Wear plate for a centrifugal pump

Abstract

A wear plate for use in a centrifugal pump is structured with at least one cutting element positioned at the inner bore of the wear plate, the cutting element or elements being positioned to impact the cutting edge of the vanes of an impeller and oriented in a direction relative to the rotation of the impeller so that the wear plate cutting element or elements can capture the solids in a processed fluid and hold them in place until the solids can be cut by the impeller vane or vanes, the wear plate cutting elements further being structured to be self-sharpening.

1 . A wear plate for positioning adjacent to the impeller of a centrifugal pump, comprising:
 a plate having a wear surface, an opposing non-wear surface and a thickness defined therebetween;   an inner bore formed centrally to said plate, said inner bore having an inner circumferential edge;   at least one cutting element formed in said inner circumferential edge.   
   
   
       2 . The wear plate of  claim 1  having a plurality of cutting elements formed about said inner circumferential edge. 
   
   
       3 . The wear plate of  claim 1  wherein said plate is flat. 
   
   
       4 . The wear plate of  claim 1  wherein said plate is frustoconically shaped. 
   
   
       5 . The wear plate of  claim 2  wherein said cutting elements comprise notches formed in said inner circumferential edge, said notches having a centerline which is oriented in the direction of rotation of an impeller. 
   
   
       6 . The wear plate of  claim 2  wherein said cutting elements are self-sharpening. 
   
   
       7 . The wear plate of  claim 6  wherein said cutting elements have a wall that is formed at an angle to a perpendicular plane formed through said thickness of said plate. 
   
   
       8 . The wear plate of  claims 7  wherein said wall is direct toward a center of said plate in a direction from said non-wear surface to said wear surface. 
   
   
       9 . A centrifugal pump, comprising:
 a pump casing;   an impeller positioned within said pump casing and connected to a drive means for imparting rotation to said impeller;   a wear plate positioned adjacent said impeller, said wear plate having a wear surface oriented toward said impeller, an opposing non-wear surface and a thickness defined therebetween, and further having an inner bore formed centrally to said plate, said inner bore having an inner circumferential edge with at least one cutting element formed in said inner circumferential edge.   
   
   
       10 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said at least one cutting element further comprises a plurality of cutting elements. 
   
   
       11 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 10  wherein said cutting elements comprise notches formed in said inner circumferential edge, said notches having a centerline which is oriented in the direction of rotation of an impeller. 
   
   
       12 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said at least one cutting element is configured to be self-sharpening. 
   
   
       13 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said at least one cutting element has a wall that is formed at an angle to a perpendicular plane formed through said thickness of said plate. 
   
   
       14 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 13  wherein said wall of said at least one cutting element is directed toward a center of said plate in a direction from said non-wear surface to said wear surface.