LOOP PUMP

Abstract: A loop pump (1) for pumping liquid, i.e. a pump comprising a pipe (3) or the like embodied in a number of turns/loops, said pipe being rotated by a drive source to introduce alternately air and liquid into an inlet (4) and pumping the liquid to a drawing place by way of a conduit (6) or the like rotatably connected with the pipe. The drive source consists of a means, e.g. a propeller (8), absorbing the flow energy of the liquid. A floating body (10) gives the pump the desired floatability on the liquid and the pump comprises means (11) for anchoring it relative to the surroundings of the flowing liquid.

Description: Loop pump This invention relates tα a loop pump for pumping li¬ quid, i.e. a pump comprising a pipe or the like embodied in a number of turns/loops, which pipe is rotated by a drive source in order to introduce alternately air and liquid into an inlet and which pipe pumps the liquid to a drawing place by way of a conduit or the like rotatably connected with the pipe. It is previously known to use so-called loop pumps/spi¬ ral pumps for lifting liquid from a low level to a higher one. Such a pump comprises a pipe bent in several turns/loops to a helical form or a passage made in another way, which pipe or passage is outwardly open at one of its ends to form the in¬ take end/l±quid inlet of the pipe and which pipe or passage is connected at its other end by way of a rotatable coupling with a pipe or hose leading to the higher level to which the liquid is to be lifted. During the work of the pump the spiral is partly immersed in the liquid to be lifted so that when the spiral is rotated its intake end will be alternately below and above the liquid level so as to take in alternately liquid and e air. The air enclosed in the spiral will be compressed and this compression is successively increased in the helical turns and is maximal in the last turn connected with the out¬ let. The pump gives off alternately liquid and compressed air to its outlet, and in this way the liquid will be given off intermittently at the outlet of the pump. Pumps of the above-mentioned type now known are, as far as is known, stationarily installed at their place of use and operated by a drive source requiring "external" energy such as an electric motor or a combustion motor. It is the object of this invention to provide a loop pump/spiral pump so embodied that it is driven by flow energy in the liquid, part of which is to be lifted by means of the pump to a higher height level, and this object is achieved in that the pump has been given the characteristic features set forth in the claims. The inventive pump which is very pro-environmental and silent can thus be placed anywhere in a liquid flow of some type and carry out its lifting of liquid to a higher height level without any supply of other energy than the kinetic energy in the liquid flow being required. Moreover, the inven- tive pump is so designed that it has inherent floating power, and therefore it need only be anchored in the surroundings of the liquid flow to prevent it from accompanying the liquid flow. This anchoring can be made so that the pump adjusts it- self automatically to the prevailing direction of flow. Thus, the pump of the invention does not require much energy and is reliable, and it can also be used in nature without any problems at very remote and isolated places where intervals between different inspections can be very long for different reasons. Furthermore, it is easy to move the pump between different places of use as its installation is ex¬ tremely uncomplicated. Illustrative examples of the invention will be described in greater detail in the following with reference to the en- closed drawings, wherein Fig . 1 shows a longitudinal section of an embodiment of an inventive loop pump, Fig. 2 shows sche¬ matically the pump in a view according to 11—11 according to Fig. 1, Fig . 3 shows a section III-III of the pump according to Fig. 1, Fi . 4 is a perspective view of an alternative em- bodiment of the inventive loop pump and fig . 5 shows a section of the pump according to Fig. 4 taken along the line V-V in Fig. 4. The loop pump 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a conical drum 2 supporting externally a number of turns (loops) of a pipe or hose 3. At one of its ends the hose 3 has an inlet opening 4 being the liquid inlet of the loop pump. At its other end the hose 3 is connected via a so-called swivel coupling 5 with a line 6 for lifting liquid and starting from the pump 1, which line is drawn up to the drawing place to which the liquid is to be pumped. The pipe line 6 is connected with one part of the swivel coupling and the other part of the coupling is con¬ nected with the hose 3 and the drum 2. A propeller 8 is also connected with the drum 2 via arms 7, the blades 9 of said propeller 8 having such a configuration and inclination that a flow of liquid will make it rotate. A floating body 10 is ar¬ ranged within the drum 2 and so adapted that it gives the pump 1 a desired floating position. The loop pump can be fixed re¬ lative to the surroundings of the liquid as desired by an anchoring device 11 connected with the pipe 6 and then prefer- ably in such a way that the pump can be freely adjusted ac- cording to prevailing direction of the liquid flow, the pro¬ peller 8 being utilized in the best possible manner. The pump 1 operates as follows. For example, when the pump has been placed so that it floats in a streaming water- course and has been anchored to the anchoring means 11 in the surroundings of the watercourse the pump 1 will adjust itself automatically relative to the direction of flow of the liquid 100 which is marked by an arrow A in Fig. 1. Moreover, the an¬ choring means is embodied so that the pump 1 is allowed to enter the floating position predetermined by the choice of the size of the floating body 10. When the streaming liquid 100 acts on the blades 9 of the propeller 8 the propeller 8 and the drum 2 "will start to rotate (see arrow B in Fig. 2), with the result that water and air enter alternately through the inlet end 4 of the hose 3 resulting in turn that liquid will be pumped out at a drawing place at the orifice of the conduit 6. It is advantageous to give the drum 2 the conical form shown as this will involve advantages both in respect of li- quid flow and build-up of pressure. Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a loop pump according to the invention where a water wheel provided with wings is used instead of an axial propeller. This loop pump 20 comprises a drum 21 supporting- a number of turns (loops) of a pipe or hose 22, the hose 22 having an inlet end 23, the other hose end being connected with an outlet line 24 from the pump 20 by way of a so-called swivel coupling, said outlet line 24 leading to a desired drawing place of the liquid pumped by means of the pump. The drum 21 has two end sections 25, 25 and wings 27 are arranged radially between these end sections out¬ side the hose 22, said wings 27 preferably having the V-shape shown in Fig. 4 as this has been found to be suitable with re¬ spect to the liquid flow. A floating body 28 is arranged within the drum 21 and its size is chosen so that the pump 20 obtains the desired floatability . Moreover, the drum 21 is rotatably connected with two arms 29, 30 which are also connected, preferably articulatedly, with an axle 31. The arms 29, 30 and the axle 31 form together an anchoring means for the pump 20 and the axle 31 is connected in suitable manner with some part of the surroundings of the liquid that is to be pumped to a higher level by means of the pump. The anchorage can preferably be embodied so that the pump 20 adjusts itself automatically ac¬ cording to the prevailing direction of flow of the liquid in which it operates. The pump 20 functions as follows. When the pump operates in a liquid 200 having a direction of flow according to arrow C the streaming liquid will act on the wings 27 so that the drum 21 and the hose 22 will rotate according to the arrow D in Fig. 5. Upon this rotation liquid and air will enter alter¬ nately through the inlet end 23 into the hose 22 and will then be pumped further through the conduit 24 to the drawing place desired. It will be appreciated that the inventive loop pump can be embodied in a series of different ways in addition to those decribed here and this does not apply the least to the embodi¬ ment of the very drum. A means in the form of e.g. an external spiral absorbing the flow energy of the liquid can be arranged radially outside the hose loops as an alternative of the pro- peller and the water wheel . Said means, and/of hose loops can also be arranged internally in the drum and of course the placement of the floating body can also be varied. Thus, the invention is not restricted to what has been shown and described but amendments and modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: Patent Claims 1. A loop pump (1;20) for pumping liquid, i.e. a pump comprising a pipe (3;22) or the like embodied in a number of turns/loops, said pipe being rotated by a drive source for introducing alternately air and liquid into an inlet (^;23) and said pipe (3;22) pumping the liquid by way of a conduit (6; 2k) or the like rotatably connected with the pipe to a drawing place, the drive source consisting of a means (8; 25-27) taking up the flow energy of the liquid, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it (I; 20) comprises a floating body (10; 28) giving the pump a desired f loatability on the liquid. 2. The loop pump of claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the floating body (10;28) is arranged within the loops of the pipe (3;22). 3« The loop pump of claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the floating body (10) is placed on the outlet side of the means taklnsc uυ the flow enerary of the liquid, said means being a propeller (8). '+. The loop pump of claim.,.l or 2, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the floating body (28) is placed within the means taking up the flow energy of the liquid, said means being a water wheel.(25-27) . 5« The loop pump of any one of claims 1-3 » c h r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that tha floating body (10) is arranged within a conical drum (2). o. The loop pump of any one of claims 1-5 » c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises means (11 29-31) for anchoring it relative to the surroundings of the flowing liαuid.

Inventors: KARLSSON PER-OLOF, KARLSSON, PER-OLOF
Applicants: KARLSSON PER OLOF, KARLSSON, PER-OLOF
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F04C3
IPC codes: F04B17, F04B19, F04C7, F04C15, F04D11, F04D13, F04F99