Patent ID: 6264440
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: F04D

Abstract:
A centrifugal pump comprising:a housing having a housing cavity, an inlet, and an outlet;a shaft located in the housing cavity;a radial bearing coaxially surrounding said shaft, the shaft and the radial bearing being rotatable with respect to one another;an impeller positioned to receive a fluid from the inlet and to exhaust a fluid to the outlet, the impeller having an impeller hub with an opening therein, the impeller including an impeller recess for receiving the radial bearing;a thrust balancing valve associated with the impeller hub to define a variable orifice for fluidic communication with the inlet;a wall for containing the fluid, the wall having an interior surface with different elevations for inhibiting rotational flow and reducing angular velocity of the fluid, the interior surface disposed adjacent to a rear portion of the impeller.