A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC CIRCULATION IN A WASTE WATER PUMP STATION

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for obtaining an automatic circulation in waste water pumpstations. At the pressure side of the pump unit (6) there is a valve (6) which during a certain time opens a connection between the pump and the pump station thus creating a circulation. The valve (6) is opened and closed by help of communicating bellows (11) and (12) resp which are controlled by the pressure difference between two sections (9) and (10) resp in the valve (6) having different areas.

Description: The invention concerns a device for providing circulation in pump stations which are parts of a municipal sewage system. As is described in the Swedish Patent Application 7908743-3 (DE-A-3039216) sludge banks accrue in pump stations and other tanks in a sewage system as the circulation is not good enough. Sludge banks mean a lot of problems such as a bad smell, risk for explosions, corrosion problems etc. According to the Patent Application mentioned, the problems have been solved by arranging a valve in the pump outlet, which is opened temporarily thus obtaining a circulation and flushing in the pump station. The sludge banks are dissolved and the fluid is homogenized. The adjustment of the valve has up to now been controlled by electric means by help of a linear motor which acts upon a slide in the valve. A disadvantage with this solution, in addition to a relatively high cost, is that it easily becomes clogged as the pumped medium normally contains large amounts of solid bodies such as stones, rags and other objects. If a stone is stuck in the valve slide, the electric motor may break down. The purpose of this invention is to obtain a device which in a simple and reliable way controls the valve and which is less sensitive to clogging. This is obtained by help of the device stated in the claims. The invention is described more closely below with reference to the enclosed drawings. Fig 1 shows a pump station with a pump unit and attached valve. Fig 2 shows the principle of the valve in opened and closed positions. Fig 3 shows an enlarged view of the valve. In the drawings 1 stands for a pump station with a submersible pump unit 2 connected to a pressure pipe 3. 4 stands for the pump housing with inlet 5, while 6 stands for a mixing valve mounted on the pump housing 4. 7 stands for a pipe having different sections 9 and 10 resp, 8 stands for an outlet, 11 and 12 bellows, 13 a connection line, 14 a valve seat, 15 a cam and 16 a sealing lip. The device operates in the following manner: Normally the valve 6 is closed and the pumped medium is transported from the pump housing 4 and into the pressure pipe 3. The flow direction is shown by the Arrow A. During certain times, for instance at pump start, the valve is open, which means that a certain amount of the pumped medium flows through the valve, arrow B, and obtains a strong agitation in the pump station wreching possible sludge banks. After a certain time, the valve is closed and the pumping takes place in the normal way. The valve 6 comprises a pipe formed part 7 and an outlet 8. The pipe formed part, connected to the pump housing 4, is designed with two sections 9 and 10 resp having different areas. Within these sections bellows 11 and 12 are arranged which communicate in a closed liquid system. In its expanded position the bellows 12 closes the smaller section 10, while the bigger section 9 is partly closed by the bellows 11 in its expanded position. As the two bellows communicate via the line 13, they will take alternately expanded positions. In order to secure the function it is important that the volume acted upon by the bellows 11 is bigger or at least of the same size in the bigger section 9 as compared with the volume controling the bellows 12 in the smaller section 10. In addition, that part of the area 9, which is not closed by the bellows 11, must be bigger than the total area of the section 10. Under the condition that the fluid in the closed fluid system is allowed to flow freely, the bellow 12 will take an expanded position due to the fact that that there is a pressure difference between the two sections 9 and 10. As the latter section 10 has an area which is considerably smaller than the former section 9, the velocity of the fluid will be higher and thus, the pressure lower. This difference exists as long as there is a flow through the part 7. The situation described above will prevail as long as the mixer valve does not operate, during normal pumping. In order to keep the positions of the bellows, e.i. closed section 10, when there is no flow, a valve is positioned in the line 13 between the bellows. Said valve will, in a closed position prevent return flow from the bellows 12. In Fig 3 is shown in more detail how the section 10 may be designed. In front, to the left, of the bellows 12 as well as within said bellows the pump pressure prevails. After, to the right, of the bellows, on the other hand, atmospheric pressure prevails. In order to secure a good sealing between the bellows and its seat 14, the latter has a cam form 15 which prevents the bellows from rolling over to the right in the Fig. According to another solution the bellows 12 is provided with a sealing lip 16, which further secures the sealing. When the pump does not operate and there is no flow through the sections 9 and 10, there are equal pressures in those. The bellows than take their rest positions which means expanded position for the bellows 11 and a non-expanded position for the bellows 12. In order to obtain a flow through the valve during a certain time after start of the pump, a valve is arranged, possibly combined with the previous mentioned non-return valve in the closed system, which prevents flow in the direction from the bellows 11 towards the bellows 12, but allows flow in the opposite direction. This means that, when the pump starts and a flow is created through the part 7 causing the pressure difference between the sections 9 and 10, the higher pressure in the former will not be able to act upon the bellows 12 to close the section 10. Not until the non-return valve is opened, the pressure difference between the two sections 9 and 10 will cause an closing of the passage. The impulse to open the non-return valve is given after a predetermined time. The device is operating in the following way when arranged in a pump station. In rest position, when the pump does not operate, the bellows 11 takes an expanded and the bellows 12 an non-expanded position. The valve in the closed system, where the bellows 11 and 12 are parts, takes a position such that flow from the bellows 11 into the bellows 12 is stopped. When the pump starts, the flow through the part 7 of the mixing valve begins and obtains the mixing within the pumpstation. After a predetermined time the valve in the closed system is opened allowing the fluids therein to flow freely. Because of the fact that there is a lower pressure in the section 10, the fluid will now flow from the bellows 11 into the bellows 12, which then expands and closes the section 10. This means that the mixing valve is now closed and normal pumping takes place until the pump stops. At restart the cycle is repeated. The valve means in the closed system may be designed as an electromechanically monitored two position valve, but also other mechanically minitored means may be used. According to the invention a very simple and reliable device for monitoring mixer valves in pump stations for waste water is obtained, which valve is very unsensitive to pollutions in the waste water.

Claims: 1. A device for obtaining circulation in sewerage pump water stations containing one of several pump units, preferably centrifugal pumps of the submersible type, which device contains one or several valves connected to one or several of the pump units, which valve or valves automatically, during a limited time period, connects the pressure side of the pump with the pump station thus obtaining a circulation of the pumped medium, characterized in that the alternate return connection to the pump station is carried out by a valve (6) comprising a pipeformed part (7) and an outlet nozzle (8), the part (7) having sections of different cross section areas (9) and (10) respectively, provided with closing means (11) and (12) respectively which entirely or partly are arranged to close the areas, the means (11) and (12) communicating and cooperating in such a way that when the section (9) having the bigger area is open, the section (10) having the smaller area is closed, while an open section (10) means a partly closed section (9). 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing means (11) and (12) are designed as liquid filled bellows, which communicate via a connection (13). 3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening/closing of the valve is controlled by a mechanically or electrically operated control valve. 4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that closing of the mixing valve by the bellows (12) starts automatically as a result of the pressure difference between the section (9) and (10) as soon as the connection (13) between the bellows (11) and (12) is opened. 5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the bellows (12) in its expanded position seals against a valve seat (14) formed like a cam (15), the bellows abutting the cam (15) on the side turned towards the bigger section (9). 6. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bellows (12) is provided with a sealing lip (16) abutting the cam (15).

Inventors: CARLSSON, VALDEMAR
Applicants: ITT FLYGT AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E03F5
IPC codes: F04D7, F04D13, E03F5