US3214561A

US3214561A - Pump for applying electrical energy to liquids

Info

Publication number: US3214561A
Application number: US309698A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph G Sargeant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-09-18
Filing date: 1963-09-18
Publication date: 1965-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-26

Description

Oct. 26, 1965 R. G. SARGEANT PUMP FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO LIQUIDS Filed Sept. 18, 1965 HlGH FREQUENCY GENERATOR FIGJ.

INVENTOR Ralph 6. Sergeant BY -y w/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,214,561 PUMP FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY T0 LIQUIDS Ralph G. Sargeant, 408 W. Windsor St., Lakeland, Fla. Filed Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 309,698 Claims. (Q1. 21910.65)

This invention relates to apparatus for applying electrical energy to liquid materials, and more particularly to a special pump for this purpose.

In my prior patent No. 3,060,297, issued October 23, 1962 I have disclosed apparatus for subjecting liquid materials to the action of electrical energy while flowing in a confined stream under substantial hydraulic pressure, for the purpose of removing water therefrom.

The present invention involves an entirely different method, but employs the same broad principle, namely applying electrical energy to a liquid while it is flowing under hydraulic pressure, and, in addition, the present invention provides means for simultaneously subjecting the liquid material to violent mechanical action. This has marked advantages when treating certain kinds of liquid materials.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a specially con structed rotary pump through which the liquid material is forced, and subject this material to the action of electrical energy while inside of and flowing through this pump.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an edge elevation of a centrifugal pump, showing a high frequency generator associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of this pump, showing a fragment of a container from which liquid is drawn into the pump;

FIG. 3 is an axial section on an enlarged scale, showing the special construction of the pump and one means by which it may be driven; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section, similar to FIG. 3, but showing a modified construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates in its entirety a rotary pump which I have illustrated as of the centrifugal type, having an intake conduit 2, communicating with a tank or container 3, from which the liquid material is drawn by the pump, and a delivery conduit 4. As described in my said prior patent, the tank 3 may be an evaporating chamber, and the delivery conduit 4 may discharge into the top of this chamber, in case it is desired to circulate or re-cycle the liquid, but the present invention is in no sense limited to such an arrangement.

The novel feature of the pump is the fact that the casing 1 is composed of two parts, one part 5 being formed of the usual or any suitable conducting material, such as metal, and the other part 6 being formed of insulating material. By way of illustration, these two parts are shown as concave end pieces joined along a median plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and held together by bolts 6a passing through the part 6 and engaging in threaded sockets 5a formed in the part 5.

The junction does not necessarily have to be made along a median plane. As shown in FIG. 4, the junction may be along a plane at one side of the center. In this case, the part 5 forms the major portion of the casing, while the end piece 6 formed of insulating material, may be a fiat disc or plate. This arrangement has the advantage that the pipe connection for the delivery conduit 4 does not have to be split, but may be made integral with the casting 5 ice A shaft 7, of metal or other conducting material extends through and is journaled in a central boss 8 of the insulating part 6, and an O-ring or other suitable packing 9 is preferably provided to prevent leakage.

The usual or any other suitable rotor or impeller, of conducting material, is fixed to the end of shaft 7, inside the casing of the pump. As shown, this impeller may comprise a disc 10, and central hub 10a, to which are integrally secured radially disposed blades 10b.

For driving this rotor, I have shown a pulley 11, of insulating material, fixed to the shaft 7, over which runs a V-belt 12 to a suitable motor (not shown). The pulley 11 insulates the belt and motor from the shaft. Any other desired means for driving the rotor may be employed, the only requirement being that the driving means be insulated from the shaft.

Any suitable source of electrical energy may be em ployed, but I have illustrated a high-frequency generator 13, such as that shown and described in my said prior patent. One pole of this generator is connected by conductor 14 to the metal part of the casing 1 or the conduits 2 and 4, all of which are, of course, grounded, and the other pole of the generator is connected by conductor 15 to a rod or tube 16 disposed in alignment with shaft 7. The abutting ends of rod 16 and shaft 7 are separated by a short gap, as shown, and these ends preferably are formed with parallel

circular flanges

17 and 18, to afford better electrical transmission.

In practice, it has been found that, owing to the large amount of energy used, the conducting rod tends to become quite hot, and it is, for some purposes, desirable to keep this heat from being conducted to the shaft and impeller.

The gap between the

flanges

17 and 18 prevents the transfer of heat from the rod 16 to the shaft 7, but, because of the high frequency employed, the electrical energy is readily transmitted across the cap. This feature is decribed and claimed in another co-pending application. In the present case, it has the additional advantage of providing means for transferring electrical energy from a stationary to a rotating part.

In cases where the transfer of heat is not important, or where the electrical energy is not of the high-frequency type, direct contact between rod 16 and shaft 7, as by means of a brush carried by the former and bearing on the latter, may be employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as the impeller .10 is rotated, liquid is forced out of the pump casing into the discharge conduit 4 with a whirling motion and under substantial hydraulic pressure. At the same time a difference of electrical potential is maintained between the rotor or impeller 10 and the metal part of the pump casing and conduits, so that the liquid material is subjected to the action of electrical energy as it passes inside of and flows through the pump. Simultaneously, the liquid material is subjected to violent mechanical action by the impeller.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for applying electrical energy to liquid materials comprising a rotary pump having a casing, said casing being formed largely of conducting material but having a part at one side formed of insulating material, a rotor in said casing, a shaft on which said rotor is mounted, said rotor and shaft being of conducting material and said shaft being journaled in the part of said casing formed of insulating material, and means for maintaining a difference of potential between said shaft and the other part of said casing.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which means are provided for driving the rotor shaft, said driving means being insulated from said shaft.

3. The combination with a rotary pump having a casing and intake and delivery conduits, a rotor having irnpelling means, said rotor, including said impelling means, and also said intake and delivery conduits forming part of said casing, all being formed of conducting material, a part of the casing insulating said rotor from said conduits, and a source of electrical energy connected between said irnpelling means and the conducting part of said casing.

4. A centrifugal pump having a casing formed at least in part of conducting material, an impeller of conducting material in said casing, a shaft on which said impeller is mounted, means by which said shaft and impeller are insulated from said conducting part of the casing and a source of electrical energy connected between said impeller and said conducting part of the casing.

- 5. Apparatus for applying electrical energy to liquid materials including a rotary pump having a casing and impelling means within the casing, said impelling means and at least a part of said casing being formed of con- 4 ducting material, means insulating said impelling means from said conducting part of the casing, and a source of electrical energy connected between said impelling means and said conducting part of the casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,475,389 11/23 Hyatt 230-132 2,535,251 12/50 Alford 333-98 2,597,143 5/52 Aron 333-98 2,783,350 2/57 Pircon 219-1069 3,018,736 1/62 Clay 230-133 3,060,297 10/62 Sargent 219-1065 3,115,099 12/63 Clay 103-114 3,129,312 4/64 Ojelid 219-1055 RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

ANTHONY BARTIS, Examiner.

Claims

5. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO LIQUID MATERIALS INCLUDING A ROTARY PUMP HAVING A CASING AND IMPELLING MEANS WITHIN THE CASING, SAID IMPELLING MEANS AND AT LEAST A PART OF SAID CASING BEING FORMED OF CONDUCTING MATERIAL, MEANS INSULATING SAID IMPELLING MEANS FROM SAID CONDUCTING PART OF THE CASING, AND A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID IMPELLING MEANS AND SAID CONDUCTING PART OF THE CASING.