Flow Reversing Pump Apparatus
The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.
1 - 74 . (canceled)
75 . An apparatus able to impart work to a fluid and redirect said fluid, said apparatus comprising:
an impeller with an impeller inlet through which said fluid flows as an impeller inflow in a first direction in a meridional plane defined by said apparatus;
blades of said impeller that are established downflow of said impeller inlet, that define an impeller axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact and redirect said impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an undiffused impeller discharge that has both axial velocity components and tangential velocity components,
wherein said axial velocity components are in a substantially reverse direction that is substantially 180 degrees opposite said first direction,
said apparatus further comprising a diffuser with curved diffuser vanes that redirect said fluid so as to reduce said tangential velocity components, said diffuser established around and defining a diffuser axis that is aligned with said impeller axis of rotation, said diffuser having a diffuser inlet through which said undiffused impeller discharge flows and a diffuser outlet through which a fully diffused outflow flows,
wherein said diffuser inlet has an inner-most annular portion thereof that is the annular portion of said diffuser inlet that is radially closest to said diffuser axis, wherein, when viewed in said meridional plane, said inner-most annular portion of said diffuser inlet is a first radial distance from said diffuser axis,
wherein said diffuser outlet has an outer-most annular portion thereof that is the annular portion of said diffuser outlet that is radially furthest from said diffuser axis, wherein, when viewed in said meridional plane, said outer-most portion of said diffuser outlet is a second distance from said diffuser axis, and
wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance.
76 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein, in said meridional plane, said diffuser defines two substantially straight flow centerlines.
77 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein, in said meridional plane, said diffuser is non-curving.
78 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said diffuser inlet defines a diffuser inlet flow area that is orthogonal to said meridional plane and that has X area; w said diffuser outlet defines a diffuser outlet flow area that is orthogonal to said meridional plane and that has Y area, wherein said Y area is greater than said X area
79 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said diffuser is established around said impeller inlet.
80 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 further comprising a pump inlet nozzle established upflow of said impeller inlet.
81 . An apparatus as described in claim 80 wherein said pump inlet nozzle comprises a draft tube.
82 . An apparatus as described in claim 80 wherein said pump inlet nozzle is coaxially located within said diffuser.
83 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said apparatus is selected from the group consisting of blower, pump and compressor.
84 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said apparatus is operable as a turbine.
85 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said apparatus is operable as a turbine and a pump.
86 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said apparatus is operable as a submersible reversible pump turbine.
87 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said impeller comprises a toroidal impeller.
88 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 further comprising a flow inverter that connects the outflow of said diffuser to a pump outlet pipe.
89 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said diffuser comprises vanes of similar length.
90 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said diffuser comprises vanes, at least one of which is of length that is different from a length of at least one other vane.
91 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 wherein said diffuser comprises splitter vanes.
92 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 further comprising a motor generator, a penstock connection, and a tailrace connection.
93 . An apparatus as described in claim 75 further comprising a penstock, at least part of which is removable from a borehole in which said apparatus is established.
94 . The apparatus of claim 75 further comprising a pitless adaptor sealed to a well casing with pressurized seals.