WO1987003938A1

WO1987003938A1 - Compressed air operated submersible pump

Info

Publication number: WO1987003938A1
Application number: PCT/AU1985/000326
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rowland Ian Tarling; William Bobbi Roden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-12-10
Filing date: 1985-12-24
Publication date: 1987-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-24
Also published as: KR880700900A

Abstract

A liquid pump has a housing (11) with a chamber (19) therein adapted to receive liquid from a liquid source via a first one-way valve (23) which is arranged to allow liquid to pass therethrough into the chamber (19) while preventing return flow of the liquid. The pump also has a liquid outlet (31) with an outlet opening (33) communicating with the chamber. A second one-way valve (35) is provided in or connected to the liquid outlet (31) to allow liquid to pass therethrough out of the chamber (19) while preventing return flow of the liquid. The pump also has an air inlet (25) with an inlet opening (27) communicating with the chamber (19) at a location above the outlet opening (33). The air inlet (25) is adapted for connection to a supply of compressed air. A vent (37) is provided for venting air in the chamber (19). The vent is adapted to be opened and closed by a valve (39), whereby on closing of the vent (37) said compressed air effects expulsion of the liquid in the chamber (19) through the liquid outlet (31).

Description

THIS INVENTION relates to liquid pumps. It is particular¬ ly applicable to submersible pumps for pumping water from wells and bores.

In one form the invention resides in a liquid pump com¬ prising: a housing having a chamber therein adapted to receive liquid from a liquid source via a first one-way valve arranged to allow liquid to pass therethrough into the chamber but preventing return flow of the liquid; a liquid outlet having an outlet opening communicating with the chamber; a second one-way valve in or connected to the liquid outlet to allow liquid to pass therethrough out of the chamber but preventing return flow of the liquid; an air inlet having an inlet opening communicating with the chamber at a location above the outlet opening, the air inlet being adapted for connection to a supply of com¬ pressed air; a vent for venting air in the chamber; valve means for opening and closing the vent; whereby on closing of the vent said compressed air effects expulsion of the liquid in the chamber through the liquid outlet.

Preferably the pump is adapted to be submerged in the liquid source. With this arrangement, it is preferable that the first one-way valve be located at the bottom of the chamber.

In one arrangement, compressed air is continuously deli¬ vered to the chamber during operation of the pump. With this arrangement, compressed air delivered to the chamber escapes therefrom an opening of the vent.

The valve means for opening and closing the vent may be operable by a float so as to close the vent when liquid in the chamber attains a predetermined level. In an al¬ ternative arrangement, the valve means may be adapted to be cyclically operated in a predetermined timing cycle. In another arrangement, the vent is provided in the con¬ nection between the supply of compressed air and the cham¬ ber whereby on opening of the vent delivery of compressed air to the chamber is interrupted. With this arrangement, the valve means is preferably adapted to be cyclically operated in a predetermined timing cycle.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of three specific embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of part of a water pumping installation incorporating a pump according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly cut-away perspective view of a pump according to the first embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the second embodiment; and

Fig. 4 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the third embodiment.

The embodiments shown in the drawings are each directed to a submersible water pump 10 for use in wells and bores.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the pump according to the first embodiment includes a housing 11 having a cylin¬ drical side wall 13, a top wall 15 and a bottom wall 17. A chamber 19 is defined within the housing.

A water intake opening 21 is located in the bottom wall 17 of the housing 11. The opening 21 is fitted with a one-way valve 23 which is arranged to permit water flow through the opening into the chamber 19 but prevent return flow o"f the water. An air inlet 25 is adapted for connection to a supply of compressed air. The air inlet has an inlet opening 27 communicating with the upper part of the chamber 19.

A liquid outlet 31 is adapted for connection to a water delivery point such as a water tank at or above ground level. The liquid outlet has an outlet opening 33 com¬ municating with the lower part of the chamber. A one-way valve 35 is located in the outlet 31 and is arranged to allow water to flow from the chamber through the outlet but prevent reverse flow of the water.

The chamber 19 has a vent 37 for venting air therein to atmosphere. The vent 37 is opened and closed by a valve 39. The valve includes a valve seat 41 and a valve member 43 movable into and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat. The valve 39 is operatively connected to a float 45 whereby the valve operates to close the vent when the water in the chamber attains a predetermined level. A guide means 47 is provided for guiding movement of the float.

In use, the pump is installed under water in a well or bore 51 (see Fig. 1), with the water outlet 31 connected to the water delivery point by way of a water supply line 53 and the air inlet 25 connected a supply of compressed air by way of an air supply line 55. The supply of com¬ pressed air may comprise a compressor driven by a wind¬ mill, although other driving means (such as an engine) may be used.

During operation of the pump, a continuous supply of com¬ pressed air is delivered to the chamber via the air supply line 55." Water in the well or bore enters the chamber 19 of the pump through the intake opening 21. The water rises in chamber and in doing so causes the float to rise. When the water attains said predetermined level, the float moves the valve member 43 into sealing engagement with the valve seat 41, thereby closing the vent 37. Owing to the closure of the vent, there is a build-up of air pressure in the chamber which forces the water in the chamber out of the chamber through the outlet opening 33 of the outlet 31. The water is forced along the water supply line 53 to the delivery point. With the expulsion of the water from the chamber, the float falls causing the valve member 43 to move out of sealing engagement with the valve seat 41 and so venting air in the chamber. This releases the com¬ pressed air in the chamber and permits water to again enter the chamber through the intake opening 21. The pumping cycle is then repeated, compressed air being delivered to the chamber throughout the entire period of operation of the pump.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 (like reference numerals being used to identify like parts), with the exception that the float 45 is operatively connected to the valve member 43 by means of a pivot arm 48.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the vent 37 is incor¬ porated in the air supply line 55 rather than being inde¬ pendent thereof. The vent comprises a valve member 57 in the form of a flap adapted to open and close an outlet port 59 in the air supply line. The operation of the valve is such that when the port 59 is closed, compressed air is delivered to the chamber and when the port 59 is open, the flow of compressed air to the chamber is inter¬ rupted by diverting it to atmosphere. The valve member 57 may be operable in response to water level in the chamber 19 or in a predetermined timing cycle. A pump according to the invention has a number or advan¬ tages over existing pumps for bores or wells which are adapted to be operatively connected to a windmill by way of a mechanical drive transmission system. First, with existing pumps the windmill or other drive system must be sited directly above the well or bore because of the mechanical drive transmission system, whereas with a pump according to the invention the windmill or other drive system may be sited at a location remote from the bore or well owing to the fact that the only connection between the windmill and the pump is the air supply line. This permits the windmill to be sited at the most suitable location having regard to prevailing winds.

A further advantage of a pump according to the present invention is that it is not necessary for the windmill size to vary with the head; the pump will merely pump less water with deeper bores or wells.

A still further advantage of the present invention relates to the absence therefrom of a mechanical drive transmis¬ sion system. This eliminates a number of parts which are susceptable to wear or which require maintenance. It also reduces the cost of the pump.

Another advantage is that the pump may be installed in bores or wells which are off-set from vertical. With existing pumps, the bore or well is required to be sub¬ stantially vertical to avoid damage to the mechanical drive transmission system.

It should be appreciated that a pump according to the in¬ vention may have applications other than merely pumping water from wells and bores. In this connection, the pump may be constructed entirely of plastics materials thereby to make it particularly suitable for pumping corrosive liquids. It should also be appreciated that the scope of the inven¬ tion is not limited to the scope of the three embodiments described.

Claims

THE CLAIMS defining the invention are as follows:-

1. A liquid pump comprising: a housing having a chamber therein adapted to receive liquid from a liquid source via a first one-way valve arranged to allow liquid to pass therethrough into the chamber but preventing return flow of the liquid; a liquid outlet having an outlet opening communicating with the chamber; a second one-way valve in or connected to the liquid outlet to allow liquid to pass therethrough out of the chamber but preventing return flow of the liquid; an air inlet having an inlet opening com¬ municating with the chamber at a location above the outlet opening, the air inlet being adapted for connection to a supply of compressed air; a vent for venting air in the chamber; valve means for opening and closing the vent; whereby on closing of the vent said compressed air effects expulsion of the liquid in the chamber through the liquid outlet.

2. A liquid pump according to Claim 1 wherein compressed air is continuously delivered to the chamber during opera¬ tion of the pump.

3. A liquid pump according to Claim 2 wherein the valve means for opening and closing the vent is operable by a float so as to close the vent when liquid in the chamber attains a predetermined level.

4. A liquid pump according to Claim 2 wherein the valve means is adapted to be cyclically operated in a predeter¬ mined timing cycle.

5. A liquid pump according to Claim 1 wherein the vent is provided in the connection between the supply of com¬ pressed air and the chamber whereby on opening of the vent delivery of compressed air into the chamber is interrup¬ ted.

6. A liquid pump according to Claim 5 wherein the vent comprises an outlet port in the connection between the supply of compressed air and the air inlet.

7. A liquid pump according to Claim 6 wherein the valve means comprises a flap for opening and closing the outlet port.

8. A liquid pump according to Claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein the valve means is adapted to be cyclically operated in a predetermined timing cycle.

9. A liquid pump substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A liquid pump substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A liquid pump substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.