Wear ring for a centrifugal pitot tube pump

Abstract

In a centrifugal pump of the pitot tube type, a replaceable wear ring is positioned in the rotating assembly of the pump in that area of the rotating case which is most subject to erosion from the processing of abrasive fluids by the pitot tube pump. The replaceable wear ring can be easily and quickly replaced when eroded, thereby eliminating the need to replace the rotating case of the pump and eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming re-balancing of the pump.

1 . A replaceable wear ring for a centrifugal pitot tube pump, comprising a band of hard material sized for positioning in the rotating assembly of a centrifugal pitot tube pump in proximity to the pitot tube inlet of the centrifugal pump, said band being sufficiently circumferentially flexible to allow said band of said wear ring to be positioned in an interior circumferential wall of the rotating assembly.  
   
   
       2 . The replaceable wear ring of  claim 1  wherein said band further comprises two free ends positioned in adjacent proximity to each other.  
   
   
       3 . A centrifugal pump of the pitot tube type, comprising: 
 a rotating assembly comprising a rotating case and an attached rotor cover which together form an interior space, said rotating assembly having an interior circumferential wall;    a pitot tube positioned within said interior space of said rotating assembly;    a groove formed in said interior circumferential wall of said rotating assembly; and    a removable wear ring sized to be positioned in said groove.    
   
   
       4 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said removable wear ring is formed as a band having circumferential flexibility for enabling insertion and removal of said band from said groove.  
   
   
       5 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 4  wherein said circumferential flexibility of said band is provided by said wear ring having two free ends.  
   
   
       6 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said rotating assembly is further configured with a notch formed adjacent said groove for enabling removal of said wear ring from said groove.  
   
   
       7 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 6  wherein said groove is formed in said rotating case of said rotating assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said groove is formed in said rotating case of said rotating assembly.  
   
   
       9 . A method for repairing the damaged rotating assembly of a centrifugal pump, comprising: 
 providing a rotating assembly in a centrifugal pump wherein said rotating assembly has an interior space defined in part by an interior circumferential wall, said interior circumferential wall having a circumferential groove formed in said wall and having a replaceable wear ring positioned in said groove;    accessing said interior circumferential wall of said rotating assembly for removal of said replaceable wear ring from said groove;    removing said wear ring from said groove formed in said interior circumferential wall of said rotating assembly; and    placing in said groove of said rotating assembly a new wear ring.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said rotating assembly is further configured with a notch formed adjacent said groove in said rotating assembly, and further wherein said wear ring is removed from said groove by inserting a prying device into said notch for removal of said wear ring.