Air lift pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11306744-B2
Application number	US-201917278441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2019
Priority date	Oct 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A pump comprises: a vertically-extending conduit having an intermediate portion extending between lower and upper portions, the intermediate portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the upper portions, a lift arrangement including an array of ports arranged over a length of the lower portion, each port of the array having a terminus at the lower portion and extending horizontally away from the terminus such that the working fluid is directed towards a center of the conduit; and an injector having a terminus at the top of the intermediate portion and extending vertically downwardly such that the working fluid is directed vertically upwardly, the terminus of the injector being defined by a cylindrical groove, an annular chamber surrounding the injector, having a length and communicating with the injector through a row of apertures spaced a distance from the junction of the transition portion and the intermediate portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pump for use with a supply of working fluid and a supply of fluidic material having a density higher than that of the working fluid, the pump comprising:
a vertically-extending conduit that, in use, is immersed in the supply of fluidic material, the vertically-extending conduit having a lower portion, an upper portion and an intermediate portion between the lower and upper portions, the intermediate portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the upper portions, the lower portion having a diameter D and the intermediate portion having a diameter d
a lift arrangement including:
an array containing N2 number of ports arranged over a length of the lower portion, each port of the array having a diameter E, further having a terminus at the lower portion and extending horizontally away from the terminus such that the working fluid is directed towards a center of the conduit;
an injector having a terminus at the top of the intermediate portion and extending vertically downwardly such that the working fluid is directed vertically upwardly, the terminus of the injector being defined by a cylindrical groove having a thickness B; and
an annular chamber surrounding the injector, having a length A and communicating with the injector through a row containing N1 number of apertures spaced a distance F from the junction of the transition portion and the intermediate portion and each having a diameter C;
wherein when B, C, D, E and F are expressed in millimeters (mm):
D is substantially between 25.4 mm and 203.2 mm,
B is substantially equal to 0.521(D) 0.296 ,
C is substantially equal to 1.918(D) 0.343 ,
E is substantially equal to 0.521(D) 0.296 , and
F is substantially equal to 0.321D−3.41.

2. The pump according to claim 1 , wherein D, A, B, C, d, E, F, N1 and N2 are sized according to any of the following geometries:

D
A
B
C
d
E
F

Geometry
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
N1
N2

1
25.4
20.32
1.5
15.24
15.24
1.5
6.35
12
108

2
50.8
22.098
1.5
38.1
38.1
1.5
8.128
12
378

3
101.6
68.072
2
90.2
90.2
2
34.036
10
038

4
152.4
101.6
2
147.1
147.1
2
44.45
15
1480

5
203.2
142.21
3
12.7
194.2
3
61.15
14
1280.

3. Use of the pump according to claim 2 with air as the working fluid and water as the fluidic material.

4. Use of the pump according to claim 3 , wherein the combination of air flow, water flow and geometry fall substantially in accordance with any of the following combinations:

Air Flow
Water Flow

Combination
(cubic meters per second)
(cubic meters per second)

1
.00023-.00027
.0002-.004 

2
.0002-.0018
.0005-.0007

3
.00115-.01  
.0025-.0037

4
.006-.025
.006-.017

5
.008-.05 
 .011-.015.

Assignees

• Univ Guelph

Inventors

• Ahmed Wael

Classifications

• F04F1/20 Primary

  specially adapted for raising liquids from great depths, e.g. in wells · CPC title

• F04F5/26

  of multi-stage type (F04F5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04F5/467

  with a plurality of nozzles arranged in series · CPC title

• F04F5/24 Primary

  displacing liquids, e.g. containing solids, or liquids and elastic fluids · CPC title

• F04F5/466

  with a plurality of nozzles arranged in parallel · CPC title