Non-metallic vertical turbine pump
A non-metallic vertical turbine pump and a method of manufacturing same are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, the vertical turbine pump can include a motor, and a drive shaft coupled to the motor for rotation, a casing with a mixed flow diffuser including a diffuser hub and diffuser vanes that project out from the diffuser hub, and a mixed flow impeller configured to rotatably fit inside the casing, having an impeller hub, impeller vanes, extending from the hub, and a front and a back shroud connected to opposing ends of the impeller vanes. At least one of the mixed flow impeller and the mixed flow diffuser can be made of a non-metallic material and is a singular homogenous component.
1. A method of molding a non-metallic component of a vertical turbine pump, comprising:
providing a wax core having structure that defines respective openings defined by a non-metallic vertical turbine pump component;
fabricating cutouts in the wax core, wherein the cutouts are configured to define respective structure of the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component;
introducing an oriented fiberglass into the cutouts and surrounding a first end and a second end of the wax core with the oriented fiberglass, wherein the first end and the second end are opposite ends;
placing the wax core with the oriented fiberglass into a mold cavity;
subsequently injecting a resin into the mold cavity;
subsequently melting the wax core; and
forming the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component by melting the wax core.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fabricating step comprises machining the cutouts in the wax core.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the resin comprises a vinyl-ester or epoxy.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein injecting the resin into the mold cavity that comprises the wax core with the oriented fiberglass produces a non-metallic composite material, and wherein the wax core has a melting temperature that is lower than the non-metallic composite material.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of introducing wax into a silicon rubber mold die.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of melting the wax such that the wax core has a shape defined by the silicon rubber mold die.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of hardening the wax so as to produce the wax core.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of maintaining the wax in a liquid state at an open end of the silicon rubber mold die while the wax at a closed portion of the silicon rubber mold die hardens.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of applying a heat source to the wax so as to maintain at least a portion of the wax in a liquid state.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the silicon rubber mold die has a thickness profile that increases from the closed portion to the open end.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cutouts have a helical shape.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cutouts are in a shape of mixed flow diffuser vanes.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cutouts are in a shape of mixed flow impeller vanes.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow impeller configured for use in a vertical turbine pump that is elongated along a longitudinal direction, whereby the mixed flow impeller has an impeller hub, impeller vanes, extending from the impeller hub along a direction that includes directional components in both the longitudinal direction and a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a front and a back shroud connected to opposed ends of the impeller vanes.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow diffuser configured for use in a vertical turbine pump that is elongated along a longitudinal direction, the vertical turbine pump including a casing, and the mixed flow diffuser includes a diffuser hub that is spaced from an inner surface of the casing, the diffuser further including a plurality of mixed flow diffuser vanes that project out from the diffuser hub to the inner surface of the casing and are twisted so as to define a surface that is curved in a direction that includes a directional component in both the longitudinal direction and a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is formed as a singular unitary non-metallic component.
17. A method of molding a non-metallic component of a vertical turbine pump, comprising:
providing a wax core having structure that defines respective openings defined by a non-metallic vertical turbine pump component;
fabricating cutouts in the wax core, wherein the cutouts are configured to define respective structure of the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component;
introducing a non-metallic composite material into the cutouts and surrounding a first end and a second end of the wax core with the non-metallic composite material, wherein the first end and the second end are opposite ends;
melting the wax core;
forming the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component as a singular unitary non-metallic component by melting the wax core, wherein the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component is a mixed flow impeller or a mixed flow diffuser; and
placing the non-metallic vertical turbine pump component into the vertical turbine pump.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the non-metallic composite material is a fiberglass reinforced resin.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the fiberglass is an oriented fiberglass.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the resin comprises a vinyl-ester or epoxy.