a second volume, wherein the central wall further comprises: 
 a central aperture provided in the wall; and  
 at least one aperture spaced radially outward from the central aperture.  
   
   
   
       3 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the central wall further comprises vanes adapted to direct fluid from the at least one aperture radially inward toward the central aperture.  
   
   
       4 . The pump of  claim 3 , wherein the body includes 
 at least five vanes; and    at least five apertures spaced radially outward from the central aperture.    
   
   
       5 . The pump of  claim 3 , wherein the body further comprises: 
 a first wall provided on a first side of the central wall;    a second wall opposite the first wall, and provided on a second side of the central wall;    wherein the drive shaft extends through the first wall and the second wall.    
   
   
       6 . The pump of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid inlet is provided in the first wall, and the fluid outlet is provided in the second wall.  
   
   
       7 . The pump of  claim 6 , wherein the drive shaft extends through the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.  
   
   
       8 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the drive shaft extends through the central aperture.  
   
   
       9 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the central aperture is substantially sealed against fluid flow, but allows rotation of the drive shaft relative to the body.  
   
   
       10 . A pump comprising: 
 a pump casing;    a shaft provided within the pump casing;    a plurality of fluid handling units wherein at least one fluid handling unit comprises: 
 a housing;  
 a wall provided within the housing, the wall having a first surface and a second surface, the wall separating the housing into a first volume associated with the first surface and a second volume associated with the second surface, the wall configured to allow the passage of a fluid from the first volume to the second volume;  
 a vent provided in the housing, the vent being in fluid communication with the first volume or second volume, and a volume external of the housing;  
 an impeller disposed in the first volume, the impeller being coupled to the shaft.  
   
   
   
       11 . The pump of  claim 10 , wherein the vent is a notch.  
   
   
       12 . The pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of vanes provided in the second volume, the vanes being adapted to direct the flow of fluid between the first and second volumes.  
   
   
       13 . The pump of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of vanes are provided on the second surface.  
   
   
       14 . The pump of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one fluid handling unit is a lower pressure fluid handling unit.  
   
   
       15 . The pump of  claim 10 , wherein the lower pressure fluid handling unit is a first stage in the pump.  
   
   
       16 . A method of repairing a pump, the pump having a relatively low pressure fluid handling module, and a relatively high pressure fluid handling module, the low pressure module and the high pressure module each having an outer casing, the method comprising: 
 venting the outer casing of the low pressure fluid handling module.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein venting the outer casing further comprises providing a notch in the outer casing.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the notch further comprises drilling a hole in the outer casing.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein venting the outer casing further comprises replacing the low pressure fluid handling module with a fluid handling module having a vent.  
   
   
       20 . A module for use in a fluid handling system, the module comprising: 
 a housing;    a wall provided within the housing having a first surface and a second surface, the wall separating the housing into a first volume associated with the first surface and a second volume associated with the second surface, the wall configured to allow the passage of a fluid from the first volume to the second volume; and    a vent provided in the housing, the vent in communication with either the first volume or second volume, and a volume external of the housing.    
   
   
       21 . The module of  claim 20 , wherein the vent is a notch.  
   
   
       22 . The module of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of vanes provided in the second volume, the vanes being adapted to direct the flow of fluid between the first volume and second volume.  
   
   
       23 . The module of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of vanes are provided on the second surface.  
   
   
       24 . The module of  claim 20 , wherein the first volume is configured to receive an impeller.  
   
   
       25 . The module of  claim 20 , further comprising a first plate coupled to a first end of the housing, the first plate associated with the first volume.  
   
   
       26 . The module of  claim 25 , further comprising a second plate coupled to a second end of the housing, the second plate associated with the second volume.  
   
   
       27 . The module of  claim 20 , further comprising a second plate coupled to a second end of the housing, the second plate associated with the second volume.