Pressure plenum flow divider
View Patent ↗A fluid metering or pumping device includes multiple pumping or metering elements that are connected so that they all operate together, moving in the same direction and at the same speed. The multiple pumping or metering elements are intended for use at high pressures where the strain from the pressure might distort the walls of the elements, and interfere with their pumping or metering accuracy. These elements are enclosed in, but preferably not directly connected to a pressure vessel that would contain the high operating pressure, leaving the pumping or metering element housings to only contain the pressure rise or fall that occurs within that element. The pumping or metering elements are connected to a support structure that also penetrates the pressure vessel, and contains an outlet port for that element. The pressure vessel connects the elements, and serves as an intake plenum for all of the elements.
1. A flow divider comprising a plurality of separate dividing units, each dividing unit including a housing containing intermeshing gears, each dividing unit being an independent stand-alone structure with its respective housing radially enclosing its respective plurality of intermeshed gears, the dividing units arranged so the intermeshing gears are coaxial, the dividing units connected together so that they all rotate together; a pressure containing vessel that encloses, and is separate from the dividing units, the pressure containing vessel being an inlet plenum conducting liquid to all of the dividing units simultaneously; and a support structure that secures each dividing unit with the respective housing of each dividing unit mounted to the support structure, said support structure including an individual outlet port for each dividing unit surrounded by the pressure containing vessel.
2. The flow divider of claim 1 , wherein the dividing units are secured back to back on the support structure, so that the dividing units share the support structure, said support structure including separate outlet ports for each of the dividing units secured to the support structure.
3. The flow divider of claim 1 , the support structure securing at least two of the dividing units, with the housing of the first one of the at least two dividing units mounted to the support structure and the second one of the at least two dividing units mounted to the first one of the at least two dividing units which is mounted to the support structure.
4. The flow divider of claim 1 , the support structure securing at least two of the dividing units, with the housing of the first one of the at least two dividing units mounted to a first side of the support structure and the second one of the at least two dividing units mounted to a second side of the support structure opposite the first side of the support structure.
5. The flow divider of claim 1 , wherein the separate dividing units are interchangeable.
6. A flow divider, comprising:
a plenum as a pressure containing vessel;
a plurality of separate dividing units including a first dividing unit, a second dividing unit and a third dividing unit with the first dividing unit between the second and third dividing units, the separate dividing units housed within and distinct from the plenum, each dividing unit including a housing and a plurality of intermeshed gears enclosed within the housing, each dividing unit being an independent stand-alone structure with its respective housing radially enclosing its respective intermeshed gears, each one of the plurality of intermeshed gears enclosed within the respective housing including a first gear intermeshed with a second gear, each dividing unit aligned with another one of the plurality of dividing units so that the intermeshed gears of the respective dividing units are coaxial;
a first connecting shaft mechanically connecting the first gear of the first dividing unit with the first gear of the second dividing unit to form first adjoining dividing units, the first gears of both of the adjoining dividing units being connected by the connecting shaft to rotate at the same speed
a second connecting shaft mechanically connecting the first gear of the first dividing unit with the first gear of the third dividing unit to form second adjoining dividing units, the first dividing unit being adapted to be independently removed from said flow divider via disconnection from the first and second connecting shafts; and
a support structure coupled to the plenum, the support structure securing at least two of the dividing units, with the housing of each of the at least two dividing units mounted to the support structure, and the support structure having an outlet port in fluid communication with the dividing units secured to the support structure.
7. The flow divider of claim 6 , wherein the support structure securing the dividing units includes an independent outlet port for each dividing unit secured to the support structure.
8. The flow divider of claim 6 , the support structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and respective dividing units being secured to the support structure are coupled to both the first and second sides of the support structure with each respective secured dividing unit being in coaxial alignment with another one of the respective dividing units secured to the opposite side of the support structure.
9. The flow divider of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of support structures coupled to the plenum, each support structure securing at least one of the dividing units and having an outlet port in fluid communication with the dividing units secured to the support structure, said plenum including a plurality of exit ports coupled to respective conduits, each conduit in fluid communication with the outlet port of one of the support structures coupled to the plenum, each exit port therefore in fluid communication with one of the dividing units to expel fluid exiting the dividing unit.
10. The flow divider of claim 6 , the support structure securing at least two of the dividing units, with the housing of the first one of the at least two dividing units mounted to the support structure and the second one of the at least two dividing units mounted to the first one of the at least two dividing units which is mounted to the support structure.
11. The flow divider of claim 6 , the support structure securing at least two of the dividing units, with the housing of the first one of the at least two dividing units mounted to a first side of the support structure and the second one of the at least two dividing units mounted to a second side of the support structure opposite the first side of the support structure.
12. The flow divider of claim 6 , wherein the separate dividing units are interchangeable.
13. The flow divider of claim 6 , the support structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first one of the dividing units being secured to the first side of the support structure and a second one of the dividing units being secured to the second side of the support structure in coaxial alignment with the first one of the dividing units.
14. The flow divider of claim 13 , a third one of the dividing units being secured to the first side of the support structure and a fourth one of the dividing units being secured to the second side of the support structure in coaxial alignment with the third one of the dividing units.
15. The flow divider of claim 6 , wherein said plenum encloses said support structure.
16. The flow divider of claim 15 , said plenum including an exit port, an input port and a conduit therebetween, the input port in fluid communication with the output port of the support structure, the exit port therefore in fluid communication with one of the dividing units to expel fluid exiting the dividing unit.
17. The flow divider of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of support structures coupled to the plenum, each support structure securing at least one of the dividing units and having an independent outlet port in fluid communication with each one of the dividing units secured to the support structure.
18. The flow divider of claim 17 , said plenum including a plurality of pressure containing vessels, each pressure containing vessel being coupled to a plurality of the support structures.
19. The flow divider of claim 6 , wherein the first dividing unit is removably mounted to the support structure independent of the second dividing unit.
20. The flow divider of claim 19 , further comprising a gear unit mechanically coupled to at least one of the plurality of connecting shafts to mechanically link the intermeshed gears of the connected dividing units in linear fashion.