High Flow and Low NPSHr Horizontal Pump with Priming Module

Abstract

A horizontal pumping system has a motor, a pump driven by the motor and a priming module. The pump has a discharge on a first end of the pump, a suction end on a second end of the pump, and a plurality of stages between the suction end and the discharge. Each of the plurality of stages includes an impeller and a diffuser that encases the impeller. Each diffuser is an independent pressure vessel. The priming module may be a wet priming module or a dry priming module. The priming module permits the use of the horizontal pumping system in many applications in which the liquid is not naturally present at the pump intake.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horizontal pumping system comprising:
 a motor;   a pump driven by the motor, wherein the pump comprises:
 a discharge on a first end of the pump; 
 a suction end on a second end of the pump, wherein the discharge is between the suction end and the motor; and 
 a plurality of stages between the suction end and the discharge; and 
   a priming module.   
     
     
         2 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the priming module comprises a dry priming module. 
     
     
         3 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 2 , wherein the dry priming module comprises:
 a priming valve positioned at or near the suction end;   a vacuum generator connected to the priming valve; and   a check valve positioned at or near the discharge end.   
     
     
         4 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 3 , wherein the vacuum generator comprises a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         5 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 3 , wherein the vacuum generator comprises a compressed air driven venturi. 
     
     
         6 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the priming module comprises a wet priming module. 
     
     
         7 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 6 , wherein the wet priming module comprises:
 a priming reservoir; and   a priming line connected between the priming reservoir and the suction end.   
     
     
         8 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 7 , wherein the wet priming module further comprises a fill line connected between the priming reservoir and the discharge. 
     
     
         9 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of stages comprises:
 an impeller; and   a diffuser that encases the impeller, wherein each diffuser is an independent pressure vessel.   
     
     
         10 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pumping system further comprises a shaft assembly and wherein the shaft assembly is driven by the motor and wherein each impeller of the plurality of stages is connected to the shaft assembly. 
     
     
         11 . A horizontal pumping system comprising:
 a motor;   a pump driven by the motor, wherein the pump comprises:
 a discharge on a first end of the pump; 
 a suction end on a second end of the pump, wherein the discharge is between the suction end and the motor; and 
 a plurality of stages between the suction end and the discharge, wherein each of the plurality of stages comprises:
 a diffuser, wherein each diffuser is an independent pressure vessel; and 
 an impeller within the diffuser; and 
 
   a priming module, wherein the priming module is configured to supply liquid to the suction end of the pump.   
     
     
         12 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of stages comprise:
 one or more radial flow stages; and   one or more mixed flow stages.   
     
     
         13 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stages further comprises on or more axial flow stages. 
     
     
         14 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein a first one of the plurality of stages comprises a first impeller and a second one of the plurality of stages comprises a second impeller that has a smaller outer diameter than the first impeller. 
     
     
         15 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 11 , herein the priming module comprises a dry priming module. 
     
     
         16 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 15 , wherein the dry priming module comprises:
 a priming valve positioned at or near the suction end;   a vacuum generator connected to the priming valve; and   a check valve positioned at or near the discharge end.   
     
     
         17 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein the priming module comprises a wet priming module. 
     
     
         18 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein the horizontal pumping system further comprises a shaft assembly and wherein the shaft assembly is driven by the motor and wherein each impeller of the plurality of stages is connected to the shaft assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The horizontal pumping system of  claim 18 , wherein the horizontal pumping system further comprises a shaft seal module, wherein the shaft seal module is connected to the discharge of the pump and wherein the shaft assembly passes through the shaft seal module. 
     
     
         20 . A horizontal pumping system comprising:
 a motor;   a pump driven by the motor, wherein the pump comprises:
 a discharge on a first end of the pump; 
 a suction end on a second end of the pump, wherein the discharge is between the suction end and the motor; 
 a shaft seal module connected to the discharge, wherein the shaft seal module is between the discharge and the motor; and 
 a plurality of stages between the suction end and the discharge; and 
   a priming module, wherein the priming module is configured to supply liquid to the suction end of the pump.