Diaphragm pump with improved tank recirculation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173183-B2
Application number	US-201514848407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2015
Priority date	Sep 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

An assembly made up of a pump, a container and an augmented fluid-recirculating system for increased working fluid agitation, and a method of agitating a liquid within a container—as well as dispensing such a liquid from the container—where the liquid has been subjected to such augmented agitation prior to such dispensing. The pump cooperates with the fluid-recirculating system that includes an eductor such that the liquid resident within the container may be recirculated in a manner to promote its own agitation. In addition, air or a related fluid may be passively introduced upstream of the pump such that it also may pass through the eductor. In one form, the assembly defines a closed-loop system such that the air or other gas already present in the container may be introduced selectively, while in another form, the assembly defines an open-loop system that retrieves air from a local external environment. In either case, the introduction of such air or related gas may be selective, thereby permitting an operator to dictate if such air should be recirculated. In addition, the use of a diaphragm pump helps avoid damage to the portions of the pump that are exposed to a mixed phase fluid flow made up of the air and recirculated liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recirculation assembly for enhanced mixing in a liquid container, said assembly comprising:
a diaphragm pump defining an inlet, an outlet and at least one pressurizing device between said inlet and outlet;
a fluid-recirculating system cooperative with said pump and comprising a conduit defining first and second flowpaths wherein said first flowpath includes an eductor fluidly cooperative therewith such that upon operation of said pump and receipt of liquid that is resident within said container into said first flowpath, recirculating liquid passing through said eductor causes an adjacent portion of said resident liquid to be drawn therein to increase output of said recirculating liquid therefrom, and further wherein said second flowpath is fluidly cooperative with said first flowpath such that air withdrawn from a volumetric region within said container is combined with said recirculating liquid such that upon passage of a mixed phase fluid flow comprising both recirculating air and said recirculating liquid through said eductor, said recirculating air forms bubbles that are dispersed within said resident liquid for subsequent upward travel therethrough within said container; and
a lid coupled to said pump and said fluid-recirculating system such that when secured to said container, said lid forms at least one of a threadable or bolted tamper-resistant coupling with said container, wherein at least a portion of said pump is secured to said lid.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said fluid-recirculating system further comprises a valve disposed therein to provide selective fluid decoupling between said first flowpath and said second flowpath.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pump and said fluid-recirculating system define a closed loop when coupled to said container.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said eductor is configured to be placed adjacent a bottom of said container.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein said eductor is placed at an acute angle relative to said bottom of said container.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a supplemental air introduction conduit that is fluidly cooperative with said first flowpath such that ambient external air is selectively combined with said recirculating liquid such that upon passage of both supplemental air and said recirculating liquid through said eductor, said supplemental air forms bubbles that are dispersed within said resident liquid for subsequent upward travel therethrough within said container.

7. A fluid-dispensing assembly comprising:
a container configured to house a fluid therein; and
a recirculation assembly for enhanced mixing of a fluid that is resident within said container, said recirculation assembly comprising:
a diaphragm pump defining an inlet, an outlet and at least one pressurizing device between said inlet and outlet; and
a fluid-recirculating system cooperative with said pump and comprising a conduit defining first and second flowpaths wherein said first flowpath includes an eductor fluidly cooperative therewith such that upon operation of said pump and receipt of liquid that is resident within said container into said first flowpath, recirculating liquid passing through said eductor causes an adjacent portion of said resident liquid to be drawn therein to increase output of said recirculating liquid therefrom, and further wherein said second flowpath is fluidly cooperative with said first flowpath such that air withdrawn from a volumetric region within said container is combined with said recirculating liquid upstream of said pump inlet such that upon passage of a mixed phase fluid flow comprising both recirculating air and said recirculating liquid through said at least one pressurizing device and said eductor, said recirculating air forms bubbles that are dispersed within said resident liquid for subsequent upward travel therethrough within said container; and
a lid coupled to said pump and said fluid-recirculating system such that when secured to said container, said lid forms at least one of a threadable or bolted tamper-resistant coupling with said container, wherein at least a portion of said pump is secured to said lid.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein said container is selected from a group consisting of an intermediate bulk container and a mini bulk tank.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said intermediate bulk container defines a fluid capacity of between about 120 and 330 gallons.

10. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein said container, fluid-recirculating system and pump define a closed-loop.

11. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a supplemental air introduction conduit that is fluidly cooperative with said first flowpath such that ambient external air is selectively combined with said recirculating liquid such that upon passage of both supplemental air and said recirculating liquid through said eductor, said supplemental air forms bubbles that are dispersed within said resident liquid for subsequent upward travel therethrough within said container.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said conduit in said recirculating system is secured to said lid.

13. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of said conduit in said recirculating system is secured to said lid.

Assignees

• Flowserve Man Co

Inventors

• Lowe Jr Sidney Edward

Classifications

• B01F13/0255

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F5/106

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F13/0222

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F5/12 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• F04B43/02 Primary

  having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B43/14 takes precedence) · CPC title