AU2014365435B2

AU2014365435B2 - Hot slurry pump

Info

Publication number: AU2014365435B2
Application number: AU2014365435A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Norbert Jaeger; Andreas KARWOWSKI
Original assignee: Mhwirth GmbH
Current assignee: Mhwirth GmbH
Priority date: 2013-12-18
Filing date: 2014-12-02
Publication date: 2018-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-02
Also published as: AU2014365435A1; WO2015090928A1; EP3084213A1; CN105829713A; US20160327032A1; DE102013114320A1; CN105829713B

Abstract

The invention relates to a hot slurry pump comprising at least one working chamber (1, 1´, 1´´, 1´´´) and at least one displacement chamber (2, 2´, 2´´, 2´´´) which can not be moved with respect thereto and a pendulum line (3, 3´, 3´´, 3´´´) which actively connects the working chamber (1, 1´, 1´´, 1´´´) to the displacement chamber (2, 2´, 2´´, 2´´´) in which, respectively, a separator (4) is arranged. Said pendulum line (3, 3´, 3´´, 3´´´) has no cooling paths or the length (l) of the cooling line (3, 3´, 3´´, 3´´´) is less than three metres.

Description

The invention relates to a hot slurry pump comprising at least one working chamber (1, 1', 1, 1') and at least one displacement chamber (2, 2', 2, 2') which can not be moved with respect thereto and a pendulum line (3, 3', 3, 3') which actively connects the working chamber (1, 1', 1, 1') to the displacement chamber (2, 2', 2, 2') in which, respectively, a separator (4) is arranged. Said pendulum line (3, 3', 3, 3') has no cooling paths or the length (1) of the cooling line (3, 3', 3, 3 ') is less than three metres.

(57) Zusammenfassung:

[Fortsetzung auf der nachsten Seite]

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HeiBschlammpumpe mit mindestens einem Arbeitsraum (1, 1', 1, 1') und mindestens emem hierzu unbeweglichen Verdrangerraum (2, 2', 2, 2') und einer den Arbeitsraum (1, Γ, 1, Γ) mit dem Verdrangerraum (2, 2', 2, 2') wirkverbindenden Pendelleitung (3, 3', 3, 3') in der jeweils ein Separator (4) angeordnet ist, wobei die Pendelleitung (3, 3', 3 , 3') keine Kublstrecke umfasst oder die Lange (1) der Kuhlleitung (3, 3', 3, 3') kleiner als drei Meter ist.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

Hot slurry pump

The invention relates to a hot slurry pump. In the context of this document, the term slurry particularly means any thick material - that is, any mixture of liquid and solid components. This can mean, for example, slurry during excavation work or the like. Such slurry pumps are designed for continuous use and must reliably operate as smoothly as possible for long periods, extending to years, because a replacement of a defective slurry pump commonly involves considerable effort and time.

Hot slurry pumps are already known. For example, DE 19782185 C2 shows a hot slurry pump. A disadvantage of known hot slurry pumps is that they are expensive to produce, require a lot of space, do not have a long operating life, or require a great deal of maintenance.

The invention addresses the problem of creating a hot slurry pump which is improved at least with respect to one of the aforementioned disadvantages.

The hot slurry pump according to the invention has at least one working chamber. The term “working chamber” in the context of this document means in particular the space into which the slurry is sucked and from which the slurry is pushed out. Each working

2014365435 14 Mar 2018 chamber preferably has at least one pair of valves, preferably one intake valve and one outlet valve. The hot slurry pump also has at least one displacement chamber. The displacer chamber is immobile relative to the working space. Both the displacement space and the working chamber are installed in a fixed position - i.e., not arranged on a carriage, car, or the like. The displacement chamber comprises a displacement element. The displacement element can be a piston. However, the displacement element is preferably a diaphragm which can be actuated by means of a piston. The hot slurry pump therefore preferably has a piston diaphragm pump. The diaphragm is preferably a flat diaphragm. The hot slurry pump has a transfer line which preferably functionally connects the working chamber to the displacement chamber. In this displacement line, preferably liquid reciprocating fluid reciprocates back and forth, and the pressure pulses alternating between the suction and pressure levels. The reciprocating fluid can also include, at least, slurry. A separator is arranged in the transfer line. The separator separates the hot slurry being pumped from the cooler reciprocating fluid. In this way, the temperature load on the diaphragm is reduced. The separator can be a separator piston.

The at least one transfer line has no cooling section.

The transfer line expands, for instance when the pump is started as a result of the heating of the transfer line by the reciprocating fluid associated with the startup. This expansion results in difficulties in known hot slurry pumps. By way of example, a compensator must be provided which compensates this thermal elongation, or other measures must be taken to prevent the occurrence of unacceptably high flange tension. It has been shown that the flange tension which occurs when the transfer line has no cooling section is acceptable. This is because the change in length is then minimal.

In addition, it has been found that it is possible to dispense with a cooling section in particular since a significant temperature drop can be already achieved by the separator.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

In the context of this publication, the term “cooling section” is used to mean a section which is used exclusively or primarily for cooling, as concerns the transport of heat which cools the reciprocating fluid.

The cooling section is preferably a section in which no separator is arranged.

The cooling section preferably extends from the region of the transfer line in which the separator is arranged to the diaphragm housing. In principle, it is conceivable that the transfer line is constructed as an integral part. However, the region of the displacement line in which the separator is arranged is preferably not constructed as an integral part of the remaining transfer line. Rather, it is preferably connected to the remaining transfer line by a separator line flange on the side thereof which faces away from the working chamber.

The transfer line of the slurry pump preferably has no heat exchanger.

Preferably, the length of the entire transfer line is less than five meters. More preferably, the length of the entire transfer line is less than four meters, and preferably less than three meters or less than two meters.

The transfer line preferably extends from the working chamber to the diaphragm housing. It is particularly preferred that the transfer line extends from the connection of the suction valve housing of the working chamber to the diaphragm housing.

If, as preferred, no compensation device is included for compensating the thermal length expansion of the transfer line, this creates a condition for a particularly reliable hot slurry pump. The transfer line is therefore preferably constructed of rigid pipe, such that there are no moving parts like metal bellows or telescopic connections, for example. The thermal expansion is preferably also not compensated by the pipe line, by an expansion bend for example.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

The medium to be pumped can be nickel slurry, with a temperature of, for example, about 2 KFC.

The material of the diaphragm preferably arranged in the displacement chamber preferably comprises a high-temperature material.

The material of the diaphragm preferably comprises fluoroelastomer. The diaphragm is formed in one embodiment of fluoroelastomer.

Advantageously, the region of the transfer line which has the separator is connected by the shortest route to the displacement chamber. This achieves a particularly short transfer line with particularly low flange tension caused by thermal expansion, and a very compact pump.

The term “hot slurry pump” in the context of this document particularly refers to pumps that are suitable for pumping slurry with a temperature of up to 300°C or 250°C or 210°C or 170°C or 160°C or 140°C.

Preferably, the hot slurry pump is suitable for pumping hot slurry with a temperature of 160°C to210°C.

The invention also relates to a method, wherein slurry is pumped by means of a hot pump according to one of claims 1 to 5. In this method, the reciprocating fluid is not actively cooled. The expression “not actively cooled” in the context of this document means that no measures are taken which exclusively or primarily serve to cool the reciprocating fluid as concerns the transport of heat for the purpose of cooling down the reciprocating fluid.

Preferably, a reciprocating fluid temperature which is tolerable for the diaphragm is achieved in the displacement chamber - preferably exclusively - by separating the hot slurry being pumped from cooler reciprocating fluid, by means of a separator.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

Preferably, slurry is pumped with has a temperature range from 130°C to 300°C or 130°C to 250°C or 130°C to 210°C or 130°C to 170°C or 130°C to 160°C or 130°C to 140°C or 160°C up to 210°C.

Advantageously, the thermal length expansion of the transfer line is not compensated.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section illustration of the principle of a hot slurry pump known from the prior art.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a part of an embodiment of the hot slurry pump according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows a detail of a longitudinal cross-section of the part of the hot slurry pump shown in Fig. 2, in comparison with the larger scale shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows a side view of a part of a hot slurry pump according to the invention;

Fig. 5 shows a view from above of the part of the hot slurry pump shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows a partial cutaway side view of a part of the hot slurry pump, in comparison with the larger scale in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 illustrates the principle of the hot slurry pump known in the prior art. This known pump comprises a drive unit A and a pump B unit. The transfer line 3 known from the prior art pump has a cooling section K with a heat exchanger T, intended to enhance the cooling effect of the transfer line.

To reduce to a harmless level the forces exerted as a result of the thermal length expansion of the transfer line 3 between the working chamber and the displacement

2014365435 14 Mar 2018 chamber, for example during the startup of the pump, an expansion joint D symbolized by a bend and not shown in detail is arranged between the transfer line 3 and the displacement chamber 2.

The cooling line K extends from the region 6 of the transfer line 3 in which the separator is arranged to the bend connecting the cooling line K to the diaphragm housing 14, designed in this case as an expansion joint D. More specifically, the cooling section K extends from the separator line flange 21 up to the bend; and more precisely up to the end 24 of the bend facing the cooling section.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the drive unit A and a part of the pump unit B of a hot slurry pump according to the invention. This is a double-acting duplex pump in the illustrated embodiment. The drive unit A includes a drive shaft 13 which is rotated by a motor (not shown), for example an electric motor. At least one gear wheel, indicated generally, is arranged on the drive shaft 13, which meshes with at least one substantially larger gear wheel, indicated generally, of the crankshaft 7. The crankshaft can also be driven directly. Two connecting rods are arranged side by side on the crankshaft 8. The connecting rods each transmit their movement by means of a crosshead 9 to a crosshead rod 12 which turns into a piston rod 11. One piston 10 is arranged on each piston rod 11, executing a linear reciprocating movement in a cylinder. A transmission medium 10a, for example hydraulic oil, is arranged in each of the two cylinders 5, 5'. Two transmission medium chambers (not shown in Figs. 2 and 3) adjoin each cylinder 5, 5’, each establishing a connection between the cylinders 5, 5', and a diaphragm housing 14, 14’, 14”, 14”’. The transmission medium transmits the movement of the piston to the displacement elements, which are each formed as a flat diaphragm 19. Because the pump is double acting, each cylinder 5, 5’ has a functional connection to two displacement chambers 2, 2', 2”, 2”’, each of which comprises a diaphragm 19 and a diaphragm housing 14, 14', 14, 14’”. When the piston 10 in Fig. 2 moves to the right, the transmission medium flows into another diaphragm housing 14', 14’” and displaces the diaphragm 19 arranged therein. When the piston in Fig. 2

2014365435 14 Mar 2018 moves to the left, the transmission medium flows into another diaphragm housing 14, 14” and displaces another diaphragm 19 arranged therein.

The diaphragm housings 14, 14’, 14, 14' of the hot slurry pump according to the invention can for their part be designed as the known pump shown in Fig. 1 in crosssection.

Fig. 4 shows in particular the pump unit B of the hot slurry pump in a side view.

Fig. 5 particularly shows, in a top view of this pump unit B, the four diaphragm housings 14, 14’, 14”, 14’”, already shown in Fig. 2, as well as the two cylinders 5, 5’ already shown in Fig. 2. Exactly one transfer line 3, 3’, 3”, 3”’ is connected to each diaphragm housing 14, 14’, 14”, 14”’, connecting each diaphragm housing to exactly one working chamber 1, 1’, 1”, 1’”. Hot slurry flows into each working chamber through an input line 15 and an inlet check valve 17, 17’, 17”, 17’” which is not shown in detail, and is then pushed out through an outlet check valve 18, 18’, 18”, 18”’, which is likewise not shown in detail, into an output line 16.

The drive unit A and the pump unit B of the illustrated embodiment of the hot slurry pump according to the invention are immobile - that is, particularly installed permanently onto the substrate. The working chamber 1, 1’, 1”, 1’” and the displacement chamber 2, 2’, 2”, 2’” are therefore immobile relative to each other.

As Figures 5 and 6 show well when viewed together, neither of the transfer lines 3,3’, 3”, 3’” of the embodiment shown of the hot slurry pump according to the invention has a cooling section K.

The transfer lines 3, 3’, 3”, 3’” each extend from the working chamber 1, 1’, 1”, 1’” to the diaphragm housing 14, 14’, 14”, 14’”. More specifically, each transfer line 3, 3’ 3”, 3”’ extends from the connection 23 of the housing of the inlet check valve 17, 17’, 17”, 17”’ to the diaphragm housing 14, 14’, 14”, 14’”.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, the four transfer lines 3, 3’, 3”, 3”’ have two different lengths 11, 12 due to the geometry of the pump. Both the length 11 and the length 12 of the transfer lines is less than five meters.

The embodiment shown of the hot slurry pump according to the invention does not have a heat exchanger T.

Fig. 6 also shows that no compensation joint D, or compensating means, is included for the purpose of compensating the thermal length expansion of the transfer line 3, 3’, 3”, 3”’.

The transfer line 3, 3’, 3”, 3”’ serves the purpose of subjecting the diaphragm 19 to a significantly lower temperature than is inherent in the hot slurry being pumped. This is achieved with the aid of a separator 4. In each case, the transfer line 3, 3’, 3”, 3”’ has a region 6, 6’, 6”, 6”’ with a separator 4 at its end which faces the working chamber 1, 1’, 1”, Γ”. This is designed as a separator piston.

The region 6, 6’, 6”, 6'”’ of the transfer line which has the separator 4 is connected by the shortest route to the displacement chamber 2, 2, 2”, 2”’.

The reciprocating fluid 20 is not actively cooled. Therefore, no device is included which functions exclusively or primarily to cool the reciprocating fluid 20 in the sense of transporting heat to cool the reciprocating fluid 20.

In this specification, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising” or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a system, method or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

WO 2015/090928	PCT/EP2014/076176
	10
1, 1’, 1”, 1”’	List of reference numbers: working chamber
la	hot slurry
2, 2’, 2”, 2”’	displacement chamber
3, 3’, 3”, 3”’	transfer line
4	separator
5,5’	cylinder
6, 6’, 6”, 6’”	region of the transfer line in which the separator is arranged
7	crankshaft
8	connecting rod
9	crosshead
10	piston
10a	transmission medium
11	piston rod
12	crosshead rod
13	driveshaft
14, 14’, 14”, 14’”	diaphragm housing
15	inlet line
16	outlet line
17, 17’, 17”, 17”’	inlet check valve
18, 18’, 18”, 18”’	outlet check valve
19	diaphragm
20	reciprocating fluid
21	separator line flange
22	connector flange of the bend
23	connection of the housing of the inlet check valve
24	end of the bend

WO 2015/090928

PCT/EP2014/076176

1	length of the cooling section
11,12	length of the transfer line
A	drive unit
B	pump unit
D	expansion joint
K	cooling path
T	heat exchanger

2014365435 14 Mar 2018

Claims

Claims:

1. A hot slurry pump having at least one working chamber and at least one displacement chamber which is immobile relative thereto, and having at least one transfer line, in each of which is arranged one separator, wherein the transfer line does not have a cooling section, which means that the transfer line does not have a section which is used exclusively or primarily for cooling, as concerns the transport of heat which cools the reciprocating fluid.
2. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the length of the transfer line is less than five meters.
3. The pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein no compensation device is included for compensating the thermal length expansion of the transfer line.
4. The pump according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the displacement chamber comprises a diaphragm, and the material of the diaphragm comprises a hightemperature material.
5. The pump according to claim 4, wherein the material of the diaphragm comprises fluoroelastomer.
6. A method, wherein hot slurry is pumped with a pump according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, the reciprocating fluid is not actively cooled, which means that no measures are taken which exclusively or primarily serve to cool the reciprocating fluid as concerns the transport of heat for the purpose of cooling down the reciprocating fluid, and a reciprocating fluid temperature which can be tolerated by the diaphragm is achieved in the displacement chamber by separating the hot slurry being pumped from cooler reciprocating fluid, by means of a separator.

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7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the thermal length expansion of the transfer line is not compensated.

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