Pump

Abstract

A pump ( 1 ) for mixing two or more mutually insoluble liquid phases together into a dispersion and for feeding the dispersion into a mixer ( 2 ) and on into a solvent extraction settler ( 3 ). The inner space of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ) is bound in the upward direction by a cover plate ( 19 ), in which there is a central shaft bushing ( 21 ) for the drive shaft ( 16 ) sealed with a mechanical shaft seal ( 20 ); and that the discharge channel ( 18 ) opening is in the sidewall ( 13 ) of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ).

1 . A pump ( 1 ) for mixing two or more mutually insoluble liquid phases together into a dispersion and feeding the dispersion into a mixer ( 2 ) and further into a solvent extraction settler ( 3 ), and where said pump ( 1 ) comprises
 a suction tank ( 4 ), which consists of
 a bottom ( 5 ), which limits the inner space of the suction tank in the downward direction, 
 a cylindrical vertical sidewall ( 6 ), which limits the inner space of the suction tank laterally, and in which sidewall there is an opening for the first inlet channel ( 7 ), through which the first liquid phase is fed into the suction tank, and for the second inlet channel ( 8 ), through which the second liquid phase is fed into the suction tank, and 
 an upper wall ( 9 ), which limits the inner space of the suction tank in the upward direction and in which upper wall there is an opening ( 10 ), and 
   a pump section ( 11 ), which consists of
 an blade wheel housing ( 12 ), which is arranged on top of the suction tank ( 4 ) so that the said upper wall ( 9 ) forms the bottom of the blade wheel housing, and in which upper wall there is an opening ( 10 ) comprising the suction opening of the pump section, and that the blade wheel housing is bound laterally by a cylindrical sidewall ( 13 ), 
 an blade wheel ( 14 ), having a set of blade wheel blades ( 15 ), and which blade wheel is arranged in the inner space of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ) in order to mix the first phase and second phases sucked from the suction opening ( 10 ) together into a dispersion, 
 a drive shaft ( 16 ), to which the blade wheel ( 14 ) is fixed, and 
 a drive ( 17 ) to rotate the drive shaft( 16 ), and 
   a discharge channel ( 18 ), through which the dispersion is routed from the pump ( 1 ) to the mixer ( 2 ), characterised in that the inner space of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ) is bound in the upward direction by a cover plate ( 19 ), in which there is a central shaft bushing ( 21 ) for the drive shaft ( 16 ) that is sealed with a mechanical shaft seal ( 20 ; and that there is an opening in the sidewall ( 13 ) of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ) for the discharge channel ( 18 ).   
     
     
         2 . A pump according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the discharge channel ( 18 ) opens tangentially in the sidewall ( 13 ) of the blade wheel housing ( 12 ). 
     
     
         3 . A pump according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the drive ( 17 ) includes a motor ( 22 ). 
     
     
         4 . A pump according to  claim 3 , characterised in that the drive ( 17 ) includes a gear ( 23 ), which is arranged between the motor ( 22 ) and the drive shaft ( 16 ). 
     
     
         5 . A pump according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the output of the pump ( 1 ) is of the order of magnitude of 50-10 000 m 3 /h. 
     
     
         6 . A pump according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the drive ( 17 ) is adapted to rotate the blade wheel ( 14 ) at a peripheral speed that is of the order of magnitude of 5 m/s. 
     
     
         7 . A pump according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the dispersion pressure in the discharge channel ( 18 ) is of the order of magnitude of 5-50 kPa.